On the Town (Hall) with Dr. G

My first two thoughts upon meeting Dr. Kathleen Goeppinger for the first time were, "She has more energy than I ever had" and "Dr. G's frequent flier miles must number in the hundreds of thousands by now."

In other words, I was impressed by her work ethic very early. Dr. G seemed to be everywhere and directly involved in everything. For a CEO of a university whose campuses are separated by... well, by the entire Midwest, that's a pretty impressive attitude.

Last week, I got the chance to attend my first Town Hall meeting with Dr. G here on the Glendale Campus. Let me start by saying I love the Town Hall format. I always thought it was risky for those who hold them because of the direct, unfiltered nature of the feedback they get, but that people are still willing to take that risk appeals to me.

Dr. G led off with a PowerPoint that she zipped through with surprising alacrity. She dispensed with the procedural stuff quickly and spent most of her time talking about some rather exciting topics, like the new Chanen Interfaith Chapel (no, I did not know that nearly the entire décor was donated), plans for Glendale expansion that include a new tree farm to beautify an empty lot next to the new Dental Clinic and provide foliage for the campus, and a slideshow of some of the impressive development going on in Downers Grove.

Dr. Goeppinger also handed out some service awards, and watching a CEO who actually knows and expresses an investment in her employees is something of a new and refreshing experience for me. It was good to see these people appreciated for their hard work.

What I liked most, though, was the Q&A that Dr. G held at the end. She prefaced the session with a plea to the assembled faculty to bring issues to her directly - even if they involve what kind of toilet paper is in the bathrooms (you laugh, but someone has actually asked her about that before - and she answered back). I was glad to see that people took her up on the opportunity. I loved their candor and I loved Dr. G's willingness to address it without falling back on spin or platitudes. It made me feel like the feedback process was an open one where people and their opinions matter.

The takeaway from this Town Hall was that it wasn't a "Let them eat cake" moment for the admins to fulfill an appearance before the little people. It was an opportunity to engage, to share ideas, and to keep everyone in the loop. Yes, it was a procedural meeting - I don't want to over-romanticize it - but it was an effective one because it invested us all in the University's future as partners instead of just clock-punchers.

And if that were not enough... THERE WERE COOKIES.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!