Looking for the perfect gift for the leader in your life? Or maybe a treat for yourself? Here are some things I love to give and receive—no affiliates or kickbacks, just things that make my life better and that I want to share: These travel compression bags keep a suitcase organized and make it easy to avoid checking a bag even on longer trips; a Duolingo subscription is a fun way to learn a new language, engage your brain, and make the most of waiting in line or other short stretches of time (I’m learning Dutch and improving my Hebrew thanks to a gift subscription from my son); Ka’chava makes the best-tasting, nutrient rich, and chocolatey shake; Glo offers top teachers, a searchable database, and daily new routines in yoga, Pilates, meditation, and other modalities—perfect for travel and busy schedules; The Class is a more vigorous (yet still spirit-supporting) alternative; Pas de rouge shoes are great for wearing in cities—they look great and are really comfortable for walking; I love these notebooks and these as well; a chocolate tasting kit is fun and (kind of) educational; and Typology makes tinted serums that double as makeup for a fresh easy look that actually lasts all day.

A few other suggestions: a gift certificate for a lymph drainage massage—totally different than a deep tissue massage and it leaves you feeling lighter and softer; a donation in someone’s honor to their institution is always welcome; and never underestimate the power of a heartfelt note telling someone special about the ways they inspire and amaze you.

We recently hosted a webinar for campus leaders to discuss what we might expect for higher education from the new administration. Panelists included the leaders of three organizations that represent independent higher education in Washington, DC, and whose membership overlaps with CIC’s (the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU)). The panelists emphasized the importance of leaders building relationships with the representatives serving their campus community and ensuring that they hear from campus constituents about the specific impact of proposals. NAICU has many resources available on its website and I encourage CIC members to stay engaged. This is an important year to attend national meetings. CIC gathers presidents at the beginning of January. NAICU, CCCU, and ACCU each have meetings early in the new year as well.

There are several open calls for applications for CIC selective programs, which can be found on the website under Opportunities. These include a faculty development seminar on teaching in interfaith contexts and our flagship leadership development programs, the Senior Leadership Academy and the Executive Leadership Academy.

We are also in our annual sprint to get ready to welcome more than 600 participants to our Presidents Institute on January 3, in San Antonio.

A Spark of Inspiration

In Washington, DC, the associations and organizations that serve higher education are preparing for a season of change. Some of these changes may be exciting and good. Others could be disruptive and even damaging. Which is which will be a matter of debate even among those of us committed to a flourishing and accessible climate for teaching and learning.

Amidst great upheaval I want to carry out my work in ways that are true to my values, true to CIC’s mission serving its diverse membership, and that allow the more than two million students who attend CIC colleges and universities each year to flourish. Knee-jerk reactions are not going to be helpful. Nor are purely mercenary or careerist calculations. Instead, nuance, open-mindedness, courage, and a commitment to personal and organizational integrity are the virtues that have to be cultivated in times of polarization and change.

Building communities of practice and leaning in to professional ethics are good strategies for examining and reinforcing our ability to act wisely. For mutual support in this, I recently invited my peers, i.e., leaders of like-minded organizations, to join me in a regular discussion group.

Here is the invitation:

Dear Higher Ed Association Leaders,

I anticipate that many of us will find some of our values under attack and in conflict over the next year. And yet we will be called on to lead with courage and character as we support our own organizations and the institutions we serve. 

To help us meet this challenge, I am organizing an informal, bi-weekly (every other week) discussion group, the Courage and Character Circle.

What it is: A brave space to reflect on our personal values and to support each other in making ethical and wise decisions during a period of cultural disruption for higher education, a chance to learn from leaders of the past and present, a time to support each other as we each strive to lead with integrity. 

What it is not: A partisan hangout, a discussion of current events, an activism group, a gathering of perfect people or those who expect perfection from each other.

Who it is for: Higher ed, nonprofit CEOs who are from any moral/religious tradition—or one willing to engage in self-reflection and thoughtful dialogue, able to commit to confidentiality. 

Logistics: We will meet virtually once every two weeks over the lunch hour. I will provide a short reading ahead of time to help frame the conversation.

If you would like to organize a circle of your own, you are welcome to use this blueprint, modifying it in any way that serves you and your colleagues. I am also happy to share some of the short readings we will use to spark conversation. Write to me at mhass@cic.edu and let me know about your circle.

The Spirit of Hope

by Byung-Chul Han

A timely and thoughtful meditation on cultivating mature hope, i.e., hope without optimism. That the book is illustrated with Anselm Kiefer paintings gives you a sense of the depth and complexity of Han’s interpretation of hope. Overall, I found this book to be deeply inspiring and motivating.

Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World

by Pema Chödrön

One of the world’s master teachers of self-knowing, Chödrön offers advice for getting our pleasures and pains in order so that we can live with greater ease and openheartedness.

Taking Back Control: States and State Systems After Globalism

by Wolfgang Streeck

More an analysis than a prescription, Streeck reflects on the dismal fate of democracy, prosperity, and pluralism when power is ceded to mega-state substitutes and global quasi-empires.

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