Change is exciting, renewing, and inevitable. It’s also frightening. At my institution, as a nod to how much everyone dislikes the word “change,” I have begun substituting “intentional, accelerated evolution,” which elicits the occasional chuckle.
At many of our institutions of higher learning today, the need for change is neither debatable nor negotiable. Shrinking enrollments, shifting student demographics, heightened scrutiny and regulation, and growing skepticism about the value and necessity of a college degree all demand a compelling response, placing a premium on a willingness to reinvent.
Which requires courage.
When I joined Columbia College Chicago as president in 2013, key institutional success indicators were trending downward, and existing plans failed to articulate a better future or a path to getting there. The board had plans to build a new library, a project that struck me as out of touch with student needs. Following an intense first year of engagement with faculty, students, and staff, I challenged my board to work with me to reimagine the future by reclaiming our institution’s distinctive mission and place in higher education and making student success our guiding principle.
The board rose to the challenge of supporting an ambitious strategic plan (which ended the library discussion), surfacing its courage in two ways that I think are critical for today’s college and university boards: having the courage to support as well as the courage to push back.
Trustees must bring to the table the willingness to go all-in with big bets while also remaining resolute in the face of the inevitable consequences of shaking up the status quo, whether those consequences be ill-will, concern, or fear. Big change is disruptive. But if the president’s marching orders are to just keep people happy and stop rocking the boat, we are doomed to diminishing relevance over time.
Often, the board mandate to presidents goes something like this: We will commit to a step and see if you get there, then we’ll reassess to see if we should commit to supporting the next step. This linear thinking no longer suffices, as we must make multiple bets and initiate many agendas simultaneously. Boards need the courage to move institutions forward based on their confidence in institutional vision, strategy, and leadership, recognizing that sometimes the evidence we would like is simply not available, particularly when entering the uncharted waters many of us are navigating. And let us not forget the imperative of moving quickly. As I constantly remind my community, the world is not slowing down because we can’t move fast enough.
But a board’s courage to move quickly and decisively should not be mistaken for a willingness to just go along. Trustees must challenge their presidents. They need to be able to say, “I don’t know what that means” or “I don’t understand why that’s important,” both of which are invitations to meaningful dialogue about what really matters. Based on my board service, I know how difficult it can be to express an unpopular perspective. But boards need to ask tough questions; without doing so, we don’t test our ideas deeply enough, calling into question the validity of our decisions.
I expect my board to hold me accountable for answering questions, addressing concerns, and providing data and documentation as requested. But I also expect that when the debate is over, my board will have my back. Without that partnership, we cannot advance.
On my campus, we are breaking ground in 2017 on a new student center (instead of a library). Our students are celebrating this tangible proof of the board’s commitment to their success. That’s what courageous boards do: envision the future and make it happen.
Share on LinkedIn
