"Why do we need a course on Milton or Chaucer?" one of the directors asks.
"Shouldn't we be spending more on new technology?"
How a university or college should allocate its funding is a question that
presidents often struggle to answer.
Claire Gaudiani is the former president of Connecticut College. She believes
that technology will change the face of post-secondary institutions. "Virtual
reality may simulate complicated dissections and other experiments for students
sitting in their homes at any hour on any day of any week," she says.
The world is becoming a global village. Data zips along the information
highway. But humanities and courses that will help students understand society
will remain important.
"The inevitable conclusion of a liberal arts education is an insatiable
curiosity about difference," says Gaudiani.
"We can't stop ourselves from turning the page to find yet another meaning
and nuance in the cultures, the histories, and the physical phenomena we study.
It's this openness to the world that opens us to other people and that makes
communities where there were none before."
Where do university presidents find the resources to build their vision
of a university? "You don't always have the funding you need," says Jim Kassen.
He is a past college president.
"You always have to make decisions about keeping programs, or how they
could be changed to save money but still serve the students and the community."
But looking after the funding is only part of a university president's
job. "The most enjoyable thing about this work is that I have 48 different
things to do in a day and 48 different problems to solve," says Kassen. "There's
never a dull moment."
Of course, meeting with so many different people and discussing so many
different problems means that the president often lacks the time to find answers.
"You just never have enough time in a day to do everything that you want,"
says Kassen. "You just have to learn to deal with that."
Knowing that so many students are educating themselves and opening themselves
up to new ideas makes Colin Starnes happy with his job. He is a former university
president.
"What's nice about it is that there is a constant flow of students coming
through the university who are looking for something from the institution,"
says Starnes. "It is very enjoyable to be a part of that.
"Every day is spent trying to make compromises and to make people feel
good about themselves. This can involve students, staff or committees."
College presidents usually have a PhD in the field of study that they originally
taught. By showing prowess in their field or by making their way up the administrative
ladder, these professors end up in the president's chair. But that doesn't
always mean they're entirely prepared for the job.
"When I became a college president, I had only a partial idea of what it
would take to sustain and enhance the community," says Gaudiani.
She says that faculty members, students and staff have all aided her in
learning the position. "I have come to realize how deep a commitment community
building takes," she adds.
Being a college president means being responsible for many different tasks.
Presidents provide a vision for the future of the institution and hand out
awards to the winning athletic team.
"It means being available for confidential meetings with faculty members
who feel they have gotten off track and need special help reorienting their
careers," says Gaudiani. "It means that my husband and I have
dinners for students at the president's house and listen to their hopes as
well as their fears, their complaints as well as their compliments."
She encourages staff, faculty and students to do the best they can while
they're attending her college. "Sometimes it means writing to discouraged
young people whose parents think a note from me would help their children
believe in themselves and hold on to their dreams despite personal difficulties."
A university president deals with people from all backgrounds in all sorts
of situations. "Most of all, it means getting along with people in all sorts
of different situations and wanting to listen to them," says Kassen.