EDUCAUSE Organizational Update: The Frye Leadership Institute

Citation

Rosenblatt, S. (2001), "EDUCAUSE Organizational Update: The Frye Leadership Institute", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 18 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/lhtn.2001.23918aab.002

EDUCAUSE Organizational Update: The Frye Leadership Institute

Susan Rosenblatt

The Frye Leadership Institute held its first session at Emory University June 4-16, 2000. EDUCAUSE, the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), and Emory University sponsor the Institute. Its mission is to develop leaders to head information technology organizations, libraries, and other information service entities in higher education. Participants in the inaugural Institute presented an informational program at the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference on Wednesday, October 11. Panelists included Pamela McQuesten, Associate Director, Academic Computing and Instructional Technology Services at the University of Texas at Austin; Terry Metz, Information Technology Librarian and Interim Director of Administrative Computing Services at Carleton College; Vince Sheehan, Director of University Information Systems at Indiana University; and moderator Carrie Regenstein, Assistant Dean for Educational Technology and Director of Academic Technology Services at the University of Rochester. The panelists described the Institute program and its subsequent effect on their outlook and effectiveness on campus. Following the panel presentation, the session was opened to questions from the audience, many of whom were considering applying for the 2001 session. Brian Hawkins, President of EDUCAUSE, and Deanna Marcum, President of CLIR, were available to answer questions. Although four months had passed since the Institute, panelists had lost none of their enthusiasm. Their energy and enthusiasm led to a stimulating and enlightening session. They described the substance and impact of the Institute experience and then highlighted examples of its continuing impact on their overall professional outlook and effectiveness on the home campus.

Although they had attended other leadership or management programs, all of the panelists testified that the Frye Institute exceeded their expectations, and provided a unique learning experience. Highlights of the program included the quality of the faculty, interactions with peers, and opportunity to focus intensively on broader perspectives and larger issues in higher education. The faculty consisted of leaders from throughout higher education, including college presidents, provosts, and financial officers, as well as experts in scholarly communication, intellectual property and copyright, public policy, technology, university governance, student life, teaching and learning, and management. These elucidated the issues and challenges facing higher education, and generously shared their time and ideas in formal sessions, at meals, and in informal interactions. The quality of the interaction among participants and faculty, and the richness of the ideas explored, had lasting impact for everyone who participated in the Institute.

Even more important were the new professional relationships that grew out of the Institute. Panelists spoke of the deep friendships, extraordinary professional relationships, and new perspectives they gleaned from the other Frye participants. These participants represented a variety of professional backgrounds, including information technology, libraries, instructional technology, and other areas. They came from large research universities, comprehensive universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. Participants found that the opportunity to interact intensively with new colleagues and new ideas over the two-week Institute created a bond that will have lasting effects in their careers. In short, the combination of extraordinary faculty, challenging ideas, and outstanding professional colleagues made the Institute a valuable learning and growth experience.

But since the purpose of the Institute is to develop leaders for the future, it is critical that the program have lasting effects. Panelists believe that it will, and described how they had gained confidence in their own knowledge and ideas, developed new leadership and negotiating skills, and had begun to be recognized as leaders on their home campuses. Several indicated that their participation in the Institute had opened new doors on campus, and that their new knowledge, ideas, and perspectives had gained them status as leaders among their colleagues and others in leadership positions.

Frye participants uniformly felt that the opportunity to take two weeks away from the day-to-day pressures of work to learn, think, reflect, and develop new professional relationships was a key to the success of the Institute. Paradoxically, this mini "sabbatical" away from home also presented the most vexing difficulty: that of re-entering the "real world" of work. Having returned to the workplace as changed persons, several of the participants found it challenging to incorporate their new perspectives and skills into the everyday work environment. The panelists offered ideas on how to sustain the effects of the Institute, while making a smooth transition back into the institution. The Frye Leadership Institute includes a year-long "practicum" project in which the participant tackles an important strategic issue on campus. The practicum follows the two-week residential program, and everyone found that they changed their approaches to the practicum because of the Institute. The practicum is particularly beneficial because it represents a mutual commitment of the participant and the home institution to change. It provides a springboard for greater involvement in policy issues and strengthening of collegial relationships across the campus.

The second Frye Leadership Institute is scheduled for June 3-15, 2001 at the Emory University Conference Center in Atlanta. Additional information about the program can be found on the Institute's Web site: http://www.fryeinstitute.org

Susan F. Rosenblatt is Coordinator, Frye Leadership Institute, Berkeley, California. srosenblatt@att.net, info@fryeinstitute.org, http://www.fryeinstitute.org