I know, I know…this blog appears to be languishing. I have to blame it on my job-search life! I’m in the process of preparing for three trips, and this involves quite a collection of chores! The only things I’m writing lately are not all that bloggable. However, if you want to check out a short biographical piece I was asked to create for the Community College of Vermont this week, read on…

Greetings, all! My name is Jim Arnold and I’m a finalist for the Dean of Academic Affairs position here at CCV. I have been asked to provide a short biographical sketch containing information I want the CCV community to know about me. So, here goes…

I have, at various points in my life, been a chemist, a photographer, a counselor, and a college/university administrator. I have always been a student (of life, primarily) and, during some periods, a teacher. Education has always been at the center of my life and one of my most dearly-held values.

I have a fairly diverse academic background, having started out with degrees in chemistry (B.S. from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire; M.S. from Oregon State University). After some time working professionally as a chemist, I transitioned my interest in art and photography into a career as a full-time professional photographer. However, I ultimately returned to school, having developed an interest in the helping professions. After earning an M.S. in counseling (also from Oregon State University), I was a counselor & trainer in a job-training/social-service agency and then directed a student support services program in the student affairs division at a small regional university campus in Oregon (a state where I’ve spent most of my adult life). After a couple of years back in higher education, I knew that this is where I was meant to be; I moved to Bloomington, Indiana, to pursue a Ph.D. in higher education administration (at Indiana University). Since receiving that degree, I have been a full-time academic administrator: first for nine years with the Oregon University System Chancellor’s Office (Academic Affairs Division), then, for the last three years, holding appointments as an academic dean at two of Oregon’s community colleges (Dean of Science & Technology at Mt. Hood Community College, and of Math, Science & Liberal Arts at Umpqua Community College).

I’ve served as a part-time instructor in colleges and universities, and as a trainer in social service settings. I have taught general chemistry, organic chemistry, computer applications, communication skills, entrepreneurship principles, job-search and customer-service skills, and research methods. Although I have always enjoyed my time in the classroom, I believe that my true calling is to provide counsel, leadership and advocacy in other ways, particularly as an academic administrator.

I am attracted to CCV and Vermont because of the state’s progressive reputation, a quality that drew me to Oregon a long time ago. Further, I have a desire to find a position that provides the potential for me to make a difference in the lives of students and faculty statewide. I have applied for the position of Dean of Academic Affairs here at CCV because I believe it to be a perfect match for my training, experience and skills. I have been a visible and effective academic leader in Oregon for the last 12 years, working both in central administration for the university system then as a direct supervisor of large and diverse faculty groups on two community college campuses. The Dean of Academic Affairs position here at CCV would allow me to draw upon both the campus and system-wide perspectives I have gained during this time.

I have a long history of being able to bring groups of individuals together who possess competing value systems and interests. I am a team-builder and a leader who not only values but practices effective communication with those I work with. When asked recently about how I “inspire collaboration” within the context of my leadership style, I replied by speaking to these categories:

Involvement. I strive to make each group (program, department, division, college) a “team.” I support an environment where the attitude is “everyone is in this together.” I get team members together, face-to-face, to talk about the direction of the group or organization as well as their areas of concern.

Delegation. In involving others in the work to be done, I delegate responsibility and tasks by asking others for their help. And, once an assignment is handed off, I am available for support, guidance, coaching and/or mentorship as much (or as little) as the individual needs me to be.

Respect. I demonstrate genuine respect for each person, for their talents and abilities, for their diverse viewpoints, and what they offer to their team. I listen.

Caring. I demonstrate, though my actions and words, my caring for each person in the organization. I invite conversation, I pay attention, I encourage, and I cheer-lead.

Trust. I assume that everybody is here to do their best. I trust everyone to do that. I trust that my colleagues are honest with me, as they can trust me to be honest with them.

Support. I lead a department or division or college by offering my support. I am here to help make people’s lives easier, not more complicated.

Communication. I utilize my communication skills, both written and oral, to keep my colleagues informed and up-to-date. As much as possible, I operate on a “no surprises” rule, so that decisions or actions do not take anyone around me off-guard. I aim to make each human interaction one in which I am totally present. I listen carefully to the stories of others. I pay attention to who they are, what they need, and how I can help.

I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can during my short time here in Vermont.

Round and round I go…where I’ll stop, nobody knows.

Because: it’s not over yet. The job hunt continues.

There has been a lot of activity on the job-search scene in recent days, but I’m still looking. I heard from the Oregon community college I’d been waiting on, receiving the rejection call last Thursday. It’s not anything to feel particularly upset over, though, since the comments I received during the call indicated that it simply was not a good match. Of course, where I am a good match is anybody’s guess!

The good news is that I keep getting the invitations to interview. So, in the near future I’ll be traveling to Vancouver, Washington; Kentfield, California; and Burlington, Vermont.

The emotional and physical toll this process takes is pretty amazing. I would certainly like to find someplace to land, but there’s no way to tell when that will happen.

I keep telling myself to trust the process. What else can I do?

As noted in the previous post, this week I interviewed for the position of Campus Executive Officer at a college in the Southwestern U.S. [This job is at a two-year branch campus of a university; it would bear the title of “president” at just about any other two-year college.] Although I was pretty positive that I would not be considered further in this search, the next morning (i.e., yesterday) I received a phone call inviting me to campus to interview as a finalist!

Ohmygod! (I said to myself…) How can this be?

THEN, came the rest of the news: I was being offered a maximum of $750 in reimbursement for travel expenses (airfare alone would cost over $600), which would not be paid at all if I either withdrew from the search or declined an offer of employment.

WHAT!?!

I called and wrote back to them expressing my interest in being reimbursed actual expenses (100%) and in having them drop the “terms.” The final offer from them was a maximum reimbursement of $1,200, under the original terms. (My expenses would have been, I think, a little over $1,400.)

This is how you hire a president?

I don’t think so.

Sorry, Bobbi Jo…nice to have met ya…

Oh, what an experience! This job-search life is such a hoot sometimes!

Today I had my first-ever interview for a campus presidency. There’s no way that I’ll ever be hired into this position, though, so I thought I’d make mention of it (and make fun of it) here.

I’ve only ever applied for three jobs at this level, and this is my first interview. So, in that way it’s kind of a milestone. And, it’s difficult to believe that this campus will actually find someone really desirable with the process that they’ve put in place.

Last week, a woman from that campus’ HR department called and identified herself as Bobbi Jo. She told me where she was from and then said, “we was wonderin’ if you’d want to interview for the campus executive officer position.” Yes, Bobbi Jo (what is this, Petticoat Junction!?) actually said, we was wonderin’ – when calling to set up an interview for a presidential candidate. (She phrased it this way two different times during our conversation.)

Well, I talked this through with her and set up a phone interview for today, scheduled to last (a mere) one-half hour.

So: I got the call today at five minutes past the scheduled time. The person on the phone identified himself (by name, not position), indicated that the interview committee was gathered, that they were going to tape the interview with my permission, and jumped right into the questions. He asked them all himself. Totally without inflection or trace of any personality at all. As soon as I provided one answer, he jumped right in with the next question. I had no sense of the group, only this task-oriented, humorless person on the other end of the line.

This is how you hire a president?

I don’t think so.

During the period of the 1980s and 90s I was a runner. Well, maybe it would be more accurate to say I was a jogger, but I actually did participate in several “races” during that time (namely 5Ks, 8Ks and some 10Ks). (And, really, I, myself, never actually raced anyone…) I think the largest event I ever participated in (on one hot August night in the late 80s) was when the Seattle SEAFAIR 10K race drew over 10,000 runners. (That’s the memory I have of it now, anyway). I see that, these days, the SEAFAIR event is an 8K run, and that last year it drew a mere 2,700 participants. Ah, I guess the glory days of running are over…

But, why do I speak of this?!

Because: during the last several days, I’ve been feeling healthy enough to think about running again. It has been almost ten years since I’ve done this, having severely aggravated my left knee during an intense August 1997 hike in Glacier National Park. The arthritis that was discovered in the aftermath of that vacation led me to, practically immediately, drastically curtail my running activities. Lately, however, with this renewed path to health that I’ve been on, I’m toying with the idea that my body may be able to tolerate this kind of exercise again. Even to be THINKING of this, of course, feels great. And, during three of my walks in the last few days, I’ve broken into a jog (for, like, a quarter mile or so).

Now, I don’t really have the stuff of a marathon man, but… can't I dream?