Seton Hall University: The Communicator - American Executive - RedCoat Publishing - American Executive

Seton Hall University: The Communicator

Education
Written by John Zorabedian
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Whether in a moment of crisis or setting a vision for the future, successful leadership requires effective communication. In the frigid early morning hours of January 19, 2000, a fire ripped through a dormitory on the campus of Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ, killing three students and injuring several others. It was a “wrenching moment,” for the campus community, said Monsignor Robert Sheeran, the Catholic university’s president since 1995. Robert Sheeran, President In the wake of the tragedy, Sheeran took to the airwaves on television and radio, sent frequent letters to students and parents, and visited with the injured at their hospital beds. Rather than shutting down in a moment of crisis, Sheeran recognized the crucial importance of frequent and open communication. “I wear many hats,” Sheeran said. “I wear the hat of the president, but I’m also first, and after being president will continue to be, a priest. That part of me was very much present during the time of the tragedy. I felt the key there was communication. I encouraged as much communication as possible about what was happening, and what was not happening, at that time.” The importance of communication stands out in a crisis, but keeping the channels open with stakeholders at all levels is perhaps the most important function of leadership. In discussing the number of constituencies with whom a university president must deal, Sheeran likened his role to a mayor of a major city, underscoring the diplomatic and political aspects of the job. “There are few if any entities in American society that have as many constituencies as universities,” he said. “One of the reasons American higher education has been so successful, and Seton Hall has been so successful, is so many people inside and outside take ownership of the institution.” Among those constituencies are internal and external groups, including students and faculty, the board of trustees, parents, government, employers, benefactors, alumni, community neighbors, and the Church, among others. “Who’s the person who has connections with every single constituency?” Sheeran said. “I’m responsible for the multimillion-dollar benefactors, the man who plants the trees, the student who puts the basketball in the net, and the professor who is getting a National Science Foundation grant.” Naturally, not all of those groups share the same ideas or interests. The role of a leader is finding common ground under the umbrella of a shared vision and convincing people to participate in that vision. Articulating vision Articulating a common vision can not only draw stakeholders to the table, but also inspire them to act on behalf of that vision. Unlike the CEO of a corporation, a university president does not control the final product. At a university, it is the faculty who control what is taught. “A few years ago I asked the faculty to give me a new core curriculum,” Sheeran said. “I articulated a vision at an academic convocation, and the faculty themselves worked for a few years and crafted a six-credit core that I think is as good as any I’ve seen.” Sheeran’s vision of an academically strong university, with outstanding faculty in a technologically advanced setting, has served Seton Hall well. Applications have doubled in the past year. The university surpassed its goal in December of raising $150 million in contributions to its endowment. And the university has raised its profile nationally and internationally through its graduate programs. The Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations, opened in 1997, benefits from its partnership with the United Nations and has attracted renowned speakers to its World Leaders Forum, including former president of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev and Lech Walesa, the former president of Poland. The school is named for its major benefactor John C. Whitehead, the chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the former chairman of Goldman Sachs and a deputy secretary of state under Ronald Reagan. “[Whitehead] has been a major friend and benefactor of the school,” Sheeran said. “There are few people in American business, or New York society, as respected as John Whitehead, so to be able to get a leader and friend who becomes a patron like John has been a great advantage for us.” Luring talent The ability to attract donors and recruit students, faculty, and trustees is tied to the overall quality of the institution. But Sheeran said having the right people is the foundation for all other success. “One of my big jobs is finding talented people,” he said. “Three things make a good institution: You need talent, you need plans, and you need resources. If you don’t have the talent, you won’t get the other two.” To keep up with the high expectations of students for quality services, Seton Hall has invested considerably in its facilities, including recently for construction of a $35 million science and technology center and spending $15 million to upgrade its on-campus athletic fields and buildings. The university has also focused on recruitment efforts through its Web site. “Few schools become more competitive by dropping prices,” Sheeran said. “They become more competitive by investing in quality programs and thus giving students more for their money.” Yet the importance of direct communication and one-on-one attention for creating goodwill, what Sheeran calls a “common touch,” is not to be underestimated. Sheeran described speaking to a prominent New Jersey businessman who he wanted to recruit to the university’s board of trustees. “He said, ‘I’d like to join your board because there’s a style, a feel to Seton Hall to its community, its faculty and its students,’” Sheeran said.

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