parents, especially in the event of a student’s death. Make sure
you know the president’s preferences as they relate to communicating with media and parents, issuing press statements,
and handling news conferences. Obviously, each situation may
dictate a different response, but it is imperative to review your
institution’s crisis communication and emergency response
plan with the new president. Until your first significant crisis
together, it is difficult to know all the nuances or precisely
how you will communicate with each other.
For example, in President Shalala’s first six months at the
University of Miami, the campus community dealt with the
shock of September 11 and the death of a freshman student
who drowned in a lake on campus. Both situations revealed a
great deal about our new president: her style, her preferred level
of involvement and engagement, and her preferences for communicating with the campus community. Now after 10 years,
we are inherently comfortable working with each other on
student crises, but I learned valuable lessons early that helped
me support the president in the most effective ways possible.
Early in a president’s tenure, make sure to introduce him
or her to your student affairs organization: identify your
strengths, key staff members, strategic initiatives, and successes. Ask the president how your division can help him
or her to accomplish the overall plan for the institution.
Remember, new presidents often have different experiences,
thoughts, and emphases about the role and position of student
affairs. Although it is certainly important to provide historical
context, share strategic successes, provide valuable data about
student affairs, and remain flexible depending upon the
views of the new president. You may need to undertake
different institutional responsibilities that may have never
occurred to you.
For the Division of Student Affairs at the University of
Miami, this reality was illustrated in the very early stages of
President Shalala’s tenure when she asked me to assume all
responsibilities for the University Commencement. Having
never been involved in this traditional “academic” event, it
SIMPLIFYING A COMPLEX PROCESS:
DO’S AND DON’TS FOR SSAOs
BY THOMAS HILL
In today’s higher education environment, presidential transitions are common and complicated, fragile and stressful, and sometimes smooth and dignified. The transition is a complex process that includes the move out of office and the move into office. The process officially begins when a current president announces her or his departure. How a president departs will have an impact on the transition process: a
sudden departure due to death, poor health, termination, or a transition over a six- to twelve-month period.
During the last 10 years, Iowa State University has experienced two slightly different presidential transition processes.
In 2000, the president announced his resignation, and a
distinguished faculty member/administrator was appointed
to serve as interim president. A 27-member search and screen
advisory committee was formed, chaired by a dean and
assisted by an executive search firm. Ten months later a new
president was installed in office. Recently, Iowa State President
Gregory Geoffroy announced his resignation effective June 30,
2012. A campus search and screen advisory committee will be
assisted by an executive search firm. A new president will be
appointed before the current president leaves office.
When a change in leadership occurs at a university or col-
lege, it is typical for the entire community to participate in the
change process. The following questions typically arise: Will
there be an interim/acting president? Will the interim/acting
president be an internal or external person? Will the search be
managed by a university-controlled search committee or by a
search consultant? Or will it be managed by a combination of
the two?
Implications for Senior Leadership
The transition process culminates with the arrival of a new
president, which presents challenges and can create excitement
and anxiety for everyone at the institution, particularly the
senior student affairs officer (SSAO) and other senior-level
