Transformational Leaders
Interview Series in Collaboration with
the American Council on Education (ACE)
Together, campus leaders, faculty, staff, students and families rose to the challenge of completing the 2020 school year amid a pandemic. As you now turn to the challenges of 2021, it is crucial to consider near-term academic and business realities as well as long-term mission, values and strategy for institutional resilience. Brought to you by ACE and Huron, this video series — filmed in the late summer/early fall of 2020 — features interviews with presidents and chancellors on their approaches to equity, inclusion, academic program mix, finance and crisis communications. Hear how the current challenges are shaping their plans for longer-term transformation and how they will balance innovation and institutional sustainability.
Upcoming Episodes
Scott Ralls — Part 1 of 2
Ana Mari Cauce — Part 1 of 2
Marjorie Hass
President Cynthia Teniente-Matson
They discuss:
• The greater urgency and speed required to tackle existing challenges exacerbated by
the pandemic.
• Current decisions that will have a transformative, long-term impact, including responding to
changing national demographics and the need for creating a culture of belonging and inclusion.
• Enabling problem-solving through collaboration and transparency.
ACE Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Louis Soares Interviews Rhodes College President Marjorie Hass
They discuss:
• The unprecedented nature of challenging decisions administrators have had to make
over the past two academic years.
• Communicating high-level priorities in order to craft role models for shared governance.
• How momentous racial events and municipal economics intersect to complicate an already
complicated, “new” way of university administration.
• The increasing need to adapt and pivot old standards like team building and preparedness.
American Council on Education Chief Learning and
Innovation Officer Louis Soares Interviews President
Cynthia Teniente-Matson, Texas A&M-San Antonio
Upcoming Episodes
• Ana Mari Cauce, President, University of Washington — Part 2 of 2
• Scott Ralls, President, Wake Technical Community College — Part 2 of 2
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transformation-ready higher education institution?
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They discuss:
• How the community college’s long-standing focus on technology innovation helped create a
seamless transition to online education at the beginning of the pandemic.
• Changes in communication during a crisis, including setting expectations for health protocols
and increasing the frequency and transparency of campus forums.
• Partnering with students, faculty, staff and community members — as well as using data — to
figure out what truly makes a difference in serving low-income and working students, such as
waiving facility fees during the pandemic and addressing equity gaps in online learning.
• The next phase of strategic planning, paying close attention to benchmarking, metrics
and objectives.
ACE Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Louis Soares Interviews Wake Technical Community College President Scott Ralls
They discuss:
• Making tough decisions quickly so students and faculty have time to prepare for the impact of
those decisions.
• How community-focused initiatives set the institution up for success during the pandemic and
how the crisis has solidified a commitment to the community.
• The value of listening to science and also to your institution’s experts and students.
• COVID-19 as the “great revealer” — leading to a renewed focus on social and racial inequities
as well as innovations in testing, admissions, and community and institution connection.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce
Additional related resources and opportunities to connect with other higher education leaders are available on ACE Engage.
Focusing on Performance Improvement: Innovative Plays to Consider
It is more critical than ever to reduce costs and create efficiencies in order to ensure sustainable institutional success. Learn about balancing near-term needs and long-term objectives with the University of New Hampshire System’s vice chancellor for financial affairs and treasurer, Cathy Provencher.
Financial Forecasting in Volatile Times
How does a volatile economy affect tuition, appropriations, investment income and other sources of funds? How can higher education institutions perform strategic financial planning in an unstable economic environment? Learn more about financial planning in the best of times and the worst of times.
Lead With Clarity: Creating a Data-Driven Culture Is Enhanced by Cloud Technology
While some institutions have struggled to quickly and effectively respond to the disruption created by the pandemic, others have accessed, analyzed and acted on data to more readily stabilize and continue their mission in the current environment. With a newly implemented financial cloud platform, Baylor University didn’t skip a beat. Learn more about the benefits of business continuity and data transparency provided by cloud systems.
They discuss:
• Making tough decisions quickly so students and faculty have time
to prepare for the impact of those decisions.
• How community-focused initiatives set the institution up for success
during the pandemic and how the crisis has solidified a commitment
to the community.
• The value of listening to science and also to your institution’s experts
and students.
• COVID-19 as the “great revealer” — leading to a renewed focus on social
and racial inequities as well as innovations in testing, admissions, and
community and institution connection.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce.
ACE Chief Learning And Innovation Officer Louis Soares Interviews Rhodes College President Marjorie Hass.
President Maurie D. McInnis
They discuss:
• Improving openness with the campus community during challenging times.
• Discovering and managing undermaintained communication channels while assessing
all channels available.
• Sharpening multitasking skills to include a simultaneous consideration of the larger picture
and the minutely detailed during COVID-19.
• How to expand campus community outreach and communication through newer digital
platforms, including social media.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews
President Maurie D. McInnis, Stony Brook University
Chancellor Michelle Marks
They discuss:
• Making actionable decisions regarding equity and racial justice in the wake of George
Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests.
• Taking mental and emotional health much more into consideration when organizing for
campuswide action.
• Inspiration from educators who demonstrate devotion to the institution by re-imagining
their very jobs.
• The chancellor’s “listening tour”: interacting with campus leadership for 100 days to
improve upon core values related to diversity.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews
Chancellor Michelle Marks, University of Colorado Denver
Ana Mari Cauce — Part 1 of 2
They discuss:
• Making tough decisions quickly so students and faculty have time
to prepare for the impact of those decisions.
• How community-focused initiatives set the institution up for success
during the pandemic and how the crisis has solidified a commitment
to the community.
• The value of listening to science and also to your institution’s experts
and students.
• COVID-19 as the “great revealer” — leading to a renewed focus on social
and racial inequities as well as innovations in testing, admissions, and
community and institution connection.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce
Ana Mari Cauce — Part 1 of 2
They discuss:
• Making tough decisions quickly so students and faculty have time
to prepare for the impact of those decisions.
• How community-focused initiatives set the institution up for success
during the pandemic and how the crisis has solidified a commitment
to the community.
• The value of listening to science and also to your institution’s experts
and students.
• COVID-19 as the “great revealer” — leading to a renewed focus on social
and racial inequities as well as innovations in testing, admissions, and
community and institution connection.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce
Ana Mari Cauce — Part 1 of 2
They discuss:
• Making tough decisions quickly so students and faculty have time
to prepare for the impact of those decisions.
• How community-focused initiatives set the institution up for success
during the pandemic and how the crisis has solidified a commitment
to the community.
• The value of listening to science and also to your institution’s experts
and students.
• COVID-19 as the “great revealer” — leading to a renewed focus on social
and racial inequities as well as innovations in testing, admissions, and
community and institution connection.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce
President Jane Close Conoley
President A. Gabriel Esteban
President Lynn Perry Wooten
They discuss:
• How team building has become more challenging — yet even more critical — during the
past two academic years.
• Strategic planning, specifically for continuing education programs and reaching out to
nearly 4 million California residents who have some college education but no degree.
• Developing a better model for higher education (while not leaving those without college
degrees behind) as higher education moves further into the 21st century.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews President
Jane Close Conoley, California State University, Long Beach
They discuss:
• Creating an equitable learning environment online that still delivers extraordinary
experiences for students.
• Working with parents and families to create suitable, stimulating educational spaces for
students at home.
• Planning for the inevitable shifts in higher education five years out, especially fostering
blended learning systems for on-campus and remote students simultaneously.
ACE Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Louis Soares
Interviews President Lynn Perry Wooten, Simmons University
They discuss:
• Developing new guiding principles for reopening campus and creating task forces to
maintain those principles.
• Carefully navigating financial unpredictability to have staff-hiring flexibility for institutions.
• The importance of considering the local community at large when negotiating how to
reopen campuses, namely urban institutions.
ACE Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Louis Soares
Interviews President A. Gabriel Esteban, DePaul University
CHANCELLOR MICHELLE MARKS
They discuss:
• Making actionable decisions regarding equity and racial justice in the wake of
George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests.
• Taking mental and emotional health much more into consideration when
organizing for campuswide action.
• Inspiration from educators who demonstrate devotion to the institution by
re-imagining their very jobs.
• The chancellor’s “listening tour”: interacting with campus leadership for 100
days to improve upon core values related to diversity.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews Chancellor Michelle Marks, University of Colorado Denver
PRESIDENT LYNN PERRY WOOTEN
They discuss:
• Creating an equitable learning environment online that still delivers
extraordinary experiences for students.
• Working with parents and families to create suitable, stimulating educational
spaces for students at home.
• Planning for the inevitable shifts in higher education five years out,
especially fostering blended learning systems for on-campus and remote
students simultaneously.
ACE Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Louis Soares Interviews President Lynn Perry Wooten, Simmons University
PRESIDENT A. GABRIEL ESTEBAN
They discuss:
• Developing new guiding principles for reopening campus and creating task
forces to maintain those principles.
• Carefully navigating financial unpredictability to have staff-hiring flexibility
for institutions.
• The importance of considering the local community at large when negotiating
how to reopen campuses, namely urban institutions.
ACE Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Louis Soares Interviews President A. Gabriel Esteban, DePaul University
Scott Ralls — Part 2 of 2
Ana Mari Cauce — Part 2 of 2
They discuss:
• Leaning into Zoom and video communications to increase and refine student-faculty
forums during challenging times.
• As a leader, leveraging visibility to enhance conversations and community summits with
key employers in the region.
• Interpreting data through newer, different lenses to close equity gaps and innovate ways
to ensure all students can be reached and inspired.
ACE Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Louis Soares Interviews President Scott Ralls, Wake Technical Community College
They discuss:
• Using previous campus crises as valuable learning opportunities, especially to prepare
for challenging times.
• The future of in-person instruction at colleges and universities and how to plan and pivot
for its new future.
• Recognizing and challenging privilege in higher education, especially in the face of equity
disparities brought to light in the past year.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews
President Ana Mari Cauce, University of Washington
PRESIDENT JANE CLOSE CONOLEY
They discuss:
• How team building has become more challenging — yet even more critical —
during the past two academic years.
• Strategic planning, specifically for continuing education programs and
reaching out to nearly 4 million California residents who have some college
education but no degree.
• Developing a better model for higher education (while not leaving those
without college degrees behind) as higher education moves further into
the 21st century.
Huron Managing Director Peter Stokes Interviews President Jane Close Conoley, California State University, Long Beach
Scott Ralls — Part 2 of 2
They discuss:
• Leaning into Zoom and video communications to increase and refine
student-faculty forums during challenging times.
• As a leader, leveraging visibility to enhance conversations and community
summits with key employers in the region.
• Interpreting data through newer, different lenses to close equity gaps and
innovate ways to ensure all students can be reached and inspired.
ACE Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Louis Soares Interviews President Scott Ralls, Wake Technical Community College.