Dr. Ruth Johnston is Vice Chancellor, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief COVID-19 Officer at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In this episode, Johnston joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about being nimble, challenges ahead for higher education, and why understanding the system from all perspectives is critical for a CBO.
“To be a successful CBO or COO, you really need to understand the system, and not just the administrative side but how the students fit in, how the faculty fit in, how shared governance works,” she says. All while you’re also handling the administration of it all. Administration is in support of the academy. “Our job is to make sure the goals for the academy are reached.” She emphasizes goals for student success; research and creativity; and extension, outreach, and service.
Join us for a conversation with Johnston as she talks about the value of walking meetings, leaning into the job to make yourself do parts you may not be looking forward to, and the value of metrics.
