June/July 2001
Issue

Rarely will one find in the job description of a college president the phrase, "To foster student leadership." Is this not the role of the Student Activities Coordinator? Or perhaps a faculty advisor for a student organization? Yes, but who better to model, mentor and provide unique opportunities for student leadership development than the individual specifically hired by the Board of Trustees to lead the college -- namely, the college president?

Our college recently hosted the Phi Theta Kappa Rocky Mountain-Cascade Regional Convention. Students from several northwestern states convened to discuss the role and value of Phi Theta Kappa and its four Hallmarks: Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship.

In the role of college president, I was asked to welcome convention participants and provide some opening remarks. (This is something presidents are asked to do rather frequently. It usually consists of greetings as well as best wishes for a good session.) I decided, instead, to take the opportunity to talk about the important role student leaders play on a college campus. Student leaders, such as those in Phi Theta Kappa, can make a significant impact on the college, the educational experience for students, the community and society in general.

Student leaders at our college actively participate in college-wide committees, impacting decisions on such important areas as the college’s strategic plan, facilities, and tuition and fees. This year, student leaders across the state of Oregon from both community colleges and universities banned together to lobby the legislature for increased funding so that more students could have access to a college education. They physically transported a full-sized wooden door from campus to campus, gathering signatures on this "Door of Access," and then presented it to the legislature at the capitol. This was one of a number of student-led efforts contributing to increased funding this session.

So what does all this have to do with the role of the college president? As I finished my opening remarks at the Phi Theta Kappa convention (I had prepared a 15-minute presentation only to find upon my arrival that they had allotted me nearly an hour), I opened the session for questions. "You have a golden opportunity here," I said. "What have you always wanted to ask a college president?"

On that note, we engaged in open dialogue about what I thought was the role of the college president related to Phi Theta Kappa, and how do student leaders get the attention of the college president. In essence, I described that the president’s role is to "Be There" and the students’ role is to "Be In My Face." The students had quite a laugh about that, but then I further described these two important roles.

"Be There"
First and foremost, the college president needs to be very involved with student leaders in organizations on campus. She/he must get to know such leaders on a first name basis, and be aware of their areas of interest in providing leadership. The president is in a position to remove barriers and rally faculty and staff support for student activities and efforts toward change. Modeling and mentoring must be done proactively by the college president, rather than passively or only when asked to appear.

Each year, in my annual goals with the College Board, I include a goal for fostering student leadership. As the year progresses, I must then regularly ask myself, "What are you doing this week/this month to support leadership development for students?"

Providing support for initiatives and activities sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa only accomplishes the first step of this. The college president must also seek and present opportunities for students to develop leadership abilities, and proactively encourage such development.

Several examples include:

• Hosting a leadership forum for students to discuss what leadership is, and to explore college and community issues where student leadership is needed;
• Including a student as an ex-officio member of the College Board to provide input for important college decisions;
• Establishing official membership "slots" for students on college committees;
• Inviting student leaders to accompany the president at such events as legislative hearings, service organization meetings and community and chamber of commerce events;
• Volunteering to be interviewed and/or otherwise be involved in chapter activities.

"Be In My Face"
Student leadership only occurs when Phi Theta Kappa and Student Government actively seek and seize opportunities that arise. On our campus, leaders from these two organizations are "in my face" regularly, ensuring involvement of the college president on an ongoing basis. In other words, they don’t "allow" me to get so caught up in presidential work as to not be connected with them and their initiatives. I communicate regularly not only with the Student Activities Coordinator, but also with student leaders directly, and have retained their "office" across the hall from mine in a prime location.

Our students are not only active in their own events, but also in those sponsored by faculty and staff at the college. When something is happening on campus, whether it be a student-sponsored barbeque or an educational activity, students are "in my face" about participating. This proactive approach on their part has ensured their leadership needs and activities remain high on my priority list both for personal involvement and budgetary support. Because of this, our student leaders have made an impact in our local community, at a state level, and most recently as part of a student cohort in Washington, D.C. advocating federal funding.

In summary, an active ongoing relationship between student leaders and the college president is critical in today’s college. Such a relationship not only supports student leadership development, but also makes a positive difference in the overall college and community.

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