Gordon Gee, the college president of Ohio State University, was recently named No. 1 in Time’s list of “ten best college presidents.”

In the recently published Time article, Gee’s presidency is described in full.  And his list of responsibilities as college president is truly astounding.

“Gee presides over some 40,000 employees, one of the state’s largest and best hospitals, a major hive of research, a small-business incubator, a hugely popular sports-entertainment empire, a large portfolio of real estate (including a small city’s worth of housing units) and a network of extension operations reaching into nearly every community in the state,” the Time article says.

With such a long list of responsibilities that seem like they have nothing to do with you, you’re probably wondering how a college president can enhance your personal college experience. Here are a few perks that answer that question.

1. Lower Tuition

A good college president will do everything in his/her power (which is quite a bit) to grant the possibility of a higher education to as many people as possible. The most effective way of doing this is by making it more affordable. Lowering the cost of college tuition is something we could all be happy about.

Since Gee has been instated as president of Ohio State, he has cut costs by over $100 million. Now that’s progress.

2. Personal Interaction

A good college president will want to be as involved in students’ lives as possible. That means listening. Though in charge of many facets of the university, a good college president will make the time to interact personally with the student body and listen to their concerns.

In the case of Gordon Gee, he even finds the time to catch the latest Harry Potter flick with a group of students.

3. Better Equipped Professors

A good college president will ensure that the staff employed by his university is competent in practice as well as on paper. I’m sure you’ve all encountered a professor that was undoubtedly brilliant but simply a bad instructor, where even office hour meetings did not clarify the lessons enough.

A good college president is responsible for making sure that not all applicants with doctorates get hired for teaching jobs, but rather those that have hands-on experience and a talent for educating.

Though your college president may not have made Time’s top 10 list, he or she has likely made some changes to your school’s policies. Take the time to find out!

Is there something about your school’s administration that you see needs changing? As a member of the student body, your concerns deserve a voice. Try arranging a meeting with your college president and see what change you can inspire.

Related Posts

1. College President Salaries: Are They Too High?
2. “Tuning” American College Degree Programs

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