Congratulations to Dr. Sheila Bonito for her reappointment as UPCN Dean.
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For me, the two important traits that a leader of a nursing educational institution must have would be wisdom and empathy. Wisdom is developed by experience and conscious learning. It is important for leaders to be wise, taking into consideration the factors involved, the information needed, the institution’s goals, and the consequences of the decisions that need to be made in various aspects of the college, including its curriculum, community development initiatives, and research activities. Advanced competencies acquired through higher education can be beneficial for their leadership. I also expect empathy and emotional intelligence from a good leader. Since the leader will be a key decision-maker in responding to the needs of the college community and the people that they serve, they must be able to recognize different perspectives, understand others’ feelings and experiences, and respond with kindness and compassion. The leader must be able to uplift and inspire the college community to reach their goals despite struggles.
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Effective communication skills are of paramount importance for a leader of an academic institution. These skills facilitate stakeholder engagement, boost morale, and lead to addressing problems effectively. Engaging the community’s various stakeholders – the faculty, staff, students, alumni, community partners – promotes trusting and positive relationships that are beneficial in meeting our goals and objectives. Boosting morale motivates the students and other constituents, enhancing their experience in the college. Lastly, leaders are expected to be good communicators because challenges and problems will be encountered, and to resolve these, ideas and beliefs need to be conveyed and considered with respect and professionalism.
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From the student consultation, the idea that struck me the most was the importance of student welfare and representation. Being an educational institution that produces competent, compassionate, and “caring” nurses, the institution itself must be a caring environment, a healthy workplace. The leader of the academic institution must be open to communicating more closely with the students, understanding their concerns, and addressing system-level issues collaboratively. A good work-life balance for everyone must be the goal. While UPCN’s research and community extension projects are indeed impressive, the leader must also consider looking deeper into pressing issues faced by the students, and these include heavy academic workload, rising mental health cases and referrals, and lack of student spaces and learning resources (eg lecture classrooms, laboratory equipment, good WIFI connectivity). While there are structures, systems, and channels in place to communicate student welfare concerns, I think a more genuine communication with the students can be helpful for the institution.