A leader prepares to depart

Today, Jack Carney, the chancellor at Missouri University of Science and Technology (where I work), announced that he was retiring from that position on Aug. 31.

I’m thrilled for Jack. He’s worked hard in his six-year tenure at Missouri S&T, leading our campus through a major transformation on many levels. He busted up silos by eliminating the three schools and college, led a university name change and rebranding initiative to bring our mission into sharper focus, and in general put the university on sturdier footing than it was when he arrived in 2005. He’s more than earned retirement and time to play with his four grandchildren.

When a leader of that magnitude departs, the absence will be notable. That void hasn’t been felt yet — we have another seven-plus months before his last day, and most of us on campus are still absorbing the news — but soon we’ll start to see it manifest.

I’ve loved working under the leadership and vision of Jack Carney. I’ve learned a lot from him, and I’m going to miss him. But it’s time for him to spend time with his grandkids. They’ll undoubtedly learn a lot from him, too.

Friday Five: The tipping points

11tipsheetThanks for the tips, blogosphere! Here are some worthwhile blogging, marketing and PR tips from the week.

1. Content marketing tips from 5 people who know. Those five being need-no-intro marketers Ann Handley, David Meerman Scott, Brian Solis, Jay Baer and Joe Pulizzi share a few of their secrets for success.

2. Top 3 ways for #highered to do more with web analytics in 2011 from the queen of #highered analytics herself, Karine Joly.

3. 3 tips to out-communicate the competition, by Jason Falls on Social Media Explorer. A quick, good read.

4. 5 tips for optimizing and integrating your social media content, by Liana Evans on Clickz, with bonus cautionary tale from the way the Columbus Dispatch mishandled their golden opportunity with Ted Williams, the man with the golden voice.

5. Liz Allen’s tips for demonstrating social media ROI, a five-part series that may take a while to absorb, but worth digging into.

3… 2… 1… WEEKEND!