Home > MetNews

Faculty leaders spearhead forum to explore, shape Metro’s future
By Barbara Hernandez
bhernan5@mscd.edu

They arrived at Estes Park as Metro faculty members.

They left as Metro leaders.

All 21 faculty and administration members are part of the Metro State Leadership Forum, or METROLEADS. The group is dedicated to shaping Metro to fit President Stephen Jordan’s vision.

The members left last weekend for Estes Park to explore and develop strategies and put theories into action, said forum leader Paul Cesare, Metro’s assistant admissions director.

The forum was inspired by Jordan’s 2005 welcome address speech, in which he spoke of his hope for Metro to become a “preeminent public urban baccalaureate college.” Cesare said Jordan’s words stirred him to make the new president’s quest for preeminence a reality.

“Nothing affects the quality in an organization as much as the quality of its leadership,” Cesare said.

“By us, the faculty members, being leaders we will transfer this service; we will be better providers for the students.”

Cesare said that while in Estes Park, forum members identified topic ideas for eight future seminars. They then picked teams of three or four members that would lead each discussion group.

The group will hold a seven-hour seminar each month focusing on topics such as leadership, the external environment, communication, resources and how to give back to the community. Jordan is expected to lead a forum in December titled “The External Environment.” The first of eight seminars will be held Sept. 29 and will focus on leadership.

“The topic may precipitate positive practical change,” Cesare said. “METROLEADS takes a comprehensive approach in presenting leadership issues through the use of academic lectures, debate, recitation, assessment and campus service work.”

Though students are not allowed to attend the seminars, Cesare insisted that they will be the beneficiaries of them.

METROLEADS members are employees in all sectors of the college, proving every employee at Metro is valued and that barriers can be broken, Cesare said.

As Metro’s demographics change from year to year the college must undergo changes, he explained.

“President Jordan is an adaptive leader. He understands the contexts in ‘change contexts,’” Cesare said.

First lady Ruth Jordan also is a “breath of fresh air” at Metro, Cesare said. She and Cesare started METROLEADS.

“She’s practical with common good in mind,” Cesare said.

Faculty members are now able to work with the president on upcoming seminars.

“President Jordan is listening to the people, not dictating,” Cesare said. “Leadership isn’t for the privileged and central higher-ups anymore.”

“A leader just isn’t born a leader. Everyone can be a leader,” he said.