On October 19, the UL System President Jim Henderson met with La Tech faculty, students, and alumni in a town hall forum to discuss the possibility of his becoming the next president of La Tech University. There has already been much written about this session, the selection process being altered, his credentials, and various other related topics. I would like to provide a different perspective on these major issues and hopefully shed new light on this matter.
A Change to the Selection Process: It is understandable that a change from a more inclusive, comprehensive, and public selection process would be difficult for many to accept. The concept of a national search conducted with input from various stakeholders is obviously an approach that many obviously valued and were comfortable following. I completely understand the concern with the change in approach.
However, while that approach may be somewhat the norm in portions of the academia world, it is not the norm in most other organizational structures. I worked for a large fortune 500 publicly traded company for over 30 years. During that 30-year period, the Company changed CEO’s three times. While I was an employee and shareholder, I was never involved in the CEO selection process. No employees were involved in this process. The Board of Directors made the decision – end of story.
Credentials in Question: A degree and/or teaching experience at a highly thought of university is something to be valued and respected. There is no doubt that a solid track record at a prestigious university can bring credibility, perspective, and excellence to future opportunities.
However, while I have worked with executives from prestigious universities in my past, my experiences were varied. Some of these individuals were not only strong in their field of expertise but were also solid leaders. Others couldn’t lead someone across the street. I found the individual made the leader, not the institution. In addition, relevant experiences can be gained from various assignments. Mr. Henderson’s experiences appear solid to me.
Priorities: There is no question that research is a key aspect for a university. The time, investment, and resulting advancements are noteworthy for the university, the state, nation, and possibly beyond. There is also the issue of athletics. While one could question whether athletics draw students to Tech or not, there is no question that athletics play a vital role in university life and alumni involvement. Those were two potential priorities that were posed to Mr. Henderson during the open session.
While Mr. Henderson acknowledged that both research and athletics are vital aspects of the University, he elevated the importance of the students in his responses throughout the period. What a great response! Now, priorities are evidenced by where time and money are invested, but elevating students as a priority sounds like a great place to start.
There were other key topics discussed such as staffing shortages, pay increases, strategic plan focus, and other relevant topics. I am not sure that Mr. Henderson and I would agree on every response, but I can say he displayed poise, competency, and confidence fielding those questions. If Mr. Henderson does in fact become the next president of La Tech, I look forward to hearing more about his strategy for the University.
I recall Mr. Henderson emphasizing his commitment to prepare students. I also support preparing La Tech students to enter a difficult, challenging world. They will need to be prepared to handle uncertainty, disagreements, and adversity with poise, competence, and confidence. Sound familiar?
