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Leadership in Times of Crisis
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TrendingNow The Circle® is a publication of Omicron Delta Kappa Society, Inc., and it has been published since 1923.
How to contact The Circle: The Circle, Omicron Delta Kappa 224 McLaughlin Street Lexington, VA 24450 (540) 458-5348, olivia@odk.org www.odk.org
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Leadership in Times of Crisis This past year, Hurricane Michael wreaked havoc on the Florida panhandle, Hurricane Florence brought catastrophic damage to the Carolinas, and wildfires took the homes and lives of many in California. These events hit close to O∆K as hurricanes and wildfires decimated campuses with active circles, such as the University of North Carolina – Wilmington and Florida State University Panama City. Though their campuses were destroyed, our affected student members responded only by leading more. Their leadership and resilience inspired this issue of The Circle – Leadership in Times of Crisis. This issue explores how leaders succeed in helping others in challenging and difficult times.
When you become a member of O∆K, a digital subscription to The Circle is included in your membership. If you are no longer receiving The Circle and wish to do so, please contact odknhdq@odk.org.
O∆K Welcomes New Staff
Where to send a notice of a death:
Over the winter, Olivia Klosterman joined O∆K as assistant director for communications and annual giving. She earned a Bachelor of Science with special attainments in commerce from Washington and Lee University. At O∆K, Olivia manages all matters related to annual giving, communications, social media, and publications.
Please contact Katy Datz, katy@odk.org, with the news of a recent death of any member of O∆K.
Publisher Tara S. Singer, Ed.D., O∆K President and CEO University of Louisville
Editor in Chief Katy Datz, O∆K Vice President Roanoke College
Olivia Klosterman
Sarah Brunke
Managing Editor Olivia Klosterman, O∆K Assistant Director for Communications and Annual Giving
Sarah Brunke joined O∆K in March 2019 as assistant director for leadership programs. In her role with O∆K, she develops programming, training, and membership services for all circles. Sarah earned a Bachelor of Science with a major in communications from Old Dominion University, and a Master of Arts with a major in educational leadership from the University of Central Florida.
Creative Director Amy A. Newman, PUSH design LLC University of Louisville Matthew Clifford, Ed.D., National President Davidson College
The Omicron Delta Kappa Society and Educational Foundation, the National Leadership Honor Society for college students, recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership, and exemplary character. O∆K® was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va. by 15 student and faculty leaders. Omicron Delta Kappa was the first college honor society of a national scope to give recognition for meritorious leadership and service in extracurricular activities; membership in Omicron Delta Kappa continues to be a mark of highest distinction and honor. The Society is now present on the campuses of more than 300 colleges and universities around the country.
Editor’s Note: We apologize for an error in the Fall Annual Report issue. Please note the following correction: Wayne State University Contributor Ross Fazio The Circle • Summer 2019 | 3
presidents’ letter
Combining Boards A message from the National President and Foundation President Dear members, Omicron Delta Kappa has important news to share. In early 2018, we charged a group of volunteers from both the O∆K Society Board of Directors and Foundation Board of Trustees to explore the full leadership development and fundraising capacities of our organization. The Commission on Alternative Governance Models did the following: • Examined the current governance structure of the Omicron Delta Kappa Society (the body of circles as represented at the national convention), the Society Board of Directors, and the Foundation Board of Trustees; • Identified redundancies and inefficiencies presented in the current model, as well as the strengths afforded by two governing boards; • Researched the elements required to effectively govern O∆K; • Explored alternative governance models, including merging into a single governing board with consideration of legal, financial, and strategic opportunities; • Considered possible membership requirements in a revised board structure, titles of members and staff, term lengths and limits, and roles and responsibilities of a governing board as well as advisory boards and standing committees; and • Examined strategies to maintain the intentionally inter-generational nature of volunteer leadership within Omicron Delta Kappa. After months of discussion, the commission recommended that the two legal entities and their governing boards be merged to establish a single governance body. The Society Board of 4 | odk.org
Directors and Foundation Board of Trustees voted on September 25, 2018, to proceed with this consolidation for the reasons outlined below: • This model establishes a single governing board to comprehensively address fiduciary requirements for the entire organization, including membership and fundraising; • A single legal entity will allow our volunteer leadership to more effectively and efficiently respond to the opportunities and challenges facing O∆K; • Research indicates that this structure will enhance O∆K’s fundraising capabilities; and • The organization will realize approximately $25,000 in annual savings from a single audit, one filing fee, one set of state charity registrations, and separating conference programming from governance activities. The next step in the consolidation of the two legal entities required a vote of the circles. The vote approving the merger took place at a conclave that was held in March 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Andrew Brown, current national student vice president, said, “I’m excited to see where our new governance structure can take us. We’re now in a better position to respond and adapt to things more efficiently and quickly, and as they did previously, students and advisors have a prominent seat at the table in making the decisions that will guide us for O∆K’s next 100 years.” The new legal entity is named the Omicron Delta Kappa Foundation Society and Educational Foundation, Inc. It will be governed by a board of up to 28 trustees which includes three student representatives, three faculty/staff representatives, a national counsel, a national treasurer, a national
Contents Departments conference chair, up to 18 at-large trustees, and the President/CEO. Our longtime Executive Director, Tara Singer, will have the title of President/CEO. The transition is effective as of July 1, 2019. We, along with the members of the current governing boards, believe this consolidation of the boards is in the best long-term interest of Omicron Delta Kappa. If you would like more information about this governance transition, please see https://odk.org/programs/conclave/governance/.
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Member News Awards, outstanding students, presidential appointments, and more
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Q&A with Dennise Tabony A conversation with University of Holy Cross board chair
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Campus News National Day of Service profiles and membership directory project
Features
Thank you for your continued devotion to O∆K! Yours in Leadership,
Sally K. Albrecht Foundation President
Matthew W. Clifford National President
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Crisis Communications Hurricane Michael effects on Florida State University - Panama City
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Death at School Leadership lessons from the death of a student
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Researching Disasters Profile of University at Albany President Havídan Rodríguez
In Every Issue Trending Now The View from HQ Foundation President Sally Albrecht, Executive Director Tara Singer, and National President Matt Clifford signed the new charter document for the Omicron Delta Kappa Society and Educational Foundation, Inc. on March 30, 2019. The Circle • Summer 2019 | 5
O∆K Member News Awards Kenneth Fuchs (right) (University of Miami, 1977) won a Grammy for his album “Piano Concerto ‘Spiritualist’/Poems of Life/Glacier/Rush” in the Best Classical Compendium category. John Swinton (Georgia College, 2005) recently was celebrated with the 2018 Gold National Association of Economic Educators (NAEE) Curriculum Award. President John Broderick (Old Dominion University, 2008) has been named the 2019 recipient of NASPA’s President’s Award. Kathy Guthrie (Florida State University, 2009) has earned ACPA’s Contribution to Knowledge Award, and John Banter (Georgia Southern University, 2008) has received the Gold Award for Excellence in Student Unions, Student Activities, Greek Life, Leadership, and Related Programs from NASPA in consideration of his work with the Southern Leaders Program.
Outstanding Students Grant Rigney (University of Tennessee - Knoxville, 2017) and Lia Petrose (University of Pittsburgh, 2015) have both been named as 2019 Rhodes Scholars. Brett J. Smith (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2017) was selected as a National ROTC Student of the Year. Sarah Zorn (left) (The Citadel, 2018) completed her service as the first woman to hold the position of regimental commander of cadets at The Military College of South Carolina.
Presidential Appointments Bradley J. Cook (Southern Utah University, 2012) is president-elect of Snow College in Utah. Darrin Good (Augustana College, 2006) became president of Nebraska Wesleyan University on July 1, 2019. The University of Minnesota announced the appointment of Joan T.A. Gabel (University of Missouri – Columbia, 2013) as the president of its five-campus system. Cecilia McCormick (Widener University, 2004) is the new president at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. Stephen Spinelli (Thomas Jefferson University, 2012) is the new president of Babson University in Massachusetts.
In Memoriam Dan Beeman (bottom left), the first president of the Omicron Delta Kappa Foundation, passed away on January 25, 2019. Dr. Beeman was initiated into the University of South Florida Circle as an undergraduate, and he also served O∆K as a national vice president. In more recent years, he championed a number of the circles in Florida and reviewed scholarship applications. As one of his colleagues noted, Dr. Beeman always provided solid leadership and advice to the Society. 6 | odk.org
Book Review
leadership literature
The Leadership Dilemma in Modern Democracy By Kenneth P. Ruscio Reviewed by Gabe Delgado Gabe Delgado (University of Arizona, 2018) is a doctoral student, author, and activist based in south Florida. The past year saw the publication of a multitude of books on leadership in a democracy, including General Stanley McChrystal’s Leaders: Myth and Reality, General Martin Dempsey’s Radical Inclusion: What the Post-9/11 World Should Have Taught Us About Leadership, and Dorothy Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership in Turbulent Times. But in 2004, Kenneth P. Ruscio, the then president of Washington and Lee University and two-term president of Omicron Delta Kappa, wrote The Leadership Dilemma in Modern Democracy. As relevant now as it was 15 years ago, the crux of Ruscio’s argument is that virtue is central to a theory of political leadership. Ruscio outlines a set of first principles for democratic leadership, starting with a definition of political leadership in a democracy as “a duty and responsibility to serve others through the pursuit of the public interest” (Ruscio, p. xv). According to Ruscio, among the chief virtues a democratic leader must possess are sympathy, impartiality, and tolerance. A leader must be capable of what Ruscio, following American legal scholar and novelist Stephen L. Carter, refers to as “civil listening,” with the belief that the purpose of debate and deliberation, public reason, “is to allow the best idea to win” (Ruscio, p. 7, citing Carter 1998, p. 282) in order to reach a common good that transcends individual interests. Without a sympathetic understanding of others, a tolerance of disagreement, and an impartial assessment of opinions, a democratic leader cannot inculcate trust, a prime virtue that people are to extend to leaders in a democracy. To resolve the dilemma between democracy and leadership, leaders must not only embody the “public etiquette” (Ruscio, p. 7) of civil listening, but also create “conditions that enable and encourage citizens” to do the same, and education is key to creating “an active and engaged citizenry” (Ruscio, p. 5).
Those U.S. presidents who led during crises, as were described in Goodwin’s Leadership in Turbulent Times, share this view. Whether it is Lyndon B. Johnson’s statement that “education is the only valid passport from poverty” (Goodwin, p. 336) or Abraham Lincoln who, worried that the ideals of America’s revolutionary forbearers were being forgotten in his time, considered education “the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in” (Goodwin, p. 367). Lincoln would appreciate Ruscio’s focus on the democratic thought of America’s earliest enlightened statesmen—John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison—and campus leaders and educators can find much to appreciate and take as a reference guide in The Leadership Dilemma. Kenneth Ruscio is currently a senior distinguished lecturer in the Jepson School of Leadership at the University of Richmond. The Circle • Summer 2019 | 7
Q& A
Dennise V. Tabony is the chair of the Board of Trustees for the University of Holy Cross in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the first woman to serve as chair of the institution which was founded in 1916 as a mission of the Marianites of Holy Cross. A fully accredited Catholic institution, the University of Holy Cross offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs to some 1,200 students. It is also the home to the 418th circle in Omicron Delta Kappa’s history which was chartered in early 2019. Dennise, an honoris causa initiate of the Holy Cross Circle, serves as the public affairs director in the Workforce Management and Consulting Office of the Veterans Health Administration. She began her career with the VA in honor of her father who was a Vietnam veteran.
What were your professional responsibilities with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during Hurricane Katrina? In August of 2005, I served as the Public Affairs Specialist for the Veterans Administration Medical Center in New Orleans. I coordinated communications efforts both internally and externally with veterans, employees, and our community. Timely communications were especially critical during Hurricane Katrina and in its aftermath because of the storm’s devastating impact on our city and surrounding areas.
What is the role of the Department of Veterans Affairs in responding to natural disasters and other types of crises? While VA is primarily dedicated to the veterans it serves, it is also a third responder during national crises. This role includes natural disasters, where VA sets up temporary facilities offering services and/or deploys mobile units providing medical assistance, triage teams (doctors, nurses, counselors), and other needed community outreach efforts.
Serving as a leader during a disaster is challenging, but how do you manage the personal during a broader crisis? Before working for VA, I worked in the oil and gas industry and had dealt with critical issues and communications. With Katrina, it was personal, and everything changed. Our family evacuated to a property we owned about one and a half hours northwest of New Orleans. We left with three-day’s worth of clothing and some important documents and expected to return quickly. My 8 | odk.org
sister, my parents, and my cousin joined us at our property to wait out the storm. On a portable radio, we learned that Katrina was much worse than we had all expected. After several days with no electricity, no cell phone signal, no fuel, and no access to money, we realized we had to leave and drove to a small town in north Louisiana. Sadly, Katrina changed our lives forever – flooded homes, tornadoes, and wind devastated everything in its path, and we all lost almost everything we owned. But grieving the loss of material things means very little when you’re in line with your family getting a sandwich from the Red Cross. We didn’t know where everyone was, if they were hurt or worse. We were worried about what our lives would be like when we returned – if we could return. Fear, anxiety, and worry about our property, our jobs, our city, and our future were mirrored on the faces of the other families we encountered who had evacuated. No one cared about titles or money or position; they cared about the humanity of service to one another. With no home to return to right away, no place to report to work, and no schools open, we decided to stay until things improved in New Orleans. I brought my two children to the local public school. The school principal welcomed us, and I was once again moved to find that the school had donations from their community of school supplies and backpacks ready for them. They had also assigned buddies for both of my children so that they would have new friends and be helped within their classes. They had gotten my children’s clothing size from the local church that served as a shelter and had bags of clothing to help them start school. It is hard to explain the relief you feel as a parent to be able to continue on – grateful for these thoughtful acts and knowing that your children are being treated with such care and consideration during such a difficult and uncertain time.
Q&A
Dennise V. Tabony What was one of the biggest lessons that you learned experiencing Hurricane Katrina? Experiencing Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath provided me with the resilience I would need for the next 14 years. The gratitude I felt for the kindness and empathy of strangers changed my outlook on the importance of service and my views on leadership. I worked remotely for three months, going to the local library where I had internet access. I helped draft messages for leadership to send to staff and local media groups. I participated in countless conference calls and visited several community-based outpatient clinics. I coordinated outreach efforts to track employees that were dispersed around the country. It was an unprecedented disaster that impacted multiple states, and VA played a critical role on so many levels. Keeping busy and focused on helping others was important for me – especially because our veterans and communities needed our help. There is no question that Hurricane Katrina left an indelible imprint on who I became as a person and as a leader.
What were some of the examples of leadership that you saw afterward? The city needed leadership; however, this need wasn’t for me to own. It was for me to be a partner to a broader solution. Collaboration and building relationships were critical to our city’s future. Leaders come from all walks of life, but one thing that they often share is a sense of commitment and purpose. This observation was especially true after Katrina. Remember, some people left the city and never came back, but others had a sense of duty to make it better. They knew that this city was worth rebuilding. Real leadership requires steadfast commitment – even when the obstacles seem insurmountable. The crisis goes on because it touches people, and it’s a fluid process. Leaders need to be invested for the long-haul. No part of the city
that wasn’t impacted, and even today, the city is still not fully recovered. In many ways, I consider Hurricane Katrina to be a process of leadership, touching multiple generations of evolving leaders from all backgrounds.
What types of leadership characteristics do you think are most effective during times of crisis? Two of the greatest core competencies of any successful leader are flexibility and adaptability – and this is especially true during times of crisis. In a crisis, things are often moving quickly and require leadership that can adjust and change course as needed. Sometimes this involves making quick decisions. Effective leaders also recognize that they cannot handle everything; instead, they surround themselves with subject matter experts that create diverse teams to address the myriad of issues that need attention. Relatable leadership is also important– the ability to tell stories and experiences so that others connect with you, you with them, and a shared mission. Most importantly, no matter how busy and hectic things become – true leaders should never be too busy to do the right thing. Once they lose sight of their moral compass, they are no longer worth following.
What is the role of mentorship (as a mentor or as a person being mentored) in difficult times? Leaders who maintain a sense of purpose, humility, empathy, and strength are the most effective in critical times. Modeling leadership and kindness is essential to help develop future leaders. People often think that mentors can only be drawn from successful career professionals or community leaders. I disagree. I believe that mentors are people who demonstrate characteristics that others wish to model or learn from in their own lives. Mentors, both formal and informal, can have positive and negative traits – parts that we admire and parts that we recognize are not worth repeating. Both types of attributes are important to observe – so that as evolving leaders, we continue to learn from the experiences of others. Becoming a leader is never fully achieved – because it is a lifelong journey with incredible rewards along the way. The Circle • Summer 2019 | 9
Leading
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM: Hurricane Michael and Florida State University Panama City
E
by Olivia Klosterman
arly October of last year, students at Florida State University Panama City had no idea that some of them would be finishing the semester in Tallahassee. On October 7, 2019, Hurricane Michael formed as a tropical depression near the Caribbean Sea. At that point, the storm’s trajectory and strength posed no significant threat to the FSUPC community. However, that quickly changed. Michael rapidly moved into the Gulf of Mexico, strengthening as it approached the Florida Panhandle. On October 10, Michael made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane and ultimately decimated the Florida Panhandle. According to FSUPC Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Administrative Affairs Irvin Clark (Radford University, 2017), the community had little time to make preparations and evacuate due to a miscalculation of the hurricane’s speed. By the time authorities ordered a mass evacuation of the Panama
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City area, it was too late. For those who did try to leave the city, the streets quickly became gridlocked with traffic. Those who stayed feared for their lives as they watched their homes crumble around them. The next few days were filled with devastation and disbelief for the FSUPC community. Students and faculty members alike lost their homes, and many lost all of their possessions. Others were unsure of how they would finish the semester or if it was even possible. The FSUPC campus itself sustained more than $10 million in damages, most of it due to leaking roofs and fallen trees. The campus stayed closed for two and a half weeks while the community made its first steps toward recovery. When the university reopened, the semester did not pick up where it left off. A percentage of students and faculty did not return. Courses were shifted from on campus to online as many students and faculty were not able to return after the hurricane. Fortunately,
service the university’s relationship with FSU Tallahassee provided a level of relief for the community. FSU Tallahassee hosted 90% of FSUPC’s first-year students and provided accommodations to those individuals at no cost. The students who were not relocated to Tallahassee moved into FEMA trailers. Though FEMA usually has a limit as to how long one can occupy a trailer, the organization made an exception for the FSUPC students. As of June 2019, some students were still living in FEMA trailers. Temporary housing accommodations are not the only lasting effect of Michael.
For some individuals, insurance companies have been a constant source of frustration. According to Clark, there is a premium on everything. Many students and faculty members feel the financial pressures mounting. Some students have had no option but to withdraw for the 2019-20 academic year. PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is another common effect of Michael that is still quite evident throughout the campus community. To address this surge in PTSD-related health concerns, the university has increased its number of on-site mental health counselors and brought in social workers from Tallahassee. Although the university provided the campus community with ample resources, students also saw an opportunity to take a leadership role in recovery efforts. Students organized and led two programs, Operation Seminole Drive
and Operation BBQ Relief. When asked about Operation Seminole Drive, Clark recalled, “Students hit the pavement. They went door to door helping people out.” Meanwhile, Operation BBQ Relief focused on serving free meals to the community. Other campus-wide recovery efforts included food distribution, clothing drives, and supplying temporary housing. Clark also noted how the students used their network to ensure that the broader community’s needs were being met. For example, those with homes not ravaged by Michael opened their doors to other individuals left homeless by the hurricane.
Antonio Lopez (Florida State University Panama City, 2019) lost everything in the hurricane, including their homes. However, Clark said, “they didn’t just wallow in it. They went out to campus, trying to do what they can do to help other people. They didn’t allow their situation to stop them from wanting to serve.” Both Justine and Antonio were later initiated into Omicron Delta Kappa during Panama City Circle’s installation ceremony this past spring. The chartering had initially been scheduled for the fall semester, but it was delayed because of Michael. Clark serves as the circle
Clark describes the recovery process as a “moving target” that calls for situational leadership. The needs of individuals within the community ranged from requiring assistance with fence repair to medical matters. Since Michael caused serious damage to the local hospitals and led to the closure of many local businesses, it was up to the community to provide the various services needed. Consequently, according to Clark, the most effective leadership style required a personalized approach to aid each individual within the community. In other words, the best leader was a person who could tap into his or her network and connect a person in need with a person who could help.
coordinator for the FSUPC Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa.
Some of the most significant leaders in the community post-Michael were students. Justine Powell (Florida State University Panama City, 2019) and
For others who will need to be leaders in similar times of campus and community crisis, Clark recommends erring on the side of caution. “Have emergency plans in place. Have measures in place where you have a way to account for all of your faculty, staff, and students,” he said. As a part of his better safe than sorry philosophy, Clark strongly advocates evacuating early. “If you absolutely must stay, have rations,” he advised. Adequate food and water supplies along with items like generators were imperative for those who did not evacuate Panama City, which lost power for ten days and water for four days. Above all, Clark urges future crisis leaders to remember that while buildings can be repaired and possessions can be restored, people cannot be replaced. ● The Circle • Summer 2019 | 11
In Your Words...
WHEN A STUDENT DIES by John H. McRae
I
remember that Wednesday. I had gone in for my mid-morning coffee and was chatting with my secretary when the physical education teacher ran into the office from the schoolyard. “Call an ambulance,” she cried. “Matt’s been hurt. The swing set just fell on top of him!”
As calmly as possible, I put down my coffee and had my assistant call the ambulance while I went outside. When I got there, I knew we had a real emergency. The swing set, made of five large telephone poles, had rotted below the ground and snapped like a toothpick, crushing the fifth-grade child. A professional architect had designed the set, and a group of parents, under the direction of a professional builder, had built it to code. Moreover, the school had just passed its safety inspection four months earlier. Two teachers were doing what first aid they could, so I ran back to the office mentally preparing myself to help parents, colleagues, and students deal with what I feared would be the worst.
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The next 12 hours now seem like one big haze. It was a dreadful situation – one every education leader never hopes to face: a student killed on campus and the death witnessed by dozens of other students. Although our student was killed in an accident at elementary school, the leadership considerations are very similar to those which my counterparts in high schools, colleges, and universities have had to address with student and staff loss of life through illnesses, accidents on the highway or off-campus properties, or violence. When I attended graduate school, no one was ever taught what to do if someone dies or is killed on your campus. Maybe that’s because kids are not supposed to die. However, dealing with death, grief, and tragedy is now part of the curriculum for educational leaders. Training is now provided about what to do in an active shooter situation, how to handle communications, and dealing with grief in a crisis. Leading when you are grieving yourself for one or more students and knowing that your school will never be the same continues to be a challenge.
in your words
I know that everyone might not agree with my perspective on some recommended leadership strategies in times of such a crisis, but I offer them in hopes that the knowledge gained from my experiences will help. They are a result of much soul-searching and reflection; my recommendations have the interests of the victim and family, the school, and the principal or president – the person on the front lines – at heart.
FIRST STEPS Contacting emergency personnel is an obvious first step in any crisis when the loss of life occurs on campus or at a school. Implementing the school’s crisis response plan is second. However, I encourage educational leaders to think quickly about how to notify the student’s family if the school, college, or university is aware of the death first. In most situations, police personnel will be involved, but I would encourage also sending someone that the family knows as well to deliver this heart-breaking news. At the elementary and secondary school level, one would also immediately contact the school system’s superintendent’s office, legal counsel, and insurance representative. Once emergency personnel are contacted, including the police, the news media will arrive. The intensity of the media’s interest in what has happened is unsettling. Prying questions will be asked in the name of getting the story with no consideration as to the impact of what sharing gruesome details may have on parents and other students. With the hyper-speed of social media, one must also consider how best to convey timely and accurate information across various
platforms. One must be very careful in communicating in such a crisis. If one is misquoted, answers given could be used against the educational institution in potential legal proceedings.
GRIEF, SADNESS, AND REMEMBRANCE The section above addressed some of the technical aspects of dealing with death at school. However, it is in the sphere of coping with grief, sadness, and remembrance that I believe leaders have the greatest opportunity to make an impact. One of the most important lessons that I learned through my years in educational administration is that each student’s death is different. Faculty, counselors, psychologists, and educational leaders need to recognize that. I encourage educators to keep in mind that revealing one’s humanity and empathy is not a weakness as a leader. Here are some other recommendations: Encourage teachers and colleagues to talk about the good things the deceased did, how he or she will be missed, or how the family and friends might feel. ●
● Support the students, faculty, and staff who want to attend the funeral by encouraging them to go.
Plan a non-religious memorial service for the school community – with the blessing of the family or families impacted by a tragedy. ●
● Help keep the deceased’s memory alive if asked by the family and friends. Be prepared to suggest everything from donating books to the library, establishing a scholarship or award, or planting a tree to remember the student.
RESOURCES One of my other recommendations is to carefully observe those other students and colleagues who are also possibly victims of the same tragedy. Some will deny what has happened; others might become overly emotional. Allow them to share how they feel and offer kindness as well as the services of professional counselors. Although they may be survivors, these individuals are very much at risk for depression, or they fear that they will be next in some way. Two of the students who survived the tragedy at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School took their lives in the year after the shootings. The important thing is to have resources at hand to deal with whatever lies ahead. Having a crisis response team or ready access to counselors, grief-therapists, and psychologists is important in these situations. It’s not only the students who will need these human resources – the faculty and staff of a school, as well as its administration, may benefit from speaking with these individuals. Earlier this year, in my state of North Carolina, two students were killed at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Through the news reports, it was evident that the campus community had a strategy for first steps, dealing with grief, and utilizing other available resources to help the students, families, faculty, and staff cope with such a tragedy. One hopes never to have to execute such a plan, but by having one, educators and other community members may better lead in times of crisis. ● John H. McRae is a 1979 initiate of the Valdosta State University Circle. He is a former school principal and assistant professor of education. John was named Georgia Teacher of the Year in 1978.
The Circle • Summer 2019 | 13
Thank you,
Sally K. Albrecht Albrecht Arts Scholarship
Omicron Delta Kappa Foundation President Sally K. Albrecht (Rollins College, 1975) recently made a blended gift of more than $300,000 including a contribution of $50,000 to fund a post-baccalaureate scholarship for a collegiate member who is a leader in the arts as a student or who intends to pursue a degree related to the arts. Currently, Sally serves as the president of the Omicron Delta Kappa Foundation Board of Trustees. She has been a member of the Scholarship Review and Selection Committee. In addition to supporting the creation of the Albrecht Arts Scholarship, she has generously supported O∆K’s circle operations, the general scholarship program, and the Laura Larissa Morgan (University of Miami) Scholarship. In discussing her devotion to O∆K, Sally said, “Throughout my career as a composer, conductor, and educator, I have witnessed the critical roles that leaders fill in their organizations. Leaders, like musical conductors, set the tone as they work to create balance, harmony, and success through collaboration. The common thread among Omicron Delta Kappa members is their dedication to succeed, to lead, and to make a difference. Now, I’m taking my turn to lead through giving — both of my time and my financial support. Each member can also continue to make a significant difference by supporting our O∆K initiates as they travel on their amazing journeys. I encourage fellow members to give today — and give often.”
Louise and William “Bill” Latture Louise and William Latture Scholarship Rupert Nelson Latture Scholarship Louise and Bill Latture have a long history with Omicron Delta Kappa. Rupert Nelson Latture, one of the 15 founders of O∆K, instilled the values of the Society in his son Bill from an early age. Bill was initiated into the Alpha Circle at Washington and Lee University in 1948, and he has been an engaged member since. Bill served as a member of the O∆K Foundation Board of Trustees from 2004-18. He was named trustee emeritus in 2018. He and his wife Louise (a 1947 graduate of RandolphMacon Women’s College and a 2017 initiate of the Washington and Lee University Circle) are longtime residents of Greensboro, North Carolina. The Lattures recently made gifts in support of two fully endowed scholarships including one named in memory of Bill’s father. In commenting on his and Louise’s philanthopic partnership with O∆K, Bill said, “Louise and I are pleased to support O∆K’s scholarship program. Our gift is in memory of my father. He was at Washington and Lee for 65 years, both as a teacher and a mentor. He and the other founders of O∆K believed that education and leadership were both important. Helping outstanding members of O∆K to continue their postgraduate studies with some financial support from us is very gratifying.” 14 | odk.org
? K Δ O t a w e n ’s What
circle news
National Day of Service Each year, circles across the country coordinate service activities in support of O∆K’s National Day of Service. While many circles hold their community activities on the second Thursday in April, circles are involved in service throughout the year. Here are some of the top circle service programs for the 2018-19 academic year: »» The Jacksonville University Circle served their community by organizing a program aimed at helping their local homeless population. “Give Back Jax” called upon the student body to donate essentials such as toiletries and food to the homeless shelter. »» At Texas Woman’s University, the circle hosted its first on-campus “March for a Cure 5K.” With a total of 41 participants and $1,026 raised, “March for a Cure” was a notable example of the ideals of O∆K including scholarship, service, integrity, character, and fellowship. The donations went to CancerCare, a national non-profit that provides free support services and information to help people manage the emotional, practical, and financial challenges of cancer. »» The Citadel – The Military College of South Carolina Circle stuffed 100 gift boxes for soldiers at seven different international bases. Earlier this year, The Citadel Circle hosted their 2nd Annual Leadership and Ethics Conference, which drew in high school students from ten local schools for a workshop on moral and ethical decision-making.
National Day of Giving The fourth annual National Day of Giving was a tremendous success. This year, 156 members contributed more $18,425. There were 60 new donors, and a friendly competition was held to track which circles had the largest contributions from members. At the top of the leader board was Clemson University, followed by Washington and Lee University in second place, and the University of Akron in third.
Membership Directory Omicron Delta Kappa partnered with Publishing Concepts International (PCI) to produce the 2020 Membership Directory. Members may have received emails or postcards asking for participation in this project. If an individual has not been in contact with PCI about the membership directory and would like to update information, please call (866) 613-8023 to speak with a representative. You may also contact Katy Datz (katy@odk.org) to update your information through the national headquarters. The Circle • Summer 2019 | 15
HAVÍDAN RODRÍGUEZ:
A LEADER IN
DISASTER RESEARCH
O
nce advised to forgo college, Havídan Rodríguez’s leadership journey to becoming president of the University at Albany (UAlbany) and an expert in the field of disaster research is unlike most. Rodríguez grew up moving back and forth between Puerto Rico and the Bronx. In New York City, his mother supported Rodríguez and his two siblings by driving a taxi. In Puerto Rico, his guidance counselor encouraged him to enter the field of automobile mechanics post-graduation. Though he completed high school with a specialization in auto mechanics, Rodríguez’s ambitions to move out of poverty led him to join the Air Force as an emergency medical technician, his first step towards becoming a medical doctor. However, his time in the emergency room quickly taught him that medicine was not his calling. Rodríguez ended up obtaining a bachelor’s degree in psychology through a program offered to military personnel by the University of Maryland. He was the first in his immediate family to graduate from college. Rodríguez then completed a master's in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Early in his career, Rodríguez served as interim program director of the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. The opportunity to enter the field of disaster research occurred when some of his colleagues were submitting a grant proposal related to the impacts of hurricanes and other severe weather in the Caribbean. Rodríguez recalls, “They had received feedback from the National Science Foundation that their proposal would be strengthened if they had a social scientist to focus on the societal impacts of these events. Thus, they asked me to join their team.”
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Rodríguez quickly found that disaster research related very well to the work on poverty, inequality, economic mobility, and migration that he was already doing as a sociologist. He explains, “Disasters disproportionately impact low-income individuals and poverty-stricken communities due to their high levels of social and economic vulnerability. Moreover, these communities may be located in hazard-prone areas subject to flooding and landslide, among others, thus increasing their vulnerability to these events.” Rodríguez continued his research on the social science of disasters, eventually establishing himself as an expert in the interdisciplinary field.
DEFINING DISASTER What differentiates a true disaster from a significant problem for a community? Rodríguez looks to scale and impact to find the answer. “Significant problems may have specific impacts on a limited number of individuals, while disasters impact the dayto-day functions at a community level,” he explains. Rodríguez continues, “Disasters generally have non-trivial impacts on infrastructure; may result in a significant number of injuries and casualties; and they create disruptions in basic utility services (e.g., water or electrical services), communication, and/or transportation systems.” On the socioeconomic level, he says “Disasters can result in severe social and economic consequences for the impacted communities” and require “systemic, well-organized, strategic responses.” Meanwhile, a significant problem does not require such extensive action and can be addressed at the individual or group level.
ON-SITE EXPERIENCES As part of Rodríguez’s disaster research, he leads and participates in field research projects. His on-site experience includes trips to Honduras, following Hurricane Mitch; India and Sri Lanka, following the Indian Ocean tsunami; and the
service
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Significant problems may have specific impacts on a limited number of individuals, while disasters impact the day-to-day functions at a community level.
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The Circle • Summer 2019 | 17
Gulf Coast, following Hurricane Katrina. When asked about the greatest sociological impact he witnessed on an on-site project, he struggles to come up with just one answer. “One aspect of the 2004 tsunami in India and Sri Lanka that has stayed with me were the haunting stories of fishermen out in their boats who had no idea that a tsunami had struck the shore where their wives, children, and elderly parents were killed while shopping in the local markets. Entire fishing communities were obliterated with a death toll in the thousands,” he recalls. He adds, “I will also never forget a devastating postHurricane Katrina scene in Mississippi, where the storm surge had decimated entire communities and the existing infrastructure as far as the eye could see.” While each disaster he witnessed was catastrophic in its own way, one central takeaway links the events together. “The poorest and most vulnerable communities are disproportionately impacted in terms of injuries and mortality, displacement, and socioeconomic consequences,” he explains. “These events do not create poverty, vulnerability, or devastation in healthcare systems, but they exacerbate these issues while highlighting the widespread disparities between the haves and have-nots in the U.S. and around the world. That is why it is so important to underscore the fact that disasters are human-induced and socially constructed events.” Hurricane Katrina serves as an example of the idea that disasters can exacerbate pre-existing issues but do not necessarily create them. According to Rodríguez, the Gulf Coast region had a frail healthcare system and fragile infrastructure before Katrina struck. However, no event was large enough in scale and impact to decimate the infrastructure or cause extensive loss of life and injuries, until Katrina. The disaster exposed the region’s challenges with devastating consequences. Rodríguez notes that the role of the media in spreading misinformation also exacerbated Katrina’s impact. “Katrina was the first major hurricane to occur in the U.S. since the advent of 24-hour cable news,” he points out. “The media coverage tended to spread inaccurate information – sometimes focusing on what we call disaster myths – often originating with statements from government officials.” 18 | odk.org
LEADERSHIP LESSONS What does successful leadership look like in times of crisis? According to Rodríguez, it’s all about effective communication. “Communication must be clear, on point, consistent, and frequent to ensure adequate preparedness and response to a crisis situation,” he says. “Being honest, open, and transparent are critical elements of crisis communication, along with providing the resources, and assistance that communities need following a disaster,” he adds. However, the most successful leaders in a crisis stricken community are not merely day-of responders. Rodríguez explains, “To be an effective crisis communicator, you must have already established good lines of communication, engendered trust, and be known as a trustworthy figure or leader within your community.” Rodríguez carries these leadership lessons over to his role of leading as president of UAlbany. “I believe my research and scholarship has helped me develop an ability to anticipate issues and challenges that may emerge. We need to be proactive rather than reactive – mitigation and preparedness are key to effective response, and minimizing risk is critical to the success of any institution,” he says. Accordingly, one of Rodríguez’s first actions as president of UAlbany was to form an administrative unit dedicated to enterprise risk management and compliance. Rodríguez’s disaster research findings also influence the way he approaches social and economic topics at UAlbany. Witnessing catastrophic events first hand, he says, “strengthened my commitment to building a society where every member of the global community has the ability to thrive and succeed.” He continues, “Higher education is a critical part of this equation, and we can each make important contributions to this collective goal.” UAlbany’s commitment toward building the thriving global community that Rodríguez describes shows. Under Rodríguez’s leadership, UAlbany conducts world-class research on the impacts of climate change; has engaged faculty, staff, and students in service missions to Puerto Rico during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria; and dedicates itself to teaching the next generation of globally engaged leaders. ●
Save the Date! 2020 Annual National
Leadership Conference
June 4-7, 2020
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Gatton Student Center University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky
in memoriam 1945 - 2019 O∆K National President 1998 - 2002
Cheryl Hogle, the first woman to serve as national president of Omicron Delta Kappa, died on Friday, April 19, 2019. Prior to her service as National President, she served as the SUNY Plattsburgh Circle Faculty Secretary, four terms as a Faculty Province Director, and two terms as O∆K’s National Vice President for Extension. After her retirement, she was named Associate Dean of Students Emerita at SUNY Plattsburgh. Her deep and meaningful stewardship of O∆K truly left unforgettable marks on the Society’s history. Cheryl’s imprint on O∆K transcends generations of members. Forty-four circles were chartered during her service as National Vice President for Extension. She championed a more efficient governance structure for Omicron Delta Kappa, and she touched generations of students in her roles in student affairs at SUNY Plattsburgh. She was National President from 1998 – 2002. During her tenure, she also served as a member of the O∆K Foundation Board of Trustees. Mike Christakis, immediate past national president of Omicron Delta Kappa, shared the impact that Cheryl had on his life. He wrote, “Cheryl Hogle was an early mentor and personal inspiration in my work with O∆K. She saw potential in me as a student leader and connected me with opportunities to serve the Society at the local, regional, and national level. I credit the depth and breadth of my engagement with O∆K to Cheryl and will be forever indebted to her for her support and encouragement throughout my leadership journey.” Michael Cashman, a former circle advisor and national volunteer, wrote in remembrance, “Cheryl Hogle was instrumental in my development as a person and as a leader. I had the good fortune to get to know her as a student leader and stayed connected with her for nearly 20 years. Her life served as a source of inspiration to me. She had a fierce leadership style that combined passion, dedication, highest
level of moral character, and could add a dose of snark that unmatched anyone. Over the course of her life, Cheryl was a trailblazer over and over again. As a mentor, she embodied the spirit of challenge and support. I will cherish our conversations, as well as numerous notes and articles she would send me over the years. She leaves behind an indelible legacy as she touched numerous folks in similar ways.” One of Cheryl’s most significant contributions to the Society was her push for circles to engage campus leaders from all corners of host institutions. It was important for her to have as many collegiate leaders as possible to be touched by Omicron Delta Kappa and for those leaders to help shape O∆K’s future. Cheryl was the 2010 recipient of Omicron Delta Kappa’s highest honor, the Laurel Crowned Circle Award. The Omicron Delta Kappa Distinguished Service Award was named for her in 2008, the year in which she received this honor. She was also a recipient of the Society’s Meritorious Service Award. Survivors include her companion, Beverly Hodge of Pensacola, Florida; siblings, Melody Bourgeois and her husband Robert of Chazy, New York, Rick Hogle and his wife Alana of Swanton, Vermont, and Laurie Glode of Peru, New York; sister-in-law, Georgianna Hogle of Mooers, New York; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and greatnephews. In recognition of Cheryl’s commitment to diverse and inclusive circles, memorial gifts through O∆K are directed to the Opportunity Fund (gift-of-membership). Gifts in memory of Cheryl may be made by clicking on the Donate Tab on the O∆K website.
The Circle • Summer 2019 | 21
The View from HQ
Institutional Crises A message from President and CEO Tara S. Singer For many leaders, the expression, “There but for the grace of God go I,” is one that will cross their lips more than once during a career. In particular, I’ve heard many a college president use this phrase, or something similar, about leading his or her institution as news of a tragedy or crisis at another school is reported or revealed. However, one can expect that during one’s tenure as a college or university leader, a damaging storm, tragic accident, or athletics scandal will envelop an institution and its administration. While each of the scenarios mentioned above will test a president’s leadership, a crisis related to intercollegiate athletics has its own unique challenges. Once one considers the involvement of the cheerleaders, student fans, and band participants, as well as the student-athletes on the field or court, athletics is operationally an institution’s largest student activity. It is also a significant point of alumni pride, and its successes and failures sometimes have an impact on admissions and fundraising. Three of Omicron Delta Kappa’s member institutions have dealt with significant athletics-related crises in recent years, and the presidents of each school have been called upon to address and investigate, develop a plan of recourse, and steward the institutions forward. While it would be naïve to say that each school and administration faced these challenges perfectly, I have great respect for the current presidents of Baylor University, the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Louisville. They have each shown the courage to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions in their efforts to advance their respective universities. Baylor University A scandal at Baylor University was prompted by the institution’s response to many allegations and eventually convictions of sexual and non-sexual assault committed by members of the football team and other students. The crisis eventually led to the termination of the contract with the head football coach, the resignation of the athletic director, and the eventual resignation of the university’s president and Title IX coordinator. 22 | odk.org
Linda Livingstone (Oklahoma State University, 1980) was appointed the president of Baylor in June 2017. One of the characteristics of her leadership that I tremendously admire is her commitment to being transparent. She and her administration have been forthright in acknowledging the long shadow of the assault scandal. Livingstone has been quoted as saying in The Chronicle of Higher Education, “It will always be part of our story. It will always be a part of what influences and informs the decisions that we make.” Her honesty and willingness to acknowledge that there have been significant challenges in relation to sexual assault cases – those involving athletes and other individuals on campus – is a leadership quality that I genuinely admire. University of Maryland, College Park In June 2018, an offensive lineman on the University of Maryland football team collapsed during an offseason workout. He was treated for heat stroke and received an emergency liver transplant. Sadly, the young man died 15 days later. An independent report commissioned by the university found that the athletic trainers did not follow commonly accepted protocols for treating the student’s condition and that the university’s guidelines for catastrophic incidents were not followed. ESPN conducted its own investigation and identified numerous concerns with the culture of the football program that existed under the then head football coach and strength and conditioning coach. The campus and the University of Maryland System Board of Regents also launched investigations about in concerns related to the culture of the football program. After the investigations concluded, the regents recommended reinstatement of the head football coach (who had previously been suspended). On October 30, 2018, President Wallace Loh (University of Maryland College Park, 2011) received a series of personnel recommendations from the Board of Regents and submitted his resignation to be effective in June 2019. The following day, he terminated the football coach, and in November, he also fired other members of the athletic training staff. The chair of
the board resigned on November 1, and the new chair of the board issued an apology acknowledging the problems with the board’s personnel recommendations related to athletics. Loh is still the president, and the somewhat reconstituted Board of Regents has asked him not to retire until June 2020. Regardless, I admire the fact that he made what ultimately seemed to be the best decision for the institution (making personnel changes in the athletics department) without regard for his career. I gather that he was willing to face termination, rather than resignation or retirement, to do what he thought to be the right and responsible thing in holding individuals accountable for poor judgment and the creation of a toxic athletics culture that seemed to have significant consequences. University of Louisville In the interest of full disclosure, Louisville is my alma mater. It is an institution that I’ve been devoted to since I first stepped on the campus at the age of six. In the last 11 years, there have been multiple crises – everything from misuse of philanthropic contributions and government grant funding to outright embezzlement by numerous employees. The sitting university president ultimately resigned, and fundraising contributions significantly dropped as faith and confidence in the work of the university’s foundation was lost. The athletics program – particularly its men’s basketball team and coaches – have also been caught up in multiple scandals. The head coach’s relationship with a woman, who was not his wife, led to the woman’s arrest and conviction for extortion. Another woman published a book that indicated that a university employee paid her a significant sum to provide female entertainment to members of the men’s basketball team and recruits. The book facilitated the start of an NCAA investigation, and ultimately, the team had to vacate its 2013 national championship. Eventually, the interim university president and its boards fired the head coach and athletics director after the program was identified in an FBI investigation of bribery and fraud related to recruiting practices. In the time that Neeli Bendapudi has served as the University of Louisville’s new president, significant changes have been made in the interest
of regaining the trust and faith of the institution’s alumni and donors. A new athletics director has been permanently hired, new academic leaders have been put in place in some of the university’s colleges and schools, and a team of new advancement professional have set out to repair relationships with donors and prospects. Fundraising has improved during her tenure. President Bendapudi has also intentionally stressed openness and frequent communications about the opportunities and challenges facing Louisville. Bendapudi said, to the local newspaper and shortly after her arrival, “So a culture of openness, a culture of trust … my way to make sure there’s not a scandal is to be incredibly accessible to the students, faculty, staff ….” She went on to say, “Because the leader cannot be everywhere, but the leader can absolutely set the tone for who we are, what we will be and what we will not tolerate.” Humility One of the other admirable attributes of each of these presidents, in their respective roles as university leaders, is their genuine humility. They do not represent themselves or their institutions as being allknowing. They are keenly aware that they are servants of the institutions that they serve and that it is not the other way around. They are also compassionate in understanding that mistakes will be made, but they hold themselves and others accountable for advancing the long-term interests of their schools. And they are kind and will continue to say with empathy, about their peers and colleagues, when other tough times come, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Freeport, Ohio Permit No. 21 Omicron Delta Kappa National Headquarters 224 McLaughlin Street Lexington, VA 24450-2002
Christa and Michael Christakis have a long history with Omicron Delta Kappa. Michael was initiated into the Alfred University Circle in 1998, and Christa was initiated into the same circle in 1999. Michael served as the circle’s president at the time of its installation. He was elected Province I student director in 1999, O∆K first-ever national student vice president in 2000, and later national vice president for circle standards in 2002 until his election as national president in 2012. Michael currently serves O∆K as immediate past national president and as a member of the Board of Trustees.
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We give to O∆K because we’ve witnessed firsthand the impact individual awards, scholarships, and recognition can have in supporting the personal and professional development of today’s collegiate leaders! O∆K members are truly exceptional and transform their campuses and communities every day. We honor them
Michael and Christa Christakis
through our gifts to O∆K.
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Make a gift to support the mission of O∆K Gifts to the Omicron Delta Kappa Annual Fund may be used to support the future of O∆K through a variety of initiatives: • Scholarships • Convention
• Leadership Development Programs
To make a gift online, visit https://odk.org/donate/.