Johnson & Wales to redesign arts, sciences curriculum

RUNEY
RUNEY

When Mim Runey was named president and chief operating officer of Johnson & Wales University’s Providence campus in July 2011, she’d already done much to advance the school through nearly 22 years of service.
Runey began working at Johnson & Wales at its Charleston, S.C., campus in 1989 as a communications officer and adjunct faculty member. She came to the school’s Providence campus in 2006 and helped to create and execute the university’s FOCUS 2011 strategic plan.
Under that plan, JWU increased its first-year student retention rate from 67 percent to 74 percent. JWU’s endowment grew by $54 million under the plan and long-term debt was reduced by $60 million.
Runey now will lead the charge on JWU’s next plan, 2017: The Centennial Plan, which includes a focus on re-examining the arts and sciences curriculum and the role of faculty, as well as continued efforts in student retention and the graduation rate.

PBN: What is it that you most enjoy about having a career in academia and in particular at Johnson & Wales University?
Runey: I feel very passionate about higher education and its purpose in our society. At Johnson & Wales, I value the fact that we strive to make the higher education experience as affordable as possible for our students. We offer a private education and integrate components of experiential education.

PBN: Was reaching this level in administration always your goal?
RUNEY: It was absolutely not my goal. I knew that I was committed to higher education, but never saw that as part of my future. I think I realized that I wanted to do more and learn more and I just felt that my time in communications had helped me build a foundation for other work. [In Providence] we had a retiring president after having been at the university for just over 40 years. [Irving Schneider retired in June 2011]. I think that I was so committed to our strategic plan that I knew that we wanted to execute it well and going outside seemed to be a risk. So at that point, I threw my name in the hat.

PBN: What is the most important thing you have learned about leadership in the past year?
RUNEY: That leadership is really about supporting others. Certainly there are decisions to be made, but it’s not about me at all. It’s about the institution and the people who work here and the students who go to school here. I think others would describe my leadership style as servant leadership.

PBN: What was the most challenging part of raising JWU’s student-retention rate?
RUNEY: On the outside, enrollment was growing but behind the scenes, retention was declining, our graduation rate was declining and student debt was increasing. We knew that if we got in student[s] who were better prepared, that would contribute to an increased retention rate. «constant ****SLps» We [also] knew our students couldn’t afford to stay in school. We increased student aid from about $70 million to $134 million by the end of [the last] strategic plan. In our next plan, we’ll commit almost $200 million.

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PBN: Besides simply being able to find a job, what do you feel is the biggest challenge facing today’s new college graduate?
RUNEY: The student debt they graduate with. I think one of the things employers are looking for is not only the education, but do they have a component that has exposed them to the industry. Most of our students graduate with that type of experience. I think also a challenge is networking. Have they had the opportunity to network with potential employers? «constant ****SLps» There are just not a lot of job opportunities out there so we need to make sure that our programs are current and relative to the industry.

PBN: Part of 2017: The Centennial Plan is a redesign of the arts and sciences core curriculum. Does this have anything to do with the so-called skills gap?
RUNEY: A core foundation in the arts and sciences is important. We have surveyed our graduates and we have learned that communication, writing and math skills are critical. We need to ensure that our graduates are not only completing their education but also that they have a foundation in writing, communicating verbally, and in math that will help them in the long term. It’s our own graduates telling us they needed more [of that].

PBN: What else can colleges do to help close this skills gap?
RUNEY: All the data points to longer-term success when you hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Given that, I think it’s also important to emphasize with students a strong work ethic and recognizing that you may start at the bottom level. I know I certainly did and knew with experience, I would be able to navigate my way through my career. I think you have to focus on the [long-term perspective] and know that the more education you have, the [better] you can navigate your career.

PBN: What part of the 2017 strategic plan are you most excited about?
RUNEY: Ultimately, we want to bring our selectivity, or acceptance, rate to 60 percent with an overarching goal of reaching a graduation rate of 80 percent. In addition, we’ll continue to revisit our degree programs [to meet] the demands of the industry and the demands of our students. I think for the Providence campus the next plan is exciting because it also calls for an investment in our facilities. •

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