CIC colleges and universities are distinguished by our emphasis on mission. However, in an era of rapid change in both our institutions themselves and in the broader culture of higher education, commitment to mission can become fraught. What happens when institutional change challenges how core constituencies understand what the mission is or should be? Examples of mission-challenging change include a women’s college going coed, the meaning of religious affiliation shifting, or a liberal arts institution becoming more career focused. What can institutional leaders do to mitigate the effects of value conflicts? How do we tell a coherent and authentic institutional story amid such changes?
Catharine O’Connell, Dean of the College and Provost, Illinois College (IL)
Lynda Szymanski, Vice President for Academic Affairs, William Peace University (NC)
Martha Walker, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Notre Dame of Maryland University (MD)
Chair: Daryll Coleman, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Lane College (TN)