The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Advice from college president who almost quit: Persist!
Advocates integrity, honesty, hard work for best leadership.
DETROIT — Bart Daig, the president of Baker College, was almost a dropout.
“I was probably less academically engaged than I should have been, and questioning if I should stay in school,” he said, recalling his undergraduate years at Central Michigan University. “At that time, you could go work in any of the automotive factories and make a great living and be set.”
But, Daig said, his parents — who were helping him pay for his education — told him: Stay in school.
He quipped: “I never thought I’d take it this far and still be in school now.”
Daig, now 51, has worked at Baker — a private, nonprofit college based in Flint, Mich., that offers a variety of classes, including career instruction and undergraduate and graduate degrees —for 28 years. Last year, he succeeded F. James Cummins, who retired after nearly 30 years.
Founded in 1911 by Eldon Baker, the educational institution now has nine campuses, about 3,000 faculty and staff, more than 20,000 students and annual revenues of about $142 million. But, in contrast to universities such as Central Michigan, Baker has a different image. It has no sports programs, no mascot and not even much of an alumni association.
While at Baker, Daig’s attitude toward academics — and grades — improved. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the college and a doctorate in educational administration through an online program from Trident University International, based in California.
As president, Daig aims to redefine and reshape the institution’s image. He wants it to be thought of as not just a school for career training, but also as an academic institution. This summer, he said, the school aims to begin a marketing campaign that includes the introduction of a new logo and school colors.
In a conversation edited for clarity and brevity, Daig discussed the college’s future, trends in education and offered advice to students and other leaders.
Q: How, in your view, is being president of a college different from being president of a company?
A: Actually, very little. From a business perspective, you have to operate within your means. You are striving to have a sustainable business model in which you are providing a service - in this case, education. You have to be able to have a business model that supports that so you can invest back in the business, the facilities, the equipment that you need to deliver a quality education.
Q: So we’re seeing a lot of intersection between business and education. Market forces are putting pressure on efforts to compete for enrollment. Entrepreneurs are finding ways to profit from educational services. Schools are trying to prepare students for jobs and careers. Universities are doing research and development that companies use. What thoughts do you have on this?
A: There have been a lot of for-profit institutions that have come into the market and really tried to deliver a new kind of education. So you have that increased competition from a business standpoint. They really put a lot of pressure on traditional educational institutions and universities. Along with that came a lot of oversight and regulation from lawmakers. Probably in the last 6 or 7 years, the political rhetoric around institutions is there’s a lot of discussion on aggressive recruiting practices and student debt levels, and I think that’s been driven by those for-profit institutions coming in and putting strong business practices or selling practices in the industry that was uncommon historically. Along with that comes what they refer to in the industry as disruptive pedagogy. What are these emerging models of education and how is education changing? How are we delivering it differently? When we originally went to school, we went and sat in class and an instructor lectured to you. Today, it is all about student-centered instruction. Those emerging models are things like online education, blended education, with some classes on site and some online.
Q: From a business perspective, what’s Baker’s strategy?
A: If you think about it in a pure business sense, what you are trying to do is present your product, and what is the value proposition to the customer? How do you position yourself in a very crowded market and differentiate yourself from other institutions? We would claim our value proposition would be quality academics, flexibility, and we’d say we’re cost-effective - a bargain, compared to most four-year institutions.
Q: What is your best advice for students?
A: Persist! As you go to college, no matter where you go, earning a degree is hard work. There’s a lot of things that come up in life that can redirect your efforts. You have to stay focused and committed to your school. In the long run, the benefits of that are well-documented.
Q: Best advice for other leaders?
A: It makes me feel arrogant to think I have some great piece of advice for others to follow. That’s not my personality. But, I would say that my advice in leadership is integrity, honesty and hard work. Those things will come across in your actions and speak louder than any words you can say.
Q: What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?
A: Stay in college.