Spotlight on Institutional Leadership

A college or university can only be as strong as the person who leads it. Dr. Marylouise Fennell, RSM, knows this quite well, having spent more than 35 years in higher education administration—as a dean, former president of Carlow University in Pittsburgh and as a higher education executive search consultant at Hyatt Fennell Executive Search in Conway, PA.

Dr. Fennell also serves as senior counsel to the Council of Independent Colleges and presently sits on four college boards.

Q. What are some of the different challenges facing a modern college president that may not have been issues even as recently as 10-20 years ago?

A. The presidency in general has changed. There were times in the past that a president would go on vacation once school started. This doesn’t happen now. The start of the school year is simply another set of tasks that run alongside the important public relations and fundraising elements of the job and also keeping your constituency happy.

The job has changed in that it is now a 24/7 endeavor, but a certain core set of responsibilities remain the same—things like showing up to games, events and other extra-curricular activities.

Q. How have the digital world and social media changed the presidency?

A.  Being a college president in the digital world is a different ballgame. With older students coming back to school and mixing in with a current generation of younger students, you have to think about them having different levels of experience with technology (digital natives vs. non digital natives). From there, you have to consider how to reach the students and best get your message across.

Aside from communicating, a president must consider the fact that the students they serve are being educated for careers in the digital world which may not even exist yet. Things like working with the cloud and writing code continue to evolve and there will be more changes in the future. How do you prepare them?

Q. Is it getting rarer to see the same president stay at a college or university for a long time?

A. Yes, it is getting rarer. Burnout coupled with fundraising responsibilities and other pressures can lead presidents to seek new challenges after a while, be it at another university or in another part of higher ed.  A good rule I have always lived by: take 1 hour a day, 1 day a week and 1 weekend a month for yourself and your family. It can become easy to get caught up in work and responsibility, but you must have an escape. This makes you a better president and of more value to those you serve. 

Featured

  • Kenall Introduces Millenium Flair Series

    In a move aimed at modernizing institutional lighting without compromising on durability or performance, Kenall has launched its new Millenium Flair series, according to the Kenall website.

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • Dallas ISD Debuts New Peabody Elementary School

    The Dallas Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, recently announced the completion of the new facility for George Peabody Elementary School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects and REEDER Construction on the 70,807-square-foot replacement campus, which has the capacity for 550 students.

  • cutaway view of a modern school building, showing various rooms and zones

    Layering AI into HVAC Systems Shows Reduction in Carbon Emissions

    Heating and cooling systems are just one of the many new ways that AI can be integrated into schools. According to a new study from Schneider Electric's Sustainability Research Institute, AI-powered HVAC systems in schools can lead to significant carbon emissions savings.

Digital Edition