Honoring the Past,Creating the Future

Dr. Daniel A. BainIndependence Community College

April 9, 2010

Institutional Profile ICC is the smallest community college

in Kansas, with a fall 2009 FTE of 814. Mostly rural, high-poverty service

district. Some pressure for consolidation with

other community college in county. Historical reputation for academic

excellence (“Princeton on the Prairie”), national reputation in the arts.

Leadership Timeline 3+ years of little or no presidential

leadership at the college. 2005: President A leaves, six months

before President B starts. 2006-2008: President B struggles

with poor health, passes away October 2008.

2009: Interim president appointed to serve until a replacement can be found.

Nature Abhors A Vacuum Culture shifts happen during a long

period without presidential leadership.

Increased focus on areas of importance or interest to unit staff and management.

Decreased focus on direction of the institution as a whole, decreased communication across the college.

Increased focus on carving out and defending “turf.”

Values and traditions to capitalize on:

Loyalty: staff and faculty with 20+ years of service, family ties (“both of my boys went here”).

Informality: first name basis.

Resourcefulness, willingness to do more than the job description calls for, because we’re a small institution and there’s work to be done.

Relationship-based

Procedure-based

“We’ve always done it this way”

Assessment and evaluation

In-houseExternal benchmarks

Short-range, unit-level decisions

Long-range, college-wide planning

Discussion