DE PERE — St. Norbert College president Brian Bruess, a native of Monroe, recently completed his first year as president. Here’ a question and answer with Bruess, submitted from the college. 

1.     What did you think being president of a higher education institution would be like before starting the job?

Having benefited from exceptional mentors and nearly two decades of discernment, I assumed the presidency with a well-developed understanding of the role and responsibilities. 

I have been a student of higher education my entire professional life, so the many challenges facing higher education – as well as the powerful impact advanced education can have on students, communities, and society — were familiar. I knew it would be demanding and I’m delighted to be at an institution that is clear about its mission and is producing remarkable outcomes.

 2.     Was it what you thought it would be, or was it completely different than what you expected?

Without question, the first year has been much more than I had expected. That is a bold statement since my initial expectations were exceptionally high. The fact that my wife, Carol, and I met at St. Norbert and are proud alumni, is no doubt a driving force behind the strength of our transition and the joy we are experiencing. Another reason for exceeding my first-year expectations is that St. Norbert College is a healthy, vibrant and thriving institution.

 3.     What was the most important thing you learned in your first year? 

Easily the most important lesson of my first year is that a genuine love and passion for the institutional mission is a profound catalyst for engaging a community of scholars, staff and students. Equally important is knowing that each voice matters in the collective effort of communicating the value of higher education. These two lessons fit together nicely as higher education faces tremendous challenges, including declining public support, challenging demographics, increasing disruption to the educational model, intense pressure to manage affordability and costs, and intense demands for outcomes and accountability. 

I have experienced, firsthand, the increasingly more significant responsibility presidents have in advocating for higher education. Articulating the powerful impact higher education has on the economy, society and individuals is essential to our future. Telling the story of how higher education transforms lives and grows the economy is a more important than I knew. Thankfully, this important and challenging work is joyful when approaching it with passion and tireless optimism.

 4.     Was there anything you wish you would have done differently?

St. Norbert College has exceptional outcomes, including graduation rates, employment and graduate school placement, financial performance, and exceptionally low loan default rates. I started communicating those quality measures to key constituent groups mid-year, and now wish I had initiated those messages sooner. Meaningful outcomes, more than anything, drives quality and helps us attract the students, faculty and staff we desire. Exceeding expectations for our students’ learning and our key outcomes also builds public trust and allows for more and more collaboration with the community we serve.

5.     Now that you have been president for one year, what advice would you give to a new president in higher education?

I’m not sure one year qualifies me to give advice. That aside, I would say the most important lesson of my first year is that following an iconic predecessor — in my case, Tom Kunkel — has been a great gift. A gracious and generous predecessor has allowed me to experience very few surprises. 

In addition, a healthy board of trustees, from the chair down to the newest member, that has focused on generative governance and has allowed for a smooth and seamless transition of leadership. And, of course, the faculty and staff being explicit about areas of improvement and simultaneously giving tireless support of our mission has helped us avoid complacency. 

So my advice to a new president is, to the extent possible, don’t move the furniture around until you find out why it’s there. Listen and learn for what matters most to the faculty, staff and students, and keep student learning and institutional mission at the center of all deliberations.