Each year, the TIAA-CREF Institute convenes a national Higher Education Leadership Conference to facilitate an exchange of ideas and experiences concerning challenges and opportunities of critical importance to higher education. By bringing to light central issues, the goal is to help college and university leaders explore best practices and implement strategies that can lead to future success.
The sessions and conversations that took place during this conference are part of a dialogue that is crucial at this time in history. Leaders must consider how to meet the often divergent needs of Millennials, Generation X, and Boomers as they rethink strategies for effective institutional evolution. While it is dangerous to over generalize the uniformity within each of these groups, there are common experiences and belief systems that define each generation, however differently individuals might respond to them. As the competition for faculty and students escalates, colleges and universities with a greater understanding of their workforce and their constituents will have an edge in attracting new recruits and in strategically managing the retirement process to open up space for younger faculty.
Conference discussions are summarized in a January 2008 issue of the TIAA-CREF Institute’s Advancing Higher Education periodical. The summary is written by Donald E. Heller, Professor of Education and Senior Scientist and Director, Center for the Study of Higher Education, The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Heller is also a TIAA-CREF Institute Fellow.
Slides used by some of the conference speakers are accessible below:
• Janet Bickel, Career & Leadership Development Coach and Consultant
• Lee T. Todd. Jr., President, University of Kentucky
• Richard Guarasci, President, Wagner College
• Jerry Sue Thornton, President, Cuyahoga Community College
• Linda Hunt Bunnell, Chancellor, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
• Julie K. Little, Associate Director, EDUCAUSE
• Debra W. Stewart, President, Council of Graduate Schools
• Nancy Uscher, Provost, California Institute for the Arts
A Powerpoint summary of the “Opportunities for Leadership” arising from conference breakout sessions is also available.
