The University is wrapping up its first year of participation in an exchange program for administrators.
The American Council on Education Fellows Program, or ACE, is designed to train people in leadership positions at institutes of higher education on how to be a successful administrator, said Vice President of Student Affairs Robin Holmes, who participated in the exchange program last fall. The ultimate goal of the program is that the participants will one day become university presidents.
The University sent Holmes on the exchange through the program to University of California at Berkeley last fall, and has been hosting Thomas Siller, associate dean of civil engineering at Colorado State University, since January.
Holmes decided to do the program after she was hired as the director of student affairs.
“I wanted the opportunity to learn more administrative skills to do this job better,” said Holmes.
She said that through the program she has grown as an administrator, though she is not sure if she would like to become a university president.
“I have learned that (university presidents) are human; they have flaws and they make mistakes,” said Holmes. “But they are caring and have passion for what they do, so it isn’t out of the question.”
Siller had very different reasons for joining the program, namely a passion for higher education.
“My life was transformed because I had the opportunity to go through higher education,” he said.
Though Siller does not have a desire to become a university president, he feels the program is a great opportunity for him to learn more about administration and higher education so that he can make a contribution to the system.
He chose to exchange to the University of Oregon because it is so different from his home university, and he wanted to be mentored by University President Dave Frohnmayer.
Linda Brady, senior vice president and provost, launched the program at the University this year by sending Holmes to Berkeley, and then hosting Siller.
“The program helps in two ways: It gives the fellows the opportunity to learn more and an education in administrative issues, and it gives (the hosting university) the opportunity to learn from them,” said Brady.
Brady was an ACE Fellow in 1997-98. While working at Georgia Tech University, she did her fellowship at University of Iowa.
“Fellows really enjoy their experience, even 10 years later for me,” said Brady.
Holmes said that since there usually isn’t any formal training for most administrators, this program is very important.
“It makes a lot of sense,” said Holmes. “We don’t go to administrator school.”
According to the ACE Web site, exchange administrators “spend an extended period of time on another campus, working directly with presidents.” In addition to working with and observing another university’s administration, fellows participate in a number of workshops and seminars that teach them about all aspects of higher education administration.
“It’s like being in boot camp – administrative boot camp,” said Holmes.
Most fellows spend a year in the program, but both Holmes and Siller chose to only participate for six months because they did not want to be away from their families for that long. Both have children who will graduate from high school this spring.
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