Lengthening its roster of leadership development programs, CIC partnered with the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to launch the Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) this spring, a year-long program to enhance the skills of vice presidents or cabinet officers for roles as presidents. Several factors are calling into question whether new leaders will be available to fill future presidencies in higher education: the aging of the current generation of presidents; reports by search consultants who indicate that presidential pools are becoming smaller; the growing complexity of the president’s role; the difficulties experienced by excellent candidates who come to presidential searches without some of the experiences needed by sitting presidents; and the reluctance of boards to select candidates without substantive and demonstrated experience in the full complement of the responsibilities of the presidency.
Participants in the first meeting of the Executive Leadership Academy, launched in spring by the American Academic Leadership Institute in partnership with CIC, learned about preparing for a presidency.
The ELA is directed by AALI President Ann Die Hasselmo. The program consists of 1) two two-day seminars in Washington, DC (August 2–4, 2011, and late spring, 2012) conducted by current and former presidents and vice presidents; 2) readings concerning presidential leadership; 3) a professional Experiential Plan (EP) developed by the participant and his or her president to be undertaken on the home or another conveniently located campus as the participant engages in activities relevant to the presidency; 4) mentorship by the participant’s president and the program director; and 5) bi-monthly conference calls among the participant, mentor, and program director. Upon completion of the program, participants will have added considerable knowledge, skills, and experiences to their curriculum vitae that are germane to the portfolio of responsibilities and activities central to the work of the president.
It is a given that the roles of presidents have changed significantly in recent years; that the role of institutional fit is critical; and that institutional type affects the role of the president. The president’s role now requires expertise in everything from enrollment to endowment management and from governmental to alumni relations. Therefore, the Academy includes a substantive focus on fundraising, athletics, marketing, student affairs, strategic planning, financial management, and other topics not generally in the portfolio of vice presidents. Candidates with the knowledge of and experience in the broader responsibilities of the presidency will be seen as better qualified to boards of trustees and search committees and better able to assume leadership quickly in making a positive impact on the institution.
The first seminar of the ELA was held August 2–3 in Arlington, Virginia. The introductory session featured participants in the pilot program held in 2010. Michael B. Sperling, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Mercy College (NY); Ed Ericson, III, vice president for academic affairs at John Brown University (AR); Bryon L. Grigsby, senior vice president and vice president for academic affairs at Shenandoah University (VA); Sandra J. Jordan, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Georgia College and State University; and Emile (Mel) C. Netzhammer, II, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Keene State College, shared their retrospective advice on how best to use the year to prepare for a presidency. Ericson and Jordan then led a working session on constructing an Experiential Plan (EP), followed by a session on working effectively with one’s president serving as a mentor, led by Grigsby and Netzhammer. During dinner, working groups collaborated to create different EPs for each person at the table.
The next morning opened with Gladys Styles Johnston, director of AASCU’s Minority Leadership Institute and chancellor emerita of the University of Nebraska Kearney, and Walter D. Chambers, chair of the AALI board and former board member of Lincoln University and of the College of New Jersey, who gave well-informed advice about what aspiring presidents should know about working with boards and systems. Troy D. Paino, the new president of Truman State University, followed with his fascinating saga about how he was appointed president as an internal candidate a year ago and what has happened since he hit the ground running at full speed. Not to be outdone, Lendley (Lynn) C. Black, chancellor of the University of Minnesota Duluth, then gave his account of assuming a chancellorship as an external candidate and what he learned during his first year.
During lunch on the second day, Michael Fiorentino, Jr., president of Lock Haven University, joined with Black, Ericson, Netzhammer, and Paino to offer views from the trenches on searching for a presidency. Following lunch, Fiorentino discussed preparing for, implementing, and living through his transition to the presidency. Next, a panel of participants in the pilot program described the kinds of activities and initiatives that might be appropriate for experiential plans and they then served as roaming mentors as small groups continued to work on their EPs.
Hasselmo used the final morning to present what she learned from many years serving as managing director of Academic Search, Inc. about the do’s and don’ts of participating in a search for a presidency. Molly Easo Smith, former president of Manhattanville College (NY) closed the program with a perspective on how best to prepare for a presidency and the surprises one inevitably finds upon arrival as a new president.
CIC Participants in 2011-2012 Executive Leadership Academy
Makola M. Abdullah
Provost and Vice President for
Academic Affairs
Florida Memorial University
Mary Bornheimer
Vice President for Research,
Planning, and Technology
McKendree University (IL)
Charlotte Borst
Vice President for Academic
Affairs and Dean of Faculty
Whittier College
Gregg Chenoweth
Vice President for Academic
Affairs
Olivet Nazarene University (IL)
Ronald Chesbrough
Vice President for Student Affairs
Hastings College (NE)
John Comerford
Vice President for Institutional
Advancement
Westminster College (MO)
Darin E. Fields
Vice President for Academic
Affairs and Dean of Faculty
Bethany College (WV)
David R. Finley
Vice President for Academic
Affairs
Trine University (IN)
Scott Flanagan
Executive Vice President
Edgewood College (WI)
Chad Jolly
Vice President for Institutional
Advancement
William Jewell College (MO)
Laurie Joyner
Vice President for Planning and
Dean of the College
Rollins College (FL)
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Lucas Lamdrid
Vice President of Enrollment
Management and Student Affairs
Belmont Abbey College (NC)
Earl F. Martin
Executive Vice President
Gonzaga University (WA)
John M. McArthur
Provost
Cameron University (OK)
David Persky
Assistant to the President
Saint Leo University (FL)
Christine Plunkett
Vice President of
Administration and Finance
Burlington College (VT)
Stephen Pugliese
Vice President for Student
Development and Engagement
Immaculata University (PA)
Marc M. Roy
Provost
Goucher College (MD)
Jill F. Russell
Executive Vice President
Springfield College (MA)
Glenn Sharfman
Vice President and Dean
for Academic Affairs
Manchester College (IN)
Kenneth Wetstein
Vice President for Student
Engagement and Dean of Students
Defiance College (OH)
Marylou Yam
Provost and Vice President
for Academic Affairs
Saint Peter's College (NJ)
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