aspired it to be; he then was able to offer a vision and strategies to take the institution to the next level. "The presidency is a service profession,"
Flynn was quoted saying in the Columbia university Teachers College 2012 Annual report. “You have to put aside your personal agenda and embrace the needs of the institution.” He relied heavily on campus input in
developing the strategic plan. And that effort began early in his tenure. Speaking at the Faculty Institute to open the 2000-01 academic year, he said: “once we have estab- lished goals and strategies, then schools, divisions, and departments will participate in identifying action steps to help us achieve those goals and strategies. And all of you, of course, play a vital role in that process. The quality of your teaching, your coaching, your advising, your professional contributions, and the quality of your interactions with and support for students and alumni, both inside and outside the classroom, are determining factors in our collective futures.” Thus faculty were invited to get aboard. “I realized early on that Dick Flynn was a
man of his word. He and I developed an atmosphere of open communication and trust,” says Professor and Chair of Sport and recreation Management Matthew Pantera, ed.D., who was faculty senate president during President Flynn’s first year on campus. “You have to listen to one another and, when it comes to the moment of truth, stand tall and respect one another. We had that kind of relationship.” In fact, Pantera and then- Faculty Senate Vice President Ann Moriarty gave Flynn a coffee cup with the words “trust and open communication” on it. It is no exagger-
Coffee cup that was a gift from then-Faculty Senate President Matt Pantera and then-Faculty Senate Vice President Ann Moriarty to President Flynn
ation to say that Flynn’s vision for the College drew heavily on his 30- plus years in the field of higher education, and also on his new-found appreciation, and even admiration, for the history and traditions that had
TRIANGLE 1 Vol . 84, No. 2
Humanics in Action Day, October 1, 2009
made Springfield College the unique institu- tion it had become. His wide ranging experience in education, campus planning, and leadership would help him greatly in crafting a shared vision for Springfield College. reviewing the College’s more recent
history, he gained a perspective on what it was that needed to be fixed and how he could empower the major constituencies to share in the ownership of the vision, the strategic plan, and the implementation.
with Springfield College for more than 50 years, from student to board chairman, I can truly say that Dr. Flynn’s accomplishments during his 14-year presidency have been remarkable,” says James e. Walsh, member of the Springfield College Board of Trustees. “one of his early accomplishments was the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategic plan for the College. The 10-point plan served as a roadmap for improvements and expansions in a wide
The Plan for Springfield College ... a comprehensive long range plan to bring the mission to life and “close the gap” between what was and what could be.
The Strategy
out of that body of knowledge, and Flynn’s prior experience, came 10 primary strategic goals that would comprise the foundation of The Plan for Springfield College. This was a comprehensive long range plan to bring the mission to life and “close the gap” between what was and what could be. It was a well- defined road map that was endorsed by the board in 2000 and subsequently embraced by the entire campus community. “As someone who has been associated
range of areas and was instrumental to the progress achieved. Dick also provided the leadership for campus master planning efforts outlining the footprint, facilities, and grounds for the physical campus.” All of the goals (see page 17) were impor-
tant individually, but especially noteworthy was the link between and among the goals. Significant progress was made on all fronts. All aspects of the College today show evidence of the great transformation that has occurred at Springfield College.
9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56