Professional Development & Leadership: Making the Difference

1. Professional Development & Leadership: Making the Difference Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook NCSPOD October 24, 2008

2. Why is Professional Development Important? • It focuses on human beings as our greatest resource. • It allows us to respond to changes in our environment. External changes directly impact the programming of professional development. • It provides opportunity to develop and enhance leadership in our staff at a time when we are facing a leadership vacuum. NCSPOD

3. Colleges and Professional Development programs are impacted by: • Labor market trends, • Growth in business and industry, • What’s going on and what’s needed in K-12 districts, • Local initiatives, themes, and strategic goals, • Partnership potential, • What our communities expect of us, • Changes in technology, • Funding, • Organizational culture, • Expectations of those we hire, and what our community expect of us. NCSPOD

4. Why should Professional Development be a priority at each campus? • Professional Development Programs are the fuel that drive the organization forward by enabling people to acquire skills in: • Technological advancement • Institutional effectiveness • Student support • Excellence in teaching & learning • Partnerships developed • Resources generated • They create a sense of community, inspire innovation and help develop leadership skills, and leadership is essential at every level in order for a college to be successful. NCSPOD

5. The Essence of Leadership A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. They do not set out to be a leader but become one by the quality of their actions and the integrity of their intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles; they don’t flock--you find them one at a time. And, a strong professional development program can help cultivate them! So, we need to build leaders—one person at a time. NCSPOD

6. Leadership demands that those who lead. . . • Understand the culture of their college and become part of it. • Respect and preserve the good of the past. • Lead in shaping the present and planning for the future. • Understand when and where to change. • Appreciate the impact and importance of thoughtful planning and skilled execution of objectives. • Communicate constantly and forthrightly so people understand. • Help to clarify goals/standards/expectations on an ongoing basis. NCSPOD

7. Leadership demands that those who lead. . . • Challenge people to grow. • Create opportunities. • Push people out into the state and community. • Anticipate and plan. • Invest in human beings, the greatest resource we have. • Help to determine whether those things referenced above are attainable. • Identify: • Adequate resources and • Existing barriers/constraints. NCSPOD

8. Leadership demands that those who lead … • Make a commitment to get it done. • Evaluate planning results, share successes and learn from challenges. • Persist until they succeed. • Find a way to fund Professional Development. NCSPOD

9. Analytical Critical thinkers Inclusive of others Committed to the community college Excellent planners Visionary Resourceful Energetic Determined Balanced with a sense of humor Enjoy the support of his/her supervisor and the employees he/she supervises Flexible Hopeful Risk-taking Innovative Enabling Capable Confident Eager In a nutshell, what skills are critical for success for today’s leaders?What do our professional developmentprograms need to do? Help people become: NCSPOD

10. Just do it (achievement) Persevere Team building Strategic actions Build support Timing Work the big picture backwards Taking risks Being interactive (develop the relationship) Cultivation of change Collaboration Flexibility Demonstrating courage under fire Setting goals A belief in possibilities Optimism Empowering others Be energetic Resourcefulness A positive attitude And, committed to: NCSPOD

11. What are new skill sets most educators are not taught? • Raising money • Making deals • Mediating solutions • Advocating • Representing the college in the community • Anticipating change • Being strategic in all they do • Research and analysis • Building partnerships • Data-based decision making • Coaching and mentoring others NCSPOD

12. Expect More = Get More Faculty and Administrative job descriptions at College of the Canyons challenge individuals to do their best work. Professional Responsibility includes: • success and commitment as a team player, including the ability to engage in cooperative problem solving; • success at initiating, executing and following up on projects, including the ability to set specific objectives and measure achieved results; • a commitment to the mission and values of the community college; • a positive attitude, including the ability to foster collegiality; • flexibility, including the acceptance of and willingness to change; • open-mindedness, including fairness and the ability to see multiple perspectives; • the willingness to take risks and be innovative; • a willingness to see complex tasks through to completion; • and the willingness to accept responsibility for professional and personal growth. NCSPOD

13. Putting it all together • Have high expectations + • Cultivate a culture of leadership and openness to change + • Conduct effective planning, and you will: Achieve success and grow your college! It takes a team—but you can build it! NCSPOD

14. 2007-08 Growth FactorComparison to All LA County Districts Note: The 2008-09 growth factor is 28% but expected to be constrained to 7%. NCSPOD

15. Cumulative Growth In Unrestricted General Fund Revenue 1989/90 - 2008/09 NCSPOD

16. Growth in Staffing: 1998-2008 *as of 8/22/08 • Overall, staffing has increased 142 percent since 1998 • Classified staff has increased 148 percent • Full-time faculty has increased 140 percent NCSPOD

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19. Grant Revenue 2008/09 to Date *Funding as of 09/16/08 for 2008/2009 Source: Grants Development Office NCSPOD

20. In an organization, professional development is everyone’s. Leading the Change for Ourselves Each of us must ask: • What are we trying to become? • How will we climb the mountain? • What do we like to do and how will that benefit the college? NCSPOD

21. In order to develop and continue to hone these competencies, one must do an honest assessment of the college. The first phase in the development of leadership is to stop pretending that you are something you are not. • You must own up to your strengths and weaknesses. • Accept that you do not always operate at the highest levels. • Accept that you do not fully control destiny. • Live in the present. NCSPOD

22. Do we do what’s safe, or do we conduct self-analysis & planning that promotes our achievement? Unless we try to do something beyond what we have already mastered, we will never grow. NCSPOD

23. The same is true for organizations They can design their own futures by: • Being flexible • Being prepared • Taking risks • Taking action NCSPOD

24. A College’s Ability to Thrive in the Future Depends on Foresight About: • Where our possibilities will intersect with future student needs; • Unanticipated labor market • demands; • Future competition; and • How we do business (future • delivery modes). • A key role of a leader is to pay attention to all of these variables and translate them into information the organization can use. NCSPOD

25. So, now that we’ve thought it out, pursue innovation & success. The best way to predict the future is to create it. If we go for the excellence and dare to dream, great things will happen. NCSPOD

26. How can presidents lead the way? • Commit fully to your job—be present, listen, and decide if what you do is a profession or a job. • Try to see the big picture from all points of view. • See yourself as the chief learning officer for the college staff. • Be the training expert, best practices • Know the “hot” issues for each constituency on campus • Create something new and better. • Examine what the climate is internally, in your community, and in society in general • What do people want to learn? • What is society demanding we know? NCSPOD

27. How can presidents lead the way? • Be timely in your offerings, anticipate and provide leadership • Determine what resources you have in response to these demands. • Use opportunities to dream big! • Align Professional Development themes and develop partnerships. • Dare to be different. NCSPOD

28. Self Assessment New Responsibilities Delivery Systems Roles Institutional Research Risk Taking Leadership Mission Community Involvement Partnerships Marketing Team Approaches Institutional Cultures Economic Development Values Learning Organizations Access Values Innovation Local Culture How do you get started?Analyze your organization’s capacity for leading change. Organizational Infrastructure NCSPOD

29. As you support the development of your staff: • Keep your eyes on the prize. (What you want to do!) • Work smarter, not harder. • Go boldly where you've not gone before. • Lead in shaping the present and planning for the future. • Communicate. • Take risks. • Commit to a better way. • Continually self-assess. Ask yourself: • What do I really want? • What will it cost? • Am I willing to pay the price? • When do I start? NCSPOD

30. Strengthening working relationships on campus means vision, cheerleading, enthusiasm, love, trust, verve, passion, obsession, consistency, the use of symbols, paying attention, out and out drama, creating heroes at all levels, coaching, effectively wandering around. . . a million little things done with obsession, consistency, and care backed by trust, vision and basic beliefs.--Peters and Austin, A Passion for Excellence NCSPOD

31. Invest Big Time! • The District’s investment in Professional Development includes, but is not limited to, the following: • 10 FLEX days per year • Classified Development Day • Leadership Development—15 sessions offered in 2007-08 including mentor program and employee orientations • Institute of Teaching & Learning—4 or 5 workshops and 6 FLEX presentations offered per year • Associate Program • Technology Training—129 sessions offered in 2007-08 NCSPOD

32. The District’s Investment in Professional Development • The investment includes: • $925,311 for full-time faculty (salary + fringe) to attend 10 FLEX days • $116,603 for classified staff (salary + fringe) to run program • $58,154 for Associate Program • $45,188 for Institute of Teaching & Learning • $10,000 (average) on Administrator’s Professional Development (retreat, guest speakers, workshop presenters) • $7,000 for Classified Development Day • $5,700 for Classified Appreciation Week • Total Investment = $1,167,956 + staff time to present, lead, travel, and develop programs. NCSPOD

33. Associate Program • Program Mission Statement ~ “The Associate Program serves to model and promote excellence and innovation in teaching, engaging adjunct faculty in a reflective process that applies best practices, cultivating a community of educators at COC.” • The trial and error method of teaching improvement is often a slow, lonely, uncertain pursuit. • The College of the Canyons Associate Program for adjunct instructors is an attempt to provide a mechanism for sharing our teaching and working together. • Just as important, the program is designed to provide a concrete reward for the pursuit of teaching excellence. • The Associate Program is a series of workshops and activities exclusively for adjunct instructors. • Participants in the workshops receive stipends for attending and completion of the entire program results in a permanent increase in pay. NCSPOD

34. Associate Program • Unlike many teaching workshops, the Associate Program places an emphasis on the discussion, development and practice of teaching skills rather than the dissemination of information. • There is no attempt to propagate a "one-best-way" nor is the program in any way tied to the evaluation of job performance. • Throughout the program, participants are asked to demonstrate their teaching practices and to discuss those practices with other faculty members. • Participants, in turn, have an opportunity to watch others teach and to learn from their experiences. NCSPOD

35. The Institute of Teaching and Learning • It was established at College of the Canyons to support faculty efforts to improve and expand their teaching skills. • The full-time faculty who complete the program are eligible for salary advancement. • The Institute is designed for both full-time and part-time faculty, providing opportunities to promote and to enhance teaching skills, to learn the newest pedagogy, and to experience technology for the classroom. • The Institute provides a collection of courses about teaching and learning, which are tailored to the needs of community college faculty members. NCSPOD

36. LEAP – Leadership Education in Action Program—First Class • 46 participants: 9 classified, 13 faculty, 24 administrators • 5 sessions • Focus on the Future: Leading Through Change • Thinking and Acting like an Entrepreneur • The Role of Planning in Institutional Transformation • Institutional Change in a Community Context • Becoming an Advocate for Your College and the System NCSPOD

37. LEAP’s Goals • To sharpen essential leadership skills that are not traditionally taught, including: • Discrepancy analysis • Context and case building • Networking • Advocacy • Building internal and external partnerships • Resource generation • Anticipating outcomes and always having alternatives • Train our own skilled Community College leaders • Develop a network of mutual support among future administrative leaders • Facilitate cross-departmental and cross-functional dialogue and the sharing of best practices • Develop risk-takers, entrepreneurs, trendsetters, big picture thinkers, facilitators of planned change, advocates, can-do, confident and accountable leaders NCSPOD

38. LEAP Solution Team Projects - Outcomes • TEAM 1: 15 Student Success Points • TEAM 2: Enhancing Outcomes Through FLEX Learning Communities - WeConnect • TEAM 3: Welcoming New Faculty: A Learning Community Cohort - SYNERGY • TEAM 4: Developing Learning Community Models • TEAM 5: Integrating Enrollment Management Into Everyone’s Priorities and Onto All Desks • TEAM 6: Stepping Up Our Commitment to Online Student Learning Support • TEAM 7: The GO Program at COC NCSPOD

39. Education 080 Course • Education 080 is one of the 3 core classes developed through College of the Canyons Institute of Teaching and Learning (IT&L). The IT&L at COC promotes and supports efforts to enhance instruction for our students. • The class, “Community College Education,” gave the participants the opportunity to survey the development and impact of the community college in the United States, including an examination of the history, organization, programs, population served and social role of the largest institution of higher education in the world. • The course focused primarily on the California Community Colleges.  • Participants gained an understanding of their own role. The class was offered to Faculty in the Fall 2007 and met for 12 weeks, with three hours of class each week.  NCSPOD

40. Essential Characteristics of a Successful College • Facilitates/Coordinates/Communicates • Creates Functional Teams • Recognizes the Need for a User-Friendly Structure • Evolves Together • Builds Bridges • Decentralizes/Delegates • Empowers/Encourages/Supports • Promotes Collective Ownership: Ours Versus Mine • Understands Where Departments Fit in—Their Role in College and Community • Has a vision So, develop your own and lead! NCSPOD

41. Why do we need to focus & invest now more than ever? Because, there is a tremendous shortage of leaders. NCSPOD

42. CEO Tenure • In summer 2007, nearly 50% of California’s 110 community colleges were without presidents. • By Fall 2007, 28 (25%) of California’s community colleges were without presidents. • In April 2008, only 12 of California’s 72 district CEOs (Superintendents/Presidents/Chancellors) had served longer than 5 years. NCSPOD

43. CEO Tenure • The average tenure of district-level CEOs over the life of the 72 districts is 6.9 years. • The average tenure of district-level CEOs since1988 is 5.2 years. • CEO turnover is visually summarized in the charts ahead and shows how many districts have had between 1 and 9 CEOs since 1988. Feb. 2007 Data NCSPOD

44. Feb. 2007 Data NCSPOD

45. Feb. 2007 Data NCSPOD

46. Feb. 2007 Data NCSPOD

47. CEO Tenure • Of the seated CEOs, 57 are either new to the job within the last year, are interims, or are retiring within six months. • Of the 20 districts whose CEO tenure averaged five years or less, 65% are in a decline mode. • As of July 2008, only 9 of the 133 CEOS in California community colleges had served 7 years or more. Feb. 2007 Data NCSPOD

48. CEO Tenure • Leaders are desperately needed. • The community college role continues to expand as the leadership pipeline shrinks. • The shortage is at all levels. • 45% of our community college presidents will retire by 2019 and another 34% in the following 7-10 years. • We need to: • Serve as role models for people who may not see themselves as real “leader” possibilities, • Convey a context, • Use practical common sense, vision, and tenacity, and • Challenge people to fight, to do, and to do again. NCSPOD

49. Ready, Set, GO!!!!! NCSPOD