From Rachel Toor
Okay, okay, I heard you. Enough about basketball already. Fine! Whatever! Be that way!
Trustees: Can't live with 'em; can't off 'em.
By that I mean, of course, get them off the board.
We know there are good trustees and bad trustees. We also know that a president's or chancellor’s success or failure often hinges on having an excellent working relationship with their governing board. This means forging connections with individual members and with the board as a whole. If wrangling the faculty can be like herding cats, this task may seem more like wrestling alligators.
One current president, who had a (not uniquely) horrible experience with a previous board, said about his current trustees, "They understand the difference between governance (their role) and management (my role). That does not mean none of them ever cross that line, but I feel comfortable pushing back when they do and know the others will back me on that. My previous board did not understand that at all but were sure they did."
This board brings good expertise, fits the institution well, and their identity is not tied to board membership. Also, he said, they give. Generously.
But another president who had a great relationship with the board chair that hired her said everything fell apart when that person left. Chaos (and a job search for her) ensued.
In a lively, informal, and candid chat, Doug will, Sandbox-style, fire questions at two board whisperers for the viewing pleasure of IHE Insiders. The event will take place on Thursday, May 2, from 2:00-3:30pm ET. If you can't watch live (because you're busy doing a job?), this will be available to members on our site.
But if you know folks who want to ascend to leadership positions, encourage them to watch so they can glean knowledge about the shit-show joys of working with a board.
Cathy Trower and Peter Eckel will share tips, tricks, and strategies to manage the Lake Wobegon of higher ed, where all the regents—captains of industry and masters of the universe—are above average. Even if their understanding of higher education may be stuck in the days when they were playing frisbee on the campus quad or doing keg stands at frat parties, they will have opinions and ideas ("Fire that pesky faculty!" "No co-ed bathrooms!")
Our guests will address topics like engaging versus managing a board, helping board members translate their expertise to the higher ed environment, and getting the most from trustees. They will respond to (anonymous, off-the-record) questions from the audience. If there's something you particularly want them to address, email me (by now y'all should know I will protect your anonymity).
A former president suggested we follow this up with an event called, "Who ever thought this was a good way to run a university?"
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A retired president who suffers from prosopagnosia (face-blindness) mentioned that the condition, unsurprisingly, made his job a bit harder. He managed by having a super-competent assistant who followed him around and either whispered names to him or rode point and held out her hand to greet alumni and faculty, saying, “Oh look, President. Here’s so and so.”
In the old days, I liked going to conferences because everyone wore name tags, pinned high on their chests. (I learned only recently from a consultant friend that these should be placed on the right side, so when someone shakes your hand their gaze lands naturally on the right spot. Who knew? Where are you supposed to learn this stuff?)
The move toward lanyard nametags makes things easier—and way worse. You’re no longer looking at boobs; now it’s bellies. I’ve followed the lead of my work wife (as usual) and put a knot in the long tie so the tag rests practically under my neck.
If only everyone would just have their name stitched onto their clothing like car mechanics or doctors everything would be easier.
So here we have a current leader who describes the challenges of not recognizing faces.
