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Ellen Chaffee... Without skipping a beat |
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Monday, 01 October 2007 |
Here is what I know and expect regarding the leadership transition process that will take place at Valley City State University over the next two years.
Two years?? Yes – the last year of one president and the first year of the next one are always unusual.
The unusual part of the current year is a new train of thought and action that my friend John has dubbed “AE” – After Ellen. This new track involves naming a search committee, conducting a search, and hiring the next president, all under the leadership of the NDUS Chancellor and the State Board of Higher Education but with significant campus and community participation. Everyone will be involved, whether by active participation or by close observation and speculation. The Chancellor said he wants to proceed as quickly as possible, with a goal of advertising the position by December and hiring in early spring.
The AE track also involves a state of mind that affects us all. There is an underlying current of uncertainty, curiosity, hope, and perhaps a little fear whenever we face the unknown. Consistent with my basic philosophy that it is always best to “face the monster” and deal with it rather than avoid it, one of my goals this year is to help campus and community personnel know what they want or need to know and step forward to lead through the transition.
Imagine a stagecoach that is running late and must change drivers without losing time. The more informed and purposeful the horses are, the smoother the transition. In that spirit, I have recommended to a widely representative campus group that the university embrace and vigorously pursue a vision and several key strategic initiatives this year and next. When we meet again in a few weeks, they will either accept or modify that recommendation and I lead whatever course they adopt.
The new part of the vision statement I recommend is a goal of 2,500 students at VCSU, half on campus and half at a distance. This would be an increase of about 500 local students and 1,000 distant students in a time frame of 5-10 years. My suggested initiatives are (1) speedy development and pursuit of enrollment growth plans for several academic majors (to be determined by faculty and administration), (2) speedy development and pursuit of a plan to grow the university by growing athletics, which requires significant new and expanded indoor and outdoor facilities, and (3) continued rapid increases in funds for student scholarships.
Whatever the details, my recommendation is for vigorous forward motion that is reflected in and integral to the search process so that we find a new president who can slip quickly and comfortably into the seat to ensure a great first year for all.
To address some fears I have heard about, I believe that the Chancellor and Board are as committed to finding a strong, effective leader for VCSU as we are, that the proposed increases in presidential compensation are important to help attract the best possible leader, that every search yields candidates who seem better during a search than they are day-to-day – and vice versa, that campus vitality and community support are essential components of a successful search, and that VCSU will attract an outstanding new president. As we go through this year, I hope you will continue to let me know if you have any questions or concerns that I might be able to address.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 20 December 2007 )
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