Continuing on the things I love theme I began earlier this week.
Things I love about higher education
I’ve been doing PR and marketing work in the higher ed world for 16-plus years now. And while some days I seem to find more to dislike than love about this vocation, there is still much — so much — to love about higher education. Here are a few of my favorite things.
The architecture. Some of the most innovative architectural designs can be found on college campuses.
The sense of community. Colleges and universities are like microcosmic cities, each with their own infrastructure, police forces, governing structures, and inhabitants. People actually live on a college campus. That doesn’t happen with a business. Regardless of the degree of integration, centralization or decentralization, every college campus has an identity that its inhabitants share, and that fosters a cohesive sense of community that you just don’t get in most other organizations.
The faculty. I love to sit down with a faculty member over a cup of coffee and just talk about what it is he or she does, what motivated him or her to choose this profession. I don’t do this often enough.
The students. I love getting to know the students who work in our office. I love working with the student journalists who hassle me for information at inconvenient times and at the last minute (tight deadlines, you know). I love working with students who are building Formula-style race cars from scratch or initiating change through student government or some other organization or conducting research or just learning and growing as a person. I also love to talk to students about their musical interests (and mine).
The Chronicle of Higher Education. I would never have read this publication had I not gotten into this field.
CASE. I’ve met a lot of good friends through my involvement with the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, otherwise known as CASE. I’ve been fortunate to work with some dedicated, creative and fun people both at the international level and in our local District VI.
“Selling” the higher ed enterprise. In crass business terms, PR and marketing people are supposed to promote the benefits of their “product” to consumers. Of all the things to “pitch” to the public, few are as meaningful and provide the social and cultural benefits as higher education. I can’t imagine doing PR for some consumer product, when I can be promoting the enterprise that is the solution to many of society’s problems.
Intercollegiate athletics. Regardless of whether I was in this business, chances are great I’d still be a big fan of NCAA Division I college basketball and the annual ritual of watching March Madness. But here at a Division II school, where athletics isn’t a huge revenue-generating machine, it’s nice to take in a football game in the fall in an uncrowded stadium and know that the players are there to learn about teamwork and leadership and will forge friendships that will last beyond their playing years.
The people. Cliche, I know. But think about all the interesting people on your campus: not just the wacky graphic designers in your shop or the uber-geek code jockeys developing the back-end of your website, or even the eccentric professors. Think about the amazing diversity of people who work and study on your campus. There’s a lot of people to love.
Shared governance. I love the idea of shared governance — even when I’m impatient with how this approach slows things down to a near-glacial pace. At its best, shared governance is democracy in action. At its worst, though, it’s gridlock. Still, it beats autocratic rule.
What about you? What do you love about higher ed?
Andrew Careaga 
It’s very stimulating to work in an environment that encourages and supports lifelong learning. In my field of Web communications, things literally change daily. All of us have to have a love of learning to be successful in our work. I love learning and I also love teaching others who are interested in what we do.
You had me up to that last one – that’s the one that drove me out of higher education. The inability to get anything done because everyone has to be a part of every decision was inefficient at best, paralyzing at worst. Lack of strong leadership to make tough decisions (even the easy ones). There were times I just wished someone would make a damn decision. Higher education isn’t the only place this happens of course. But when I started my own business after working in higher ed for 15 years, it was amazing how quickly I could make a difference.
But, everything else you said, is spot on man! Nice idea to remind folks why they do what they do. It’s the one piece of advice I got from my mentor when I just started working in higher education – when you get frustrated, walk around campus, talk to students and remember why you’re here.
Cheers!
Brian – I must confess to a love-hate relationship with shared governance. I too have seen it lead to a short of paralysis when it comes time to make a decision. Thanks for the note.
Lori – I agree with the lifelong learning thing, too. Thanks for writing.