Harden talks chancellor’s role, challenges on CW 14 Focus

And speaking of chancellors, our own Tom Harden appeared Sunday (May 3) on CW 14 Focus, the half-hour local issues show hosted by former University Communication staffer Robert Hornacek. Joined by outgoing UW Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells, Harden spoke about his career and some of the challenges facing higher education.

“The way we deliver higher education has changed really drastically,” Harden said, “and the expectation of that education that we deliver has changed too, to the point where learning is still important, but from the outside I feel like we are expected more and more every year to be dealing with credentialing, rather than teaching and learning.” The role of chancellor is a complex one, Harden added. “We function as the chief executive officer of a highly diverse, multifaceted organization that has at its heart the welfare of the students, the learning process, the accomplishments on behalf of student learning,” Harden said. “But as CEO, as president or chancellor, you’re also running a number of businesses or other enterprises simultaneously. You’re supervising a workforce of a thousand or more individuals; you have a hierarchy in the organization that really requires a lot of management skill; you’re responsible for millions and millions of dollars and you’re accountable to a public that has high expectations. So the role is a really fascinating role, but it’s really a diverse set of responsibilities that I think people don’t really understand until they get into it.”

Watch the full interview.

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