CIC President Richard Ekman (center left), welcomes to the 2001 Presidents Institute John H. Biggs, Chairman and CEO of TIAA-CREF (left), Lesley University President Margaret A. McKenna, Chair of the CIC Board of Directors, and Richard W. Kimball, President and CEO of The Teagle Foundation. For a special report and photo spread on this year's annual meeting held at Marco Island, Florida, see link.

A new strategic planning initiative for the future of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and private higher education was unveiled during the 2001 Presidents Institute in Marco Island, FL. The Institute also focused on the implications of technology for private colleges, the relationship between presidents and boards, and a variety of leadership issues, including how presidents can better manage and govern their institutions.
    More than 600 participants, including 260 presidents representing more than 50 percent of the Council's membership, attended this year's Institute, breaking previous attendance records. Under the theme of "Presidents, Boards, and The New Millennium," CIC for the first time invited trustee leaders, 20 of whom joined their presidents for the conference.
    During the Institute, CIC President Richard Ekman outlined, and the Board of Directors endorsed, a strategic planning procedure and timetable for charting the future of the Council. "The process will, over the next year, attempt to take stock of the needs and interests of member institutions, assess the effectiveness of existing CIC programs and other activities, suggest new initiatives, estimate CIC's potential role in assisting all small and medium-sized private colleges and universities, and gauge CIC's current and prospective role as a national voice for independent higher education," Ekman said.
    With a current membership of approximately 500 colleges and universities, CIC's central goal is to seek a broad understanding of the common interests and opportunities among the nation's private small and medium-sized institutions. "The heart of that effort will be a series of conversations—involving leaders of both member and nonmember institutions, members of CIC's Board of Directors, and staff members," Ekman noted. This spring and summer, a number of colleges in different parts of the country will host roundtable discussions (see list below) mainly for presidents and chief academic officers to participate in the strategic planning initiative (more information on the presidential and CAO roundtables is posted on CIC's website at www.cic.edu/conferences).
    In addition, Ekman stressed that advice and feedback on the initiative are welcome by telephone, visits to Washington, letters, faxes, e-mail, and the website. Finally, CIC will hold several additional meetings that will engage funders in this conversation. Based on these several months of interaction with colleges and universities, associations, and funders, CIC will develop and refine a strategic plan for presentation to the membership at the Annual Meeting in January 2002.
    Among the pressing issues and concerns for CIC and private higher education to be discussed during these conversations are leadership, technology, understanding costs, commitment to the liberal arts, heritage of diversity in private higher education, and the distinctive educational role for small and medium-sized private institutions.
    The full text of the document outlining the initiative, "Future Directions For Independent Colleges and Universities: Strategic Planning by the Council of Independent Colleges," is available on CIC's website at www.cic.edu.

Independent Newsletter
The Council of Independent Colleges
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 320 • Washington, DC 20036
tel: (202) 466-7230 • Fax: (202) 466-7238 • e-mail: cic@cic.nche.edu • www.cic.edu

Last updated: May 30, 2001
Copyright © 2001 The Council of Independent Colleges