National meetings are useful and renewing, for presidents and for other cabinet members. Of course, there is a bewildering array of meetings, so I wanted to share impressions and some observations, as well as how a Cabinet might use them.
I found it useful to report back on meetings that I attended-perhaps just 10 minutes at a Cabinet meeting. And, encourage your VPs to do the same. Keeps them focused, but leverages each meeting for the whole group.
Most universities will belong to one or more national societies; as a land grant university, the natural for the University of Idaho was the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities. The Council of Presidents meetings are very useful-fast paced, focused presentations. Because this organization springs from the Land Grant community, there is strong participation from Agriculture Deans and Extension. The Research VPs are also very active. The Council on Academic Affairs is for Provosts-the summer meetings are less formal, more focused, and more productive. Spend some time meeting with colleagues. Few attendees tour the vendor hall, but I have always found this very productive…and one of the other presidents I usually see there is Michael Crow, from ASU-one of the most innovative and respected of university presidents. Hint.
ACE, the American Council of Education, draws a very wide audience from small privates to large publics. The sessions tend to be very diverse in topics and applicability; I found them somewhat repetitive of APLU but generally less useful because they were less focused. The adjunct meeting for NAPAHE is a good one for your chief of staff or assistant. I often participated in a session with my chief of staff-very worthwhile and few presidents do that. The other ACE session that is lightly attended by male presidents is the session on Women’s Leadership. If we are serious about moving the gender needle in higher education, I think both men and women need to attend such sessions…and what better place to recruit women interested in leadership positions at your university?
A “once-hidden” gem that I urge anyone to attend is the ASU-GSV conference. The conference has grown exponentially. Definitely a Michael Crow brainchild, but a great place to meet innovators, see new trends…and some wonderful plenary sessions. Not that expensive for academics. I see few fellow presidents there, but the ones who do attend include those I most respect for innovation. If you have not tried this one, put it on your list.
AGB (Association of Governing Boards) runs several conferences. I think attending with your Board chair or members is the way to go-never did this with my governing board, but I did with my Foundation Board chair, VP Advancement, and Foundation Executive Director. Great way to hear talks, compare notes-get new ideas and have someone objective (or at least outside your foundation) provide perspectives you may want the Chair to hear.
I know that there are many other meetings, but I can personally vouch for the usefulness of these. Enjoy…and feel free to email me additional suggestions.
