A few years ago, one of my friends and colleagues suggested that the office of HBCU presidency seems to drive those in that seat crazy. He remarked, "I've seen colleagues lose their mind when they become president!" A few weeks back, I happened to be reading Charlie Nelms' Huffington Post argument, "20 Things Every Aspiring HBCU President Should Know." After reading it, I noticed the comments section and saw some unfavorable commentary that suggested college presidents often forget their staff and faculty in their analysis. While I agree that Dr. Nelms can offer a world of insight into what it takes to run an HBCU, I also think that there is a lot that a President can learn from the people who work with them.
While I don't currently work for an HBCU, I have worked and attended HBCUs. Some places, I wish I had more time to do some things or a different position in which to effect change. And other environments, I am just glad that its over. What I've learned in each of these environments is that HBCU Presidents have an unusually high bar (responsibility) in shaping the environment. I'm not sure if its culturally motivated, but there seems to be a fair amount of "Cult of Personality" driven presidencies that lead to the success and failure of institutions.
In my opinion, an awful president is moody, dictatorial, and crisis-invoking, reminding me of Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada." A good president seems to be thoughtful, gracious, supportive, intellectually perceptive, and a head-hunter. And, the reality is that either can be charismatic. Either can have vision. Either can have results. Either can be resolute, but only one of them will attract new, thoughtful leadership that can create positive change, empower growth, and develop continuity for years beyond their time in leadership.
In this day and age where college professionals have a lot of options, HBCU presidents make major missteps when they don't seek to create a work environment that models the kind of thing they want students to embody. What I mean to say is that if HBCU presidents want a learned, dynamic, spirited, globally-thinking environment, you might want to make sure that all of your staff has opportunities to live into these ideals, and thereby model this for students. It simply means that there are opportunities for growth, collaboration, and education at every level of the institution.
Unfortunately many HBCU presidents, don't fully understand this when they model dictatorial behaviors that often times have a trickle down effect on the rest of the community. If you talk to your staff without a modicum of respect and decorum, why do you expect faculty or deans to talk to students with respect or vice versa? And such deplorable working conditions make it hard for faculty and staff who really are committed to stay at places whose missions are beautiful, but whose agents of change are derelict.
In the main, I do believe that there are a cadre of brothers and sisters
who would love to have long, continuous, fruitful careers in HBCU
education. Thus, I am always saddened to see really gifted brothers and sisters leave HBCUs because of presidential leadership. As such, our Brother/Sister Presidents must value the work that we have all been doing has educators, librarians, food service employees, student affairs staff, etc at the HBCU of our choice. And, they must remember this one important fact: "You are not in this thing alone." It was a collective agenda that brought HBCUs into fruition, and it will be a collective agenda that will empower them through the twenty-first century. If HBCU presidents will value staff contributions, engender education at every level, and cultivate a non-hostile environment more professionals would be willing to stand in battle against the other variables that seek to destroy institutions that made it possible for all of us to "Find A Way Or Make One!"
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