From the President's Desk

Leading with Integrity
June 5, 2013

While it can sometimes be difficult to be objective about ourselves and how we interact with others, an effective leader must be both honest and aware of his or her strengths and limitations. Of course, as leaders, we are honest with ourselves all the time. Of course, we make every decision with the best interest of the people who may be impacted by our decisions. Of course, we are sensitive to the needs of others at all times. Of course, we are not afraid to make the tough decisions, and, of course, we are never wrong in our decision-making. If we believe we are right all the time, we cannot lead with integrity. We will lead; however, it probably will not be with integrity.

Leadership is relational. It is about how we relate to others and how we are able to motivate followers to do their very best each day to fulfill the goals of the organization. It is about how we carry out the vision and mission of the organization in everything we do. It is about approaching each task with a determination to do the very best that we possibly can in serving others. Even organizations that produce widgets need people to determine the quality of the widgets, and it is the leader who determines the quality of life for the people who produce those widgets. If you focus on widgets, your goal might be to produce a lot of money and decent widgets, but if you focus on people, you are more likely to be regarded as a wise and visionary leader and a person of great integrity. 

Several years ago when I had the privilege of working with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we began an exploration of what a major funding project in the Mississippi Delta might look like. The “Delta” at that time covered 57 counties across three states and was widely regarded as one of the most poverty-stricken regions of the United States. Eight of us spent a week traveling around the Delta in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. We met people from all sectors—from major corporations and foundations to colleges and universities, from non-profit organizations to just simple folks who wanted to make a difference in their communities. As we approached the end of our trip, we convened a meeting in Helena, a small community located in southeastern Arkansas. We met in a church that served as the gathering place for the community. I remember an elderly African-American gentleman looking at us quietly. He then spoke up, saying, “Thank you for coming to visit with us. We are most appreciative that you are present today, and we need your assistance. But, if you are coming to the Delta to tell us what we need to do, please don’t bother. We have other foundations that do that every day. However, if you want to come to the Delta and listen to our voices, then we extend our warmest greetings to you.” His comments were not intended to be unappreciative of the work of other foundations in the region; instead, it was a plea for us to really hear the concerns of the people. He may have been familiar with the words that Mr. Kellogg used to create the mission of the foundation in 1930: “to help people help themselves through the application of knowledge.” To actually help people help themselves, you have to assume that people generally know the problems they are facing and if they know their problems, they may have some solutions to those problems. Mr. Kellogg had great faith in the spirit of each person; he truly believed that to change organizations, institutions, and communities, you had to invest in people and their ability to dream the future they envisioned. I am not sure that I have ever witnessed the coming together of two like minds from such different worlds than what happened in that conversation in a small church in the Delta. Two men from two very different worlds—one with wealth and the power that wealth provides who wanted to use both in responsible ways; the other steeped in poverty but also empowered through his intellect, experiences, actions, and beliefs in the infinite capacity of the human spirit. What brought this humble gentleman and Mr. Kellogg’s minds together was their common belief in the innate power of the human spirit in the service of others. Both men led with integrity and focused their energy on the betterment of society and the improvement of individual lives. This experience was—and remains—a powerful moment in my own leadership journey.

Those of us from the Kellogg Foundation that day could have walked away from that conversation because the group told us was what the Delta needed was “economic development” and the Foundation did not fund economic development programs. But, when we reported back to the leaders at WKKF about the conversation, a new initiative was created: “listening teams” that would travel to the Delta to personally hear what the people had to say. These listening teams empowered the voices of poverty, and in the process, all of us were inspired by the creativity, vision, and passion of people dedicated to a way of life and a region most of us did not understand and most would avoid. The Delta received several million dollars of economic development funding that would never have been approved had it not been for the voice of integrity on the part of one individual—an individual with the courage to stop us in our tracks, to cause us to listen, and to have us hear the true needs of the region and its people. I relate this story to demonstrate how a leader can, with integrity, change a society, a region, a state, a nation, and indeed, the world.

At Union Institute & University, we try each day to provide leadership with integrity. Of course, we achieve this goal better on some days than others. But, along the way, I am confident that we are learning to:

• Be honest with ourselves and be honest at all times, regardless of the issues or challenges
• Understand our strengths and limitations
• Listen to diverse voices within the organization
• Work with the entrepreneurs among us who serve as change agents
• Establish feedback loops that include all parties in the process of growth, change, and improvement
• Clearly articulate and enact the vision, mission, and purpose of Union each day
• Make the tough decisions in a timely manner and explain those decisions as many times as it takes to make sure that there is understanding throughout the organization
• Be respectful of others at all times and celebrate small and major victories
• Create a culture of success based on the creativity of the human mind and spirit
• Build a unifying culture that stretches across all our centers and brings together all of our services in support of our students and employees
• Be transparent in our financial, academic, and intellectual interactions
• Celebrate and honor all of those who have the privilege of calling Union their home away from home
• Be present each day in service to others
• Take time to be silent and reflective of our actions

The list could be extended, and I encourage each of you to add to this list and apply your own approaches to your job and your life each day. Only you will determine how you can best lead with integrity. It is not something that others can define for you. When we get up each morning, we dress ourselves for the day; however, if you have the confidence in your own abilities, it is not necessary for you to put on a cloak of integrity; integrity can become  a part of who you are, and it will be apparent to all with whom you interact each day.

Lead with integrity each day!

Roger H. Sublett

President

Union Institute & University

From the President's Desk

Washington, DC; West, Texas; and Boston, Massachusetts
April 24, 2013

It has been a rather dreary, rainy cold week in Cincinnati, which is probably appropriate given the dramatic recent events in the United States. From the defeat of gun controls in the Senate, to the explosion of the fertilizer plant in Texas and the bombings at the Boston Marathon, President Obama summed it up at a White House news conference when he said, “This has been a difficult week for the United States.”

As I think about all of the events above, I know that many of our students at Union are not only affected, but also impact crises of this type each day. From first responders to members of police departments, to those who serve in the military, and volunteers across the nation, Union’s students are often on the front lines of helping others survive in an increasingly violent society. 
 
Approximately 52 percent of our undergraduate students are enrolled in Criminal Justice Management. They are risking their lives each day for all of us. I thought of them when we learned that 14 first responders, mostly volunteer firefighters, lost their lives in West, Texas when the fertilizer plant exploded. News reports indicated that they knew that the plant would explode, and they were fighting the fire in an effort to give a nearby nursing home time to evacuate residents. They sacrificed their lives for others. They went into the fire.

Regarding Boston: I think we are all still struggling to make sense out of the chaos, damage, especially the deaths and devastating injuries of innocent people who gathered together to celebrate the competitors, the competition, and Patriot’s Day. And again, I was inspired by the instant heroes who reached out to those who were injured, providing lifesaving efforts until professional medical personnel arrived. They could have run from the sites of the two explosions and the ensuing melee; instead, they ran in place to assist where they could. They ran in. This is America at its best.  

What is not America at its best is the issue surrounding gun legislation and background checks; an issue which approximately 90 percent of the American people supported. It died in the Senate from a serious lapse of courage and conviction and the power of lobbying influences. I agree with President Obama that it was a day of “shame” in D.C. We need courageous leadership in Washington right now – people who will ‘run in,’ – and instead we continue to get bickering, finger-pointing, and partisanship that is eroding American’s confidence in government. Where are our heroes in Washington?

In cases like the Boston Marathon bombings, we all want to know who, how, and why. We apparently know who and how, but the why question is the haunting one and will probably never be answered completely to our satisfaction. The young bombers changed the city of Boston for a brief time and many lives forever; however, life in Boston is already beginning to resume. The city will grieve for its victims and the city will heal. In time, the city may ultimately forgive the perpetrators. Individuals with grievous injuries will heal over time and face their altered lives with courage. There are no victors in these kinds of incidents—only victims. We will discover the “why” in due time, and the other important question is how we will prevent these senseless acts from happening in the future. If these events are based on a lack of understanding of differences; then, we have to learn to understand that we are all different and we all come from very different backgrounds, religious beliefs, cultural traditions, and intellectual perspectives. We should begin each day with the clear understanding that diversity is the one thing we have in common, and we should celebrate it each day. What is it about human nature that we so often turn to violence to settle our differences?

For those of us who are older, it is worth remembering that we have experienced senseless violence in the United States before, and much of it came in the 1960s – a decade of upheaval, violence, and change. We experienced the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and Robert F. Kennedy; we witnessed civil rights marchers beaten in the streets of our cities; we watched the use of fire hoses and the releasing of attack dogs on American citizens who were only demanding recognition, equality, respect, and human dignity. Reacting to these dramatic challenges and tragic assassinations Americans persevered and worked together to build a stronger and more open society. While we have made progress, we have a long journey yet to undertake, and we need to be aware of how we perceive one another and how the rest of the world perceives the United States.

Much of the violence and disenchantment of the 1960s came as a reaction to a different foreign war – the war in Vietnam. It appears that the actions in Boston may have emanated as a misguided reaction to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As Americans, we are still shocked by the death of innocent people. We have not become so hardened in our beliefs that we engage in hatred or revenge in seeking to understand the “why.” That probably is a good thing because it indicates that the soul of America, while a bit damaged, is still healthy. And yet, the lack of civility that is brought into our homes each evening by 24-hour news programs where people engage in shouting over one another is damaging the way that civilized people communicate around differences. I understand first amendment and second amendment rights, and I know I also have the right to turn off the television each evening. I usually do. I also have the choice not to own a gun. At the same time, I am appalled at the numbers of violent deaths that occur through the use of guns in the U.S.— far more than in any other civilized country in the world. Why do we tolerate this level of violence? That is another “why” question that I think Americans need to find answers to as well.

There are no easy answers to these questions, and no easy answers to what happened in Boston and why, but the American people must stop and listen to reasonable voices, hold elected officials accountable at the ballot box, and demand cooperation and collaboration among our leaders who must start acting on behalf of the best interests of the American people. 

What we can do at Union is to support all of our first responders, criminal justice management students, alumni, and faculty, as well as the hundreds of veterans who have served in foreign wars and helped keep our nation so safe since 9/11. We need to thank them each day for their service, and for representing Union – their university – throughout the nation. These folks are creating the courageous legacy that represents the very best of the human spirit each day.

Please join me in expressing our collective appreciation to Union folks who work for our safety and security each day so these ‘difficult weeks’ are kept to a minimum.

Roger H. Sublett
President
Union Institute & University

Ph.D. Alumna Maravene Loeschke Appointed President of Towson University



Maravene Loeschke, Ph.D.


Dr. Maravene Loeschke, a graduate of Union Institute & University’s Ph.D. program, has been appointed president of Towson University, the second largest university in Maryland. Dr. Loeschke, currently president of Mansfield University, replaces Robert Caret, Ph.D., who resigned from Towson several months ago to become president of the University of Massachusetts system.

“We are very proud of Dr. Loeschke and her achievements, particularly that she is embarking on her second presidency. Her efforts as a creative and courageous leader in higher education are well known,” said Dr. Roger H. Sublett, president of Union Institute & University. “She truly emulates Union’s mission to engage every student in a lifetime of servant leadership.”

Loeschke earned both her master's degree in education and her bachelor's degree in theatre and English from Towson University, and spent more than 30 years at her alma mater moving up through the faculty ranks before serving as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication from 1997 until 2002, when she left Towson to accept the appointment as provost of Wilkes University in Pennsylvania.

During her tenure at Wilkes, Loeschke is credited with the success of several initiatives, including shaping an undergraduate experience centered on mentorship, creating the University Diversity Action Plan, reorganizing the academic division into schools, initiating the development of learned outcomes assessments for academic programs, and increasing funding for faculty development.

Loeschke was appointed president of Mansfield University in 2006. In this role, she oversaw the development of the university's first inclusive strategic plan and the establishment of a budget dedicated to the plan's goals. In addition, she reorganized the university's administrative structure to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness, strengthened the relationship between the university and the community, and brought greater focus to diversity and inclusion on campus.

A 1975 graduate of Union’s Ph.D. program, Loeschke is active in leadership and mentoring programs for women in higher education and has also worked as a professional actress. Her awards include the Towson University Alumni Service Award and the U.S. Postal Service Martin Luther King Service Award for commitment to diversity at Wilkes University.

UI&U Announces Tuition Increase for 2010-2011 Academic Year

UNION INSTITUTE & UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES ONE PERCENT TUITION INCREASE FOR THE 2010-2011 ACADEMIC YEAR
Increase is well below the national average; UI&U remains committed to making higher education possible for every adult learner


CINCINNATI, OH – Union Institute & University (UI&U), a private, non-profit university headquartered in Walnut Hills today announced a one percent increase in tuition for the 2011 academic year that runs from July 2010 through June 30, 2011. The one percent increase is well below national average. According to the Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid, (FinAid.org) the average college inflation rate is 7% or 8% per year for the next ten years. (http://www.collegeboard.com/press/releases/208962.html)

Union’s provost, deans, enrollment managers, and financial administrators worked alongside UI&U trustees to examine options and to prepare a budget that would implement the smallest possible increase in tuition and fees. They considered a variety of factors, including information from the College Board and other national trends that lead to increases including the cost of energy, insurance, information technology, and library materials.

“Union Institute & University pledges to continue to offer the highest quality educational programs, and to make every attempt to control expenditures in order to serve the greatest number of persons who can benefit from our method of education,” said UI&U President Roger H. Sublett.

In its ongoing effort to make higher education possible for all adult learners, UI&U increased available scholarship dollars university-wide by more than $400,000 this year and to offset the small tuition increase, the university is engaged in efforts to find more scholarship opportunities for its learners. Recently, UI&U recently secured a $50,000 grant for female learners in Cincinnati through the Kellogg Foundation.

The university is also working out tuition offsets for those transferring from schools with which it has articulation agreements and has expanded library databases and services. This spring, UI&U will convert to a greatly improved student database system that provides learners 24/7 access to account and academic records. In addition, UI&U increased the availability of online courses and options, replaced much travel with audio and video conferencing, and, by changing the academic calendars, has been able to increase federal financial aid (loans and grants) available for several programs.

“We remain true to this goal and also remain committed to our cornerstones of inclusiveness and outreach to underserved populations that have been a part of our legacy and imperative components for our vision for the future,” said Dr. Sublett.

For more information, including detailed tuition and fees for each program, please visit www.myunion.edu/tuition or contact Nicole Hamilton, public relations manager at 513-487-1194.