Who should be a university president

Title

Language

English

Source

New ideas about the human body

Year

1968

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

■ A university must have a strong board of regents or trustees who should know how to judge the real qualifications of a university president. WHO SHOULD BE A UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT The history of the office of president in American col leges and universities began with the election of Henry Dunster as chief officer of Harvard College in 1640. Hp received the title of presi dent, which has become the usual title for the chief executive, of American insti tutions of higher learning. Three other terms have been used to identify the executive head: rector, chancellor, and provost. As one i reviews the history of the office of the college president, it is apparent that the selection of the person for this office is one of the cru cial tasks of the board of trustees. It is important be cause the president automati cally becomes the chief liaison between the board and the institution. The manner in which he executes his responsibility will set the tone of the academic enter prise. The board must be re minded that the role of the president is complex and mul tifaceted and needs clear -de finition before final selection of a candidate. The board of trustees should define the task of the president in light of the needs, objectives and nhilosophv of the institution. The board should also realize that a successful president of one institution is not automa tically a successful president in another. The selection of a president must be carefully thought out and his appoint ment should only be made af ter every avenue and resource has been exhausted. The relationship of the president to the board of trustees is an extremely cru cial relationship. The pre sident can establish a smooth line of communication or 28 Panorama build imaginary barriers that will create havoc in the aca demic confines. He is the chief representative of all avenues of the institution to the board of trustees, and this is a responsibility that cannot be ultimately dele gated. The president must take full responsibility for the operation of the institu tion and see to it that he has the finest team to help him manage the affairs of a grow ing complex of higher learn ing. One of the first tasks of the president should be to re view the structure of the board of trustees and suggest ways of structuring the board so that trustees become in volved to the maximum de gree. Trustees need to be involved and the president can direct their involvement in a variety of ways. The president must also realize that the academic community has entrusted to him its pro fessional hopes and aspira tions for the institution. The president, by virtue of his office, is the major de cision-maker apart from the board of trustees. Though the president’s role is multi tudinous and his work is multilateral, his opportunities for influence in decision making are very broad. He is the power center for deci sions, and he must be care ful how he exerts that power. Harold Stoke, in ‘‘The American College President,” remarked regarding this pow er: “... Those who enjoy it are not very successful and those who are successful are not very happy. The explanation is hidden somewhere in the philosophy of power. Those who eixpy exercising the power shouldn’t have it, and those who should exercise it are not likely to enjoy it.” In arriving at decisions, the president has the respon sibility to choose the course of action and direction deemed best from the alter natives of all the communi ties represented. The ability to make those decisions and implement them implies a trust vested in him by not only the trustees, but the fa culty, staff, students and pub lic as well. This trust given to him by his associates will either grow or decline, based upon his method of operation June 1968 29 in daily decision-making. His ability to accomplish things may depend to a great extent on that trust. He must re member that people will be led only to the degree that they want to be led. The president must inspire his as sociates to follow him or the institution will be steered on a shaky course. One of the major roles df the president will be to sub mit information to the board concerning the total college program. Any presentation made by the president to the board of trustees must be based on sound, reasonable and rational foundations. The facts presented must merit consideration at the board level and controversial items must not.be hidden because of fear of board reprisal. In my research regarding boards, I discovered that presidents have a tendency to shield board members from infor mation that would cause dis satisfaction to the board. Trustee members need tp know the truth if they are to make the most adequate de cisions necessary for the on going of an institution. If they cannot accept the res ponsibility of knowing these verities, then they are not ful filling their function. The nature of the role of the president and the role of trustees demands that they operate in an environment that brings cohesive union of major vectors cj the insti tution. This does not imply that the two must agree in all areas touching their res ponsibility. It simply means that the president and the board, for the well-being of the institution, must be able to negotiate, facilitate, deve lop and lead on a priority level of good communication with one another. The pro blems of growth, by necessi ty, demand tension, difficul ty and stress, yet they do not require division, disunity and disrespect to prevail. I submit that the begin ning of a great institution is the selection of a strong, flexible board of trustees which will appoint a toplevel chief executive. If that chief executive is willing to do the job that needs to be done within the entire acade mic enterprise, which in cludes maintaining the pro30 Panorama per role with all communities of education is greatly enof the institution, including hanced. — By ORLEY HERhis relationship with the RON, College and University board of trustees, the future Business, August, 1967 TO OUR SABAH CLAIMANTS Power politics is the game of powerful na tions. It is involvement in territorial or political aggrandisement. It may include the practice of international land-grabbing. It often means intran sigence in diplomatic conflicts. It is. often a way of running away from domestic problems. Our political leaders who are so sure of their stand on acquiring the territory of Sabah in Borneo should bear these ideas in mind. The present troubles of France and the U.S.A, arising. from their foreign policies are considered by such thinkers as Walter Lippman as principal sources of the difficult problems that these coun tries now face. Small countries, particularly Swit zerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and others, which have been avoiding international complica tions and concentrating themselves on, domestic af fairs, on the other hand, have succeeded in avoid ing unnecessary, perplexing, expensive, and dan gerous situations. On the whole, they have been able to carry out their plans of internal develop ment — V.G.S. June 1968 3i

pages

28-31

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