NAICU + Credo

    New Presidents Initiative

    President as Advocate: Sustaining Self, Students, and Sector

    elevate your advocacy

    As the largest national organization dedicated to legislative advocacy for independent colleges and a consulting firm that has served more than 500 independent colleges and universities since 1995, NAICU and Credo are pleased to launch a President as Advocate initiative for new presidents. Join us for:

    - A Fall 2024 Virtual Workshop on Leadership and Legislative Advocacy

    - 50% off registration at the 2025 NAICU Annual Meeting & Advocacy Day in Washington D.C.

    - A complimentary Pre-Conference Workshop on Sustaining Your Leadership

    - A Virtual or In-Person Presidential Strategy Session

    NAICU + Credo
    Register for "President as Advocate" Events

     

    We know how critical university leadership is to institutional health and student success. We also know that the challenges of the college presidency in this era are complex and plentiful: the value of higher education is in question, external pressure on colleges and universities from legislative bodies is intense and invasive, and average presidential tenure has dropped below six years.

    With a desire to robustly support your presidential journey in this landscape, NAICU and Credo have partnered to launch a joint initiative for presidents in their first two years in office, titled President as Advocate: Sustaining Self, Students, and Sector. The President as Advocate initiative is designed to nurture your individual leadership energy and awareness, increase your capacity to advocate for students across key constituencies, and support you in engaging in effective legislative advocacy. In the year ahead, we invite you to join any or all of the President as Advocate opportunities articulated below.

    President as Advocate Events

    • Virtual Workshop: The State of Advocacy & Leadership (Oct. 25, 2024)

      What: A Virtual Workshop                                         

      When: Friday, October 25, 2 – 3 pm ET

      This hour-long virtual workshop will explore current issues and challenges in legislation and leadership for college and university presidents. Attendees will leave with an of-the-moment understanding of legislation impacting independent higher education and tools to evaluate and enhance their own presidential leadership.

      Speakers:

    • Presidential Strategy Sessions (Virtual or In Person)

      What: Virtual or In-Person 1:1 Sessions

      When: Anytime Virtually, or in person during the 2025 Annual Meeting & Advocacy Day

      Spend two hours with a senior Credo leader focused on an agenda defined by you. This time of open, confidential discussion and problem-solving can be instrumental in helping you shape direction and momentum around critical issues on your campus. In addition to strategic troubleshooting, you’ll find a space to talk out loud about your institution and your leadership and explore ways to move both forward. Presidents will be matched with a session partner based on the desired areas of exploration.

      Session Partners:

    • 2025 NAICU Annual Meeting & Advocacy Day (Feb. 2 - 5, 2025)

      When: February 2 - 5, 2025

      Where: Salamander Hotel, Washington, D.C.

      New presidents are invited to join the 2025 NAICU Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day with:

      50% Off the Cost of Annual Meeting Registration

      President as Advocate: Sustaining Your Leadership
      A Complimentary Pre-Conference Workshop

      When: Sunday, February 2, 9 am – Noon ET Workshop / Noon – 1 pm Lunch

      It’s not difficult to find stories of failed college and university presidencies. Books, articles, and local media outlets provide meticulous postmortems of brief leadership tenures—presidencies fraught with conflict, misalignment, shared governance issues, and moral failings. Many presidents, though, are leading campuses successfully through challenges and successes alike. Credo is examining the personal and professional conditions in which a leader can stay and flourish, hoping to answer the question: How do presidents thrive in their roles over time, and how can those considering a presidency or serving in the early years of a presidency build a path to leadership longevity with intention? In this workshop, participants will explore an emerging framework for sustaining the presidency, consider models for navigating complex change and building trustworthy leadership, and engage in open conversation and shared learning with other presidents.

      Speakers:

      President as Advocate: Government Relations Academy
      Pre-Conference Workshops for Annual Meeting Attendees

      When: Sunday, February 2, 2 – 5 pm ET

      Our Sunday and Monday pre-conference sessions are focused on helping you “Advocate with Purpose” by providing an in-depth understanding of the critical issues we face and tips for improving your advocacy skills. The Government Relations Academy on Sunday afternoon features updates on a number of federal policy issues by NAICU’s policy specialists. 

    Credo has been supporting presidents in their leadership journeys for three decades, and we are thrilled to partner with NAICU to bolster new leaders' personal and professional advocacy abilities.

    Bill Fahrner, President / Owner, Credo
    Register for "President as Advocate" Events

    Questions?

    If you have any questions, please contact us at info@credohighered.com. We look forward to seeing you in the year ahead.