January
20, 2016
Annie
and I recently attended the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Presidents
Institute in Miami Beach, Florida. This marks my 25th year attending the
event, which is the premier annual meeting of college and university
presidents and the largest in the country.
Based
in Washington, D.C., CIC works to raise the quality of education and strengthen
resources at some 765 independent colleges, universities and higher education
organizations. CIC’s 2016 Presidents Institute explored the theme,
“Securing America’s Future: The Vitality of Independent Colleges” and other
important issues of presidential leadership, drawing on the lessons learned by
experienced presidents and the perspectives of other distinguished
speakers.
Annie
and I also were presenters/panelists in a session on presidential transition.
Chaired by Pacific Union College President Heather Knight, we joined
former Wells College President Lisa Marsh Ryerson (now President of the AARP
Foundation) to discuss steps a president and presidential spouse can take to
ensure a smooth transition for the next campus leader.
The
time was very productive. I was able to accomplish:
Throughout the week, a theme came through loud and clear as I visited with my colleagues at the meeting. In the volatile, often uncertain world of higher education, many things remain constant. These include the need to build and maintain healthy enrollments and endowments, to teach well, and to give our efforts an honest and thorough assessment. We will always want to recruit the best students, faculty, and administrative staff that we can. A mainstay of Virginia Wesleyan's history is the devotion of all members of the campus community to academic, career, and life success for students. Our beautiful campus needs constant care, too, and the challenge of security, and needed resources in every area of the College, is ongoing.
Much of what we do is predictable and knowable, however, there are many recent developments and trends that bring uncertainty, and demand vigilance. Most have a direct correlation to the future of all small, private colleges like VWC. And all will have increasing influence in the years ahead. I have no doubt that with persistent effort and strong connections to our colleagues in the higher education community and beyond, we will continue to accomplish great things.
- A planning session with Derck & Edson of Lancaster, PA, the firm that will facilitate our nine month master planning effort;
- A planning session with Old Dominion Athletic Conference Presidents;
- A meeting with Academic Search, Inc. Board of Directors, a group I chair;
- A meeting with the American Academic Leadership Institute Board of Directors (I serve as vice chair);
- A planning session with Capital Education, the full-service provider of online learning that is our preferred vendor for developing a program at VWC.
Throughout the week, a theme came through loud and clear as I visited with my colleagues at the meeting. In the volatile, often uncertain world of higher education, many things remain constant. These include the need to build and maintain healthy enrollments and endowments, to teach well, and to give our efforts an honest and thorough assessment. We will always want to recruit the best students, faculty, and administrative staff that we can. A mainstay of Virginia Wesleyan's history is the devotion of all members of the campus community to academic, career, and life success for students. Our beautiful campus needs constant care, too, and the challenge of security, and needed resources in every area of the College, is ongoing.
Much of what we do is predictable and knowable, however, there are many recent developments and trends that bring uncertainty, and demand vigilance. Most have a direct correlation to the future of all small, private colleges like VWC. And all will have increasing influence in the years ahead. I have no doubt that with persistent effort and strong connections to our colleagues in the higher education community and beyond, we will continue to accomplish great things.
