Academic Leadership Is a Team Sport

Institutional success is largely the result of the concerted effort of a team, rather than the extraordinary talent of an individual. In “Portrait of a Presidency: Patterns in My Life as President of The College of New Jersey,” I emphasize that my 19 years overseeing exceptional enhancement to the reputation of TCNJ were because I served with an extraordinary senior administrative team, a thoughtful and supportive board of trustees, and wise and forward-thinking faculty.

In the last chapter of the book, I take time to acknowledge specifically what I learned from individuals who held these positions. We saw growth in enrollment while maintaining the academic profile and growing the representation of underrepresented groups (both economically and ethnically). That navigation was largely the work of an inspired vice president for enrollment management. We negotiated a complex public-private partnership, which provided additional housing and amenities for the campus and the township. This project was guided by the meticulous management of an inspired vice president for administration and the oversight of an experienced and politic board chair. We completed our first-ever capital campaign (on time and over goal) because of an experienced and knowledgeable vice president for advancement and the dedication and generosity of several board members. We successfully unwound a cache of variable-rate bonds that had lost their attractiveness as the bond market changed. Without the wise counsel of the college treasurer and her associate treasurer and the thoughtful oversight of attentive board members, the College would have been in dangerous financial trouble.

These are just a couple of examples of the important partnerships in major institutional success at TCNJ during my years as president. Let me illustrate further with one of these successes, which is fully covered in my book — one that was particularly dependent on creative and articulate faculty members.

In 1999, when I joined the College, the institution was well known as an attractive alternative for academically talented students, mostly from New Jersey. The student body was marked by high SAT scores and high school ranks, but the faculty members were not widely recognized as distinguished scholars, though many were very well published. My first major appointment to my senior team was a talented and ambitious provost. Prior to Steve Briggs joining the College, the position of academic vice president was not the most powerful position on the president’s cabinet; rather, the vice president for finance and administration was. I felt strongly that in order for TCNJ to become recognized not just as a choice for students who had excelled in high school, but also a choice for students who sought academic rigor and for individuals who sought the opportunity to commit to scholarship as well as teaching in their academic careers. Early on, Steve and I began talking about the concept of the Teacher-Scholar. We meant to distinguish the role from the scholar at research universities. Our faculty had to be equally committed to excellent teaching and cutting-edge scholarship.

At the beginning of my tenure, the typical teaching load was quite heavy, making it difficult for faculty to succeed as recognized scholars. In order to give the faculty the time to engage in cutting-edge research and still deliver the curriculum that allowed students to graduate on time, we had to imagine a different format for the curriculum. This came to be known as the Academic Transformation. The easiest way to describe what we envisioned was a replacement of the basic course unit from a 3-hour base to a 4-hour base, with that 4th hour being attributed to faculty work on research, understanding that such research would involve students as assistants/junior colleagues. The quality of the transformation, however, was much more than mere accounting. It required faculty to reenvision what they did in the classroom in all four hours and how they interacted with their undergraduate students. Every course, every major, every minor, and every concentration had to be revised.

When the Academic Transformation was first introduced, many faculty and board members were skeptical. The board insisted that we be transparent about the rationale for the change-they wanted to be assured that there would be a positive impact on student outcomes. After a series of town halls, mostly led by the provost, we won over a critical mass of the faculty. Those already engaged in scholarship and those who saw the value of a change in their relationship with students became enthusiastic about the opportunity. Steve led the discussions and monitored the details to ensure quality and meeting accreditation requirements. I set out high-level expectations, including a timeline. In the last town hall meeting, I told the faculty, “I will give you two years to complete the framework. If you do not, I am sure that Steve and I will be able to create it ourselves.” Some of the faculty laughed; all of the faculty understood my expectations.

The Academic Transformation was a great success. The faculty and academic administration met my timeline. The impact on student outcomes, expected by the board, was exceptional. By 2010, TCNJ was recognized by the National Science Foundation as the second institution in the state of New Jersey (behind Princeton University) for the percentage of our undergraduate students who received Ph.D.s. By 2016, the Council on Undergraduate Research listed TCNJ as a standout in student-engaged learning. Our faculty came to be recognized by national organizations across the country as scholars of the first order. Without a dedicated and talented academic administrator, tireless and appropriately skeptical faculty, and a supportive board, the Academic Transformation would never have happened.

As you can see from this detailed example, it’s collective efforts that drive institutions forward. As the leader of a college or university, it’s important to share your appreciation of these partnerships, not just when they are happening, but also in years to come, as I gratefully did in “Portrait of a Presidency.” Thanking your partners and acknowledging their work makes them more committed to the institution and more open to addressing future challenges, embracing them as opportunities for positive change.