Liz Hitch Interview!

Here are additional comments from Liz (some may have been included in the article too) If you have any questions, post them here! We'll do our best to help get the answers you need.

1 –Liz is the Interim President of UVU
Note: As of June 1, 2009, I am no longer Interim President. I returned to the position into which I was originally hired: Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Tell us about the transformation of UVSC into UVU –
How long have you been with UVSC? What was your role there?

I began at UVU on July 1, 2007, as Vice President for Academic Affairs. I served in that role until I became Interim President on August 18, 2008. On June 1, 2009, I returned to being Vice President for Academic Affairs.

What led to your becoming Interim President?

Bill Sederburg, President at UVU, left to become the Utah Commissioner of Higher Education and the Board of Regents asked me to serve as Interim President.

How was the change in curriculum achieved?

I’m not sure I understand the question. A “change in curriculum?” UVU has been building four-year degrees over the past several years and now has an array of over 60 baccalaureate degrees. Or maybe you meant the change from VPAA to Interim President?

What other major tasks were involved in the transition? Again, I’m not sure which transition you have in mind…my transition to the role of President or the transition of UVSC to UVU? I think you mean the transition to UVU..and there were a good many tasks involved in the transition to university status over a number of years. If that is the transition you have in mind, I can provide additional information.

How involved were you in that change/transition? I was involved primarily in the discussion of making the plans respond to student needs for programs at the university level.

Do you belong to any professional associations?
Yes. I belong to Phi Kappa Phi, an academic honorary organization. I am a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Chief Academic Officer group.
How did you get to this point in your career?
Education? Previous positions leading to this?
I earned and Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Michigan State University in Family Ecology and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from The University of Michigan. I have been in higher education as a student or employee all of my working life. I spent 10 years at The University of Michigan working as an instructional designer in the health sciences (dentistry, nursing and medicine) while working on my Ph.D. After earning my degree, I spent 15 years at Central Michigan University as a faculty member and also as an administrator. When I left Central, I was the Director of Teacher Education. My next stop was at Eastern Illinois University, where I was Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services for seven years. I moved on to the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, where I spent five years as the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (and also 8 months as Interim Chancellor). I came to UVSC (now UVU) as Vice President for Academic Affairs.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I function best as a collaborative and inclusive leader. I think two (and sometimes three or more!) heads are better than one.
How many women are in executive positions?
There are two women in the Executive Division who are in executive positions: Linda Makin, Executive Director of Planning and Budget, and me. There are many other women in leadership positions at UVU, but they are not within the Executive Division (i.e., report directly to the President).
Insights about women executives in predominantly male dominated companies -
How do women approach job responsibilities (sales/mgmt/etc) differently than men?
What do you see as the benefit of having more women in these positions?
Women have a tendency to work effectively in a group setting; seeking input from many in the organization. Having a variety of perspectives in an organization is a real plus; so having both men and women (and people from many diverse backgrounds and perspectives) can really strengthen an organization.
Can you share some suggestions for marketing/sales strategies (or any other business tips) with our readers?
At UVU, we have a model that describes the outcomes we wish for our students and our employees. The model calls for people to act with integrity, be professionally competent, and to commit to being stewards of the community(ies) in which they live. I think those are strong foundations for any business or organization.
2—Personal background
Where are you from? What brought you here? Family? (Marital status, children, etc)
I grew up in the Midwest (Ohio), in a family with my mom and dad and three sisters. I have been married to my husband Keith, for 38 years this September and we have two daughters who both live in the Salt Lake City area (which is why the job at UVU was so attractive!). Our daughter Mimi is married to Cory Sinclair and they have a soon-to-be-4-year-old, Adam. Mimi is a personal fitness trainer at the Jewish Community Center and Cory works for Parsons, Behle, Latimer. Our daughter Greer will be married this August to Andrew Branaum. They both work for backcountry.com.
What do you want people to know about you? How would you describe yourself? I am an open and friendly person, which made it fun to be the Interim President at UVU. I enjoy the Utah lifestyle, including hiking, camping and fly fishing in the Uintahs and throughout Utah, cycling (road…not mountain biking), and have recently tried my first triathlon.
What do you give up (for your career) in terms of social life? Family life? I try not to “give up” anything, but to balance my life so that my highest priorities for my job AND my family life can be reached.
What do you gain?
What would you do differently? What would you recommend every woman do? I am a big proponent of balancing “spirit, mind and body” and would recommend that to everyone…man or woman.
3 – Insights
What do you think is necessary for success? See comment above…a good balance in your life and attention to your spiritual, mental and physical needs.
How does success in the home compare to success in business? I’m not sure they are different if you use the balance technique noted above.
Lesson (s) you have learned that every woman should know
What are your priorities in life & how do you achieve balance?
How do you relax/renew? I mentioned above some of my interests: enjoy the outdoors; cycle, swim, run; read a good book; occasionally go some new or exotic place; paint or do other creative work.
Why did you get into this business? Does it take a certain type of “personality”? I think you have to really like learning and be committed to helping others learn and reach their goals to be in higher education.
Do you have any pet peeves? I get annoyed by the few drivers who do not think the laws regarding cyclists need to be followed and who endanger lives to make the point that they think a road should ONLY be used by a car. Any favorite causes? There are a number of programs at UVU that are just spectacular and can use the support of donors. I choose a few each year to support with my own donations. This year, the Culinary Arts program and the Capitol Reef Field Station were my choices.
Do you have a favorite quote or inspirational message? “An educated mind is one that can examine an idea without accepting it.”