ISSUE No. 4 March 2003

Redefining Leadership for 2003 - 2005
John Baker, Ed.D.
Synopsis
The next few years will be extremely demanding for professionals within Student Services. To help us rise to the challenges, the author has provided some leadership principles to guide us along the way.
Article


The next three years will be the most important years of our professional lives. For seasoned administrators it will be a time to put to use all the skills, tools, and lessons we have acquired over the past several decades in ways that will promote and advance academic excellence. What happens during this period will define the enterprise beyond the next decade and will be our legacy. If we put ourselves on cruise control, we will cheat the students for whom we have dedicated our professional lives (It would be best to leave or retire right now and save students the grief of our apathy.) Students and colleges deserve the very best, thus much of our presence will be about providing wise consultation with other leaders/administrators and to nurture their growth for the future. If we get it right, those we lead will say, "We did it ourselves."

For those who have 5-20 years of experience in the artwork of administration, this upcoming period is a chance of a lifetime to practice and learn strategies that will make us stronger and more credible leaders. What we learn over the next few years will be what we will rely on to provide strong leadership throughout the remainder of our professional life - if we have the courage to grow. If not, we will sink into a walking death and be a scourge for those working with us.

Those professionals, who have joined the system in the last five years, will find that we are entering a period in which we may be forced to restructure service to students. It may be necessary to participate in scraping obsolete practices that those in the business for many years will not be able to see any need to change. You will be challenged to bring fresh eyes to the artwork of administration/leadership; to ask, "Why is this necessary?" or "Why not walk this other way?"; to motivate those with history and experience to reconsider their own beliefs and practices; to help create new possibilities for students and colleges.

As we redefine our leadership role, keep in mind:

  1. Each of use is endowed with gifts and talents.
  2. Each of us respects others and ourselves.
  3. Each of us is a grower.
  4. Each of us understands that the college belongs to all community residents.
  5. Each of us is committed to dealing with our own racism, sexism, ageism, ableisms, homophobia, etc.
  6. Each of us is committed to building a college that is free and open to learning.
  7. Each of us is grounded in solid practices and standards based on Federal, State, and District Policy.
  8. Each of us is committed to making sure that those people we supervise and mange grow under our leadership.
  9. Each of us will exemplify in our presence a sense of fairness and openness to different points of views. People will not be excluded or killed because of their ideas.
  10. Each of us will promote the belief that every college employee has the common professional task of student development.
  11. Each of us is dedicated to the proposition of assessing the learning outcomes of students.
  12. Each of us will build our decisions on qualitative and quantitative assessments in order to have informed responses.
  13. Each of us will accept full responsibility for our actions and avoid at all costs making others wrong through blame and work mongering.
  14. Each of us will have a life dance beyond the boundaries of administrator/ leader.

The Author

John Baker, Ed.D.

Vice President, Student Services

Gavilan College

Dr. John Baker has guided students and staff within the California Community College System since the early 1970’s when he entered the field of Student Services as the Director of Student Activities & Advisor to Student Government at Ohlone Community College. He solidified his commitment to Student Development during the years in which he served as an instructor, counselor, and Director of Counseling, also at Ohlone Community College located in Freemont, California. John’s experience became more comprehensive when, in 1992, he became Dean of Students at the College of Alameda and, in 1995, when he was appointed Vice President of Student Services at San Diego Mesa College. He currently serves as Vice President of Student Services at Gavilan College in Gilroy, California.

Dr. Baker demonstrates his commitment to professional development by extensive service within statewide organizations including the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA), the Community College League of California (CCLC), and the California Community College Chief Student Services Administrators Association (CCCCSSAA).

In all of these organizations he has held positions, participated in training programs, and given presentations at annual conferences. He has many publications to his credit and is the author of numerous children’s stories.

John received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology/Anthropology from Willamette University in 1963. He holds two Masters Degrees, one from Virginia Episcopal Seminary in Theology/Philosophy, and one from San Francisco State University in Rehabilitation Counseling. In 1980 he earned a Doctorate of Education from Nova University in Community College Education/Administration.