Not the faculty, not the president or chancellor, not anyone on the senior leadership team, not any dean or provost, not even the support staff. Students are the most important people on a college campus with four-year programs because without them, the two core missions of colleges and universities have no meaning: (1) providing professional training and related credentials and (2) creating new knowledge and innovation.
How Leaders Shape, Signal, and Build Cultures: A Discussion Guide for Academic Leaders and Their Teams
Among the many desired traits most prized in academic leadership, the ability to shape (or reshape) institutional culture is sometimes overlooked in favor of fiscal acumen, the ability to drive
Lisa Jasinski
May 4, 2026