Underlying the perceived necessity for a search firm is the notion that each college is unique, a highly dubious proposition. The Carnegie classification of institutions recognizes differences between state flagships and major private universities, state colleges and regional institutions, liberal-arts colleges and technical schools. There are obvious differences in size and reputation, but missions are widely shared, or else we could not claim a higher-education societal purpose or create professional associations. And herein lies one of my major issues concerning how we approach organizational behavior and leadership. The author only sees uniqueness in terms of structure, size, possibly funding streams. However institutions have culture. That culture affects how it runs, and how it can effectively be led. In the case of many MSIs, TCUs and HBCUs in particular, there is often an overlap in organizational culture and racial and ethnic culture. When selecting leadership, those searching must be sensitive to that or there will be snafus. I dont think search firm recommendations should be the final deciding factor in selecting a president. But, search firms can often help institutions identify their unique institutional needs and identify persons with not only needed skill sets but also who are good fits for a particular institutional culture. As an HBCU researcher, statements that missions are widely spread is annoying to say the least. We all may be here to educate, but what education means to each institution varies. Potential leaders need to know that and those selecting them should as well. Sometimes an outsider has to give you that information.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 15:32:35 +0000
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