What Leaders Need to Know and Do. Nacubo, 2006.
Chief Administrator for College Teaching
John Walda, NACUBO President and CEO, will retire at the conclusion of the association's 2018 annual coming together, in Long Embankment, Calif., July 21–24. At the captain for the by 12 years, Walda has led NACUBO in facing the great recession of 2008; jubilant its 50th anniversary in 2012; strengthening the management and programming of the 4 regional CBO associations; crafting the recently launched Strategic Blueprint—and much, much more than.
Arriving at NACUBO in 2006, Walda, former partner in the law firm Bose McKinney & Evans, in Indianapolis, had already demonstrated a keen interest in higher educational activity and its value. He has served in numerous leadership roles, including president of the Indiana Academy Board of Trustees for eight years, director and chair of the Association of Governing Boards, and equally the first chair of the lath of Clarian Wellness Partners (at present Indiana University Health). He is currently the chair of the trustees of Carroll College, a trustee of Stetson University, and a director of the Indiana Academy Foundation.
He has taken particular interest in his work with the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, participation with leaders of the Council of Higher Pedagogy Management Associations (CHEMA), and collaboration with college education leaders in influencing public policy.
Frequently addressing stakeholders from across the country, Walda ofttimes points to the value of pulling together and collaborating on higher pedagogy priorities, making him somewhat of an ambassador of the industry.
In the January 2018 outcome of Business organisation Officer, Walda writes: "Of grade, we don't know what other challenges may come our fashion… . However, NACUBO will keep to keep you informed and to provide guidance and tools that let u.s.a. to come together and, with a business firm and coordinated vocalization, support higher pedagogy's priorities and promise."
In an interview with Business Officer, Walda discusses the highlights of his tenure at NACUBO, the challenges that colleges and universities continue to face, and the priorities that are on his mind as he starts a new affiliate.
Before we talk about NACUBO, I'd like to become back to the time before you joined the organization. You've had a distinguished career in at least ii domains. What brought you into the world of college education associations?
What's motivated me nigh over the course of my career, and my life, has been working for causes. That goes back to my days in college—possibly before that. Some of the causes take been political, some have been social, and some accept been most community. And, of grade, practicing police also gave me the opportunity to fight for meaningful causes.
During my legal career, I started to devote more of my days to college education—it became my height concern. I became a trustee at Indiana University (IU), which is as well my alma mater, and served in that position for 12 years. I also became active in the Association of Governing Boards, joining its board of directors then serving as lath chair. At ane point, while I was active in both AGB and Indiana University, I was also the president of IU'due south alumni association and the chair of the health corporation (Clarian Wellness Partners).
For a short fourth dimension, information technology made sense for me to transition to part time in my law career, so that I could devote more volunteer fourth dimension to those causes.
I saw how working on behalf of and through college education could impact people's lives in positive and dramatic ways.
One of my favorite stories well-nigh the transition from my law practise to higher education was a very memorable scene with Myles Brand, then-president of IU. Since he was president of the university and I was president of the board of trustees, nosotros became very close friends.
At some point, I had only finished some major, national tobacco litigation, where I represented my home state of Indiana; and Myles could tell that I was a little burned out from that experience. He knew that I loved the world of college teaching and the causes that we stood for, so he asked me if I would consider leaving my law practise, for at to the lowest degree two or three years, to work total fourth dimension for Indiana University.
I idea that such a move would be fulfilling, so I accepted the invitation and became IU'south executive director of federal relations. I did somewhen go back to my police practice for one yr; and it was at the finish of that year that I was recruited to lead NACUBO. I knew that serving as president and CEO would probably be the capstone of my career and the most fulfilling part of my professional person life.
You've certainly brought a lot to the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, and your contributions to that grouping have been critically important over the years. That's but one example of the leadership qualities yous have brought to NACUBO and all of higher teaching. What I've seen in your leadership is a combination of passion and discipline. Tell me a piffling fleck about where the passion comes from.
I was a first-generation higher student and I knew, even at the time, that the feel was shaping my life and creating opportunities that I would never take been able to see if it weren't for the academy and the earth of college pedagogy.
I became involved in student government and rallying people for causes on campus. The most of import affair virtually being passionate is seeing how it shapes not only your life, but the lives of others.
For example, when I become to a campus, I like to walk effectually or sit down down in the student marriage and strike upward conversations with students. I enquire them about how their experience at their college began, how it is changing their lives, and what they await forwards to equally a result of earning a degree from their institution. Those are inspiring talks. I believe that if we continue to focus on how we shape the lives of the individuals and the communities that we serve and so we're doing the right matter.
As you await dorsum over 12 years at NACUBO, what are the highlights of your time at the association?
There are so many. Generally speaking, it has been a highlight for me to get to know higher education leaders from effectually the country through the NACUBO Board of Directors, campus visits, the Washington College Pedagogy Secretariat, CHEMA, and the other associations of which NACUBO is a part. The friends and connections that I've made through these organizations are very special in my life.
Another key chemical element was being president of NACUBO when we historic our 50th anniversary, at our annual coming together in 2012, which gave us the opportunity to wait back at history. It was inspiring to learn what motivated people back in the early days of the association. As well, during the ceremony, I got to spend some time with and interview Mary Lai, who was the main business officer at Long Island University for almost 58 years. She was one of the offset women to become an agile leader at NACUBO. It was a highlight to be able to larn about that history and how things take changed and evolved since those early days.
Lastly, developing, on iii different occasions, a vision and strategic plan with NACUBO's board of directors was meaning, because I learned that these leaders have a adept vision and stiff ideas nearly the path that we demand to take in order to continue our growth. Gaining confidence that the futurity of our member institutions—and for higher education in full general—volition prosper has definitely been a positive experience for me.
Yous are regarded as a master at the strategic planning process. I of the things that you accept washed in each of those strategic plans is to slightly shift the role of the CEO in response to changes in the environs and changes in the association. How have y'all and the board changed the role of the CEO over the past 12 years?
Information technology has become increasingly important for NACUBO's CEO to play a bigger role in higher pedagogy leadership circles. That's driven largely by the fact that the challenges to the economic model of our institutions accept increased, and, in some cases, threatened their viability.
My focus as CEO has been more external, and as the years progressed, I began to focus more on collaborations with other college instruction associations and advocacy efforts on behalf of the higher education community. Advocacy has always been important at NACUBO, but we have recently increased our work in that space, because information technology has become more of a challenge.
Also, the expansion of NACUBO services has changed my job. Today, nosotros exercise more inquiry and our professional evolution programs have grown to include more live programming and virtual workshops. And, as I mentioned, a big role of my role has been creating more partnerships to help find solutions to the challenges in higher educational activity. That will continue to exist an important focal point for my successor.
Equally you lot look back, 2006 must feel similar a unlike era. How has higher education changed during that time, and what are the challenges that NACUBO members are now facing that they might non accept experienced 12 years ago?
I recall writing an introductory letter to the NACUBO customs that was published in the June 2006 issue of Business Officer magazine. As I revisited that letter, it'due south clear that a lot has happened, simply it's astonishing how much is still the same. I identified 5 major challenges for NACUBO and the college education customs—issues on which we should focus and try to find solutions.
The first point had to do with the failing ability and want of states, and, to some degree the federal government, to support college pedagogy. States had begun some disinvestment in higher pedagogy, much a result of the 2001 dot.com crunch. Little did nosotros know that in 2008 and 2009, there would be a recession that would trigger an even bigger decline. Today, that remains a major business for me, and I recall that country spending needs to return to pre-recession levels. There are approximately 44 states that really spend less per FTE at present, when y'all adapt for inflation, than they did before the 2008 economic crunch.
Every bit for the federal regime, nether the Obama assistants, federal spending on higher pedagogy increased. When y'all look at the whole movie of undergraduate pupil help by source and type, the federal regime is certainly responsible for a large portion. This remains a business, as college didactics is being targeted for more cuts. We all need to be vigilant about paying attention to what's to come up.
The second upshot was that of dealing with the public perception of higher education, and if a degree is worth the cost for students. Higher education has always had its critics, but, as time goes on, that perception is becoming fifty-fifty more negative. Some assert that (1) higher costs too much, (2) it but serves the upper strata of society, (3) it saddles graduates with unmanageable debt, and (4) it fails to ready students for jobs.
These misperceptions are fueled by anecdotes about students who ended upward in bad circumstances. The fact is that higher education is more valuable as an investment now than it ever has been. When y'all consider median earnings, employability, civic engagement, and other factors, these are all very positive indicators.
3rd was my concern virtually the challenges to our higher educational activity business models—which take certainly non gone away. Institutions must pay attention to the fact that, on a national level, we have had enrollment declines over the by several years. In fall 2017, according to the National Student Clearinghouse, we saw enrollment decline for the sixth straight year. And, when you expect at the pipeline of high school graduates, particularly in the Midwestern and Eastern regions of the state, the number is projected to continue to refuse.
In 2017, we besides saw a downward tendency in international enrollments in our institutions. The decline could exist accelerating for political reasons or perceptions about coming to America to go to school.
For individual institutions, the business concern there relates to tuition discounting, a topic that I too discussed in the 2006 letter of the alphabet. Co-ordinate to the 2017 NACUBO Tuition Discounting Study, tuition discounts for showtime-time, full-time freshmen have reached an all-time loftier of near fifty per centum. When adjusted for inflation, internet tuition revenue for outset-time, full-time freshmen, during four of the past six years, actually declined.
At NACUBO, we besides look at endowments and how they relate to our economic models, especially every bit the need increases to use endowments to support our operations. The long-term information indicate that we can't rely as well heavily on endowments, because the 10-year return is 4.6 percentage, while the boilerplate spend is nigh 4.5 percentage. When you look at the long-term returns, we're just breaking even and not even making upwards for the expenses that are involved in managing these endowments.
The fourth issue was higher pedagogy's role in advancing sustainability and environmentalism. Since 2006, NACUBO has taken an important leadership role in that area and made an impact. For case, our central facilities metrics survey, done in collaboration with APPA, tracks institutions' use of water, electricity, and power and allows campus leaders to make more informed decisions most facilities-related problems.
The concluding surface area of concern was the need for us to cultivate the next generation of business officers. It was clear, even dorsum so, that there were a number of chief business officers who intended to retire in 3 to five years. We have done a lot to prepare the higher teaching business and finance leadership pipeline with programs like the NACUBO Fellows, New Business organization Officers, and Future Business Officers.
We take also been a leader in variety from a gender perspective, hosting women'south leadership events at the annual meeting and on the regional level; these programs will take a positive and lasting impact on the chief business officer profession.
Looking ahead at the ongoing questions almost higher education's value and the sustainability of the concern model—what predictions might you lot make about what we'll even so be talking about 12 years from at present?
No doubt, these things will still be a claiming. However, I recollect that we can make a meaning affect. We won't completely resolve the event of people'south perception, but we can be more than proactive in advocating on behalf of higher education.
When I think back to 12 years ago, most of the advocacy work of NACUBO, and other associations, was reactive. Our work centered around a proposal in Congress or a proposal from the Department of Education. Today, much of our endeavor is focused on talking about the value of higher education in a very proactive way. Our efforts need to continue in that direction.
Changing the negative perceptions around higher didactics, will be a gradual process, and it volition require that the college education community—institutions and associations—piece of work together to get the message out there.
I know that you're virtually comfortable talking about the work, but who are the people who have had the greatest influence on your personal and professional person growth?
At that place have been so many. Earlier I mentioned Myles Brand; he was a slap-up college education leader, who became a great friend. I learned so much from him.
I'm very thankful for the relationships that I've had with my colleagues on the Secretariat and at CHEMA. I have developed very potent networks through both organizations. Nosotros share ideas on a very regular basis and accept formed collaborations that have benefited our member institutions.
I'd also take to single out the NACUBO Board of Directors. Each of the board chairs during my tenure—from Morgan Olsen during my first year to our electric current chair Mary Lou Merkt—has go a mentor and a friend to me. They helped guide my career and have offered constructive ideas about what we should be doing as an clan. They have also served as part models, considering I watched how they devoted their time and free energy, even after they retired, to support higher education.
Information technology has been my higher pedagogy association colleagues and the NACUBO Board who have had the greatest influence on my career.
1 of the unsung attributes of your bully leadership has been your willingness and power to mentor a new generation of leaders—fiscal officers, hereafter presidents, and others. Talk well-nigh the importance of mentorship as it relates to your leadership.
I know how important it is, because I've been on the receiving side of mentoring from so many peachy people. Now, I run into it as my responsibility to serve as a mentor to people who are new to college education. A lot of that happens through associations, similar CHEMA and the Secretariat. My colleagues and I have reached out to leaders who are new to these associations and organizations, forming good friendships and helping them to succeed.
You accept to have that attitude in the world that we work in, considering the focus needs to be on the success of the entire higher education customs, not just the success of our associations. That's actually what drives me to want to be a mentor to others. We see ourselves as engaged, as leaders of the same crusade.
Every bit you brainstorm to think about life afterwards NACUBO, what volition y'all miss? What communication do you have for your successor?
I'm very excited for Susan Whealler Johnston. I would advise her to practise things that she'due south probably already thought through completely and thoroughly. She also has an awesome staff at NACUBO that she can rely upon. They are a group of devoted individuals. Devoted to a crusade across their own careers. I know that they will continue to make NACUBO a successful supporter of and advocate for our member institutions.
I encourage my successor to pay close attending to the goals that were identified in our strategic program. Things similar proactive advocacy and making tools available for more than data-informed decision making and analytics. Likewise, finding solutions to problems similar the business model and economics model. I recall those strategic goals need to be the focus for my successor.
Equally for what I'll miss, it will be my interactions with members of the higher didactics community.
Going to NACUBO's regional meetings and existence able to meet the friends that I've made over the by 12 years—where we share our experiences, encourage one another, and plan for the time to come—has been a great function of my life and I will miss that the almost.
How practise you come across your side by side chapter playing out?
I've made a pact with myself that for the beginning several months I won't have any new responsibilities, just to see what life is like with more leisure fourth dimension and beingness able to focus on the things that I'k passionate virtually. My wife Martha and I will be spending most of our fourth dimension living between our homes in Montana and California. And, I've done then much traveling for work that I've oft put off personal vacations, so I'yard going to be reintroducing travel for pleasure into my life.
I also intend to stay connected with my colleagues throughout the industry on both a professional and personal level.
TED MITCHELL is president of the American Council on Education. He is erstwhile president of Occidental College in Los Angeles and has served every bit undersecretary of education at the U.S. Department of Instruction.
"I beginning met John 12 years ago when he began his work at NACUBO. I had recently started in my role at CUPA-HR, and John and I were very much the 'new kids on the block,' in the college education clan management globe. John has been an outstanding leader for NACUBO and for the entire higher education community. He has too been a dandy colleague, but more importantly, he has become a great friend to many of u.s.a. who accept had the privilege of getting to know him."
—Andy Brantley, President and CEO, CUPA-Hr
"I've often joked that I desire to be John Walda when I grow upwards. The joke, of course, is that I'm already north of 50 years old. That tells y'all something about my respect for John as an association president, a mentor, and a friend. And it's not his accomplishments that I most admire, though he is uncommonly accomplished. No, it'southward his grapheme that I near admire. His generosity of spirit is one that particularly stands out. John was never also decorated to help me and countless other younger association CEOs when they came to him for his communication. I volition truly miss John's one-of-a-kind presence."
—Robert Hansen, Chief Executive Officer, UPCEA
"John Walda has dedicated much of his career in the service of higher education and its students. He has been a bold and aggressive leader throughout his years of service. As chair of the board at his alma mater [Indiana Academy], John recognized that leadership requires hard decisions; as lath chair for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, he supported a new approach to the heightened expectations required of citizen volunteers; and equally CEO of NACUBO he elevated the respect for and expectations of chief business officers. John has been a profound change agent for college education. His leadership volition be missed."
—Rick Legon, President, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges
"As I think about my many years in higher educational activity, John Walda stands out equally one of my most wonderful colleagues ever. His leadership of NACUBO and every bit part of the larger college educational activity community has manifested itself in many ways—every bit a person who made a difference for the greater proficient of numerous colleges and universities, as a person of wise counsel and great humility, as a kind and supportive friend, and as a practiced human beingness. I will exist forever grateful for John every bit a leader, colleague, and friend."
—Kathleen Back-scratch Santora, President and CEO, National Association of Higher and Academy Attorneys
Source: https://businessofficermagazine.org/features/chief-ambassador-for-higher-education/
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