Strengthening the Foundation: Creating an Inclusive Environment for New Leaders
As an expression of Academic Search’s commitment, and as a complement to the work we do in executive search, we are honored to be engaged currently with the City University of New York System as it facilitates the transition of seven new campus presidents. Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez recognizes the critical work to be done following the appointment of new leadership, and this is all the more significant during the pandemic. A successful search does not end at the identification, selection, and announcement of the appointee; developing and implementing a well-structured transition and onboarding plan is imperative to ensuring a smooth, successful change of leadership. It is particularly important to keep the challenges of leadership in mind when transitioning and onboarding candidates from traditionally underserved populations, particularly those who are serving as pioneers in the institutions they now lead. Jay Lemons and Shirley Robinson Pippins bring their insights for keeping diversity, equity, and inclusion at the forefront of any transition and onboarding plan.
Academic Search is proud to launch a new podcast: Leaders on Leadership with Jay Lemons, a podcast series in which higher education leaders share their stories about how they got started in higher education and who influenced their careers along the way. Jay and his guests offer insights for new and aspiring leaders and discuss some of the most pressing issues facing leaders today.
In his first episode, Jay speaks with Dr. Mildred García, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and former president of both California State University Fullerton and California State University Dominguez Hills. Dr. García talks about her journey to leadership as a Latina and first-generation college student, how to diversify the leadership pipeline, and what it means to be a good leader in higher education today.
Mahauganee Shaw recently co-authored a chapter for Campus Uprisings: How Student Activists and Collegiate Leaders Resist Racism and Create Hope. Focusing on strategies for preparing higher education presidents for campus racial crises, the chapter reviews the stages in the crisis management cycle—preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. These stages are overlaid with both proactive and reactive strategies that presidents can use to more effectively manage the campus climate and respond to racial incidents. To read an excerpt, please click here.