Last week, this column focused on the challenges facing Kansas University Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little as she nears her 100th day as KU’s 17th chancellor.

Last week’s Time magazine carried a feature on Gordon Gee, president of the Ohio State University. The magazine’s writers told of Gee’s accomplishments during a 28-year career as president or chancellor of West Virginia University, Colorado, Brown, Vanderbilt and two separate terms as president at Ohio State.

Gee is portrayed as one of America’s best university chancellors, and the article told of his manner and philosophy in confronting numerous challenges, many of which Gray-Little faces at an extremely critical time in KU’s history.

Asked what is needed and what it takes to be a great president, Gee said, “relentless outreach.” Time writers told of Gee’s manner of challenging conventional ways of structuring a university’s offerings, the importance of making connections with the doers and shakers, politicians, individuals with money and others to bring about visionary changes.

“He doesn’t rest,” Time writers said of Gee, who is continually selling his university, pulling no punches in expressing his ideas, and believes that college/university presidents, particularly at this time, are among this country’s most important and influential groups of individuals.

This being the case, what kind of job will Gray-Little do in her efforts to lift KU from its recent period of doldrums in far too many areas and build the school into a regional flagship institution known for its academic and research excellence? How will she reignite the energy, enthusiasm and excitement that used to permeate the university and stimulate students, faculty, alumni and friends?

The chancellor alone cannot get the job done. She will need the help and support of many individuals, but the chancellor does indeed set the tone and sets an example by making it clear what she or he expects from the university community, as well as from alumni and friends of the school.

This writer visited with a number of individuals who have extremely close relationships and experience with many facets of higher education and asked them who or what will be needed to help Gray-Little compile a superior record as KU chancellor.

“First of all, before talking about what she will need,” said one observer, “she must be an excellent, effective and enthusiastic communicator. This is essential!”

He and others said she will need the support of a strong, smart staff. “She should surround herself with a smart, very able inner circle. These are the people who can help her look good and help her get results.”

Another individual with firsthand knowledge of higher education said she should get rid of lazy individuals, those more interested in maintaining their own circle of power and influence, and attract smart people with common sense.

State legislators who respect the chancellor and understand the role and importance of the state and regional flagship institution are critical to the chancellor, another observer said. “It is important for the governor to be supportive of the chancellor as he should realize the importance of excellence at the flagship institution and the economic development of the state.”

Those who served on the committee to screen, review and select the chancellor should be eager to step in to help her. “They selected her, they thought she was the best candidate, and they should be the first to help and defend her actions,” another experienced individual said.

She will need the support of generous alumni, particularly in the current economic climate and facing the likelihood of a challenging long-delayed capital campaign.

Asked what he looked for or considered when deciding what kind of university he would support with a major contribution, a very generous donor to higher education said he looks for a chancellor or president “who is not a novice, but rather a person with a proven record, an entrepreneur, a leader and a president or chancellor who will ‘kick ass.’”

He added, “Funding an educational institution, a flagship school, is about the best way I know to invest … investing in educating young men and women and helping important research. It’s a very rewarding way to spend your money.”

Still another observer listed a number of advantages a new chancellor enjoys. In the case of Gray-Little:

• She doesn’t owe anyone anything.

• She isn’t likely to retire in Lawrence, or even Kansas, so she doesn’t have to worry about offending anyone or doing things strictly to make friends.

• KU is a flagship institution, and this gives the chancellor a huge advantage in raising money and in attracting research dollars and superior faculty and students.

• She is fortunate to be moving into her office with a governor, Mark Parkinson, who realizes the importance of excellence in higher education in helping strengthen the state’s economy.

Other favorable conditions noted for most new chancellors include:

• Rarely do faculty and others attack a new leader; they are given time to show what they can do.

• A new chancellor has the opportunity to judge a number of individuals and then select the best to help her achieve her goals. New chancellors are given free rein on appointments, but they should cautiously but systematically replace people who don’t measure up with individuals who have vision and enthusiasm.

In the area of advice or warnings, those whom this writer visited noted the following:

• Backbone is essential, as is being a good judge of character.

• She should remember quality and character always win.

• In her own way, she has the ability to be very effective.

• It is important for her to be interested in the entire state. The belief of many is that the previous administration did not understand or appreciate the needs of Kansans living west of Topeka.

• Be careful not to be drawn into tight circles and buy into Kansas City at the expense of the rest of the state.

• Link up with those who have proven records of courage.

• Realize chancellors usually are given three years to turn their ship around.

• New leaders dare to challenge, reorganize structure; new leaders live to make a difference.

• Be careful of those in the athletics department exerting too much control or influence over the mission of the university.

• Concentrate on those areas in which the university enjoys national and international recognition. Do not spread your efforts too wide.

This is a lot of advice, but it comes from many individuals who speak from experience. They all expressed a strong, genuine desire for Gray-Little to be a success and help KU reach higher levels of excellence.

In reviewing what he offered as advice, one observer summed it up by saying, “True leaders can and do make a difference through their intelligence, vision and enthusiasm, but they must have courage. Cowards have no place in college administration these days. They might have been able to disguise themselves and hide in some respects 15 to 20 years ago, but not today.”

Gray-Little has made it known she intends to make a difference at KU. She knows many of her challenges and she knows there will be unexpected thorny developments such as the athletics department eventually dumping the sad football situation on her desk.

Now, and in the future, she will need the help and support of many if she is to reach her goals to build KU into a better flagship university.

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