An Interview with Dr. Wayne Brumfield and Galen Hench

Interim Vice President of Student Affairs
Humboldt State University (Arcata, California)
August 2017 – June 2018; Extended to July 2019

“I go to work as though this is my permanent job. I don’t come in to hold down the position until my contract ends. I bring a strong work ethic to the position; people see that and they appreciate it. They know that I’m here for a relatively short window. In that sense, I do think my collaborative, participatory leadership style has a positive influence.”

Hench: Was it difficult to leave your first assignment? What gave you confidence that you left a job well done?

Brumfield: My first Registry assignment was at the State University of New York at New Paltz as the interim Vice President for Student Affairs. The rewarding part of my job is having the Expectations document as a working guide. Looking at that, and then walking through my mind about this whole process, did I accomplish the things I set out to do? Did I build successful relationships? Did I help the cabinet to be more collaborative? Did I give the president the very best advice? Did I provide the staff with the type of leadership that they deserve? Was I available for the students and visible at programming, getting out and actually being with the students?

I try to keep an open mind as I’m working to make sure that I provide the very best that I can give as an interim serving an institution. I think I’ve learned a lot from working with The Registry and I know that fit is important to ensure that we bring in the right person here.  I want that experience to be as positive as I can make it for the staff that I’m working with and for the cabinet, the students and the people in the community that I come in contact with. It’s a humbling experience to say goodbye!

Hench: Why did you think you would be a good fit for Humboldt State?

Brumfield: Serving as an interim, I think it’s important that the fit is good for the person serving because you must come in and hit the ground running. You have to get to know the staff, the administration, the deans, and the directors of programs immediately. Having the right fit makes a lot of difference in terms of how the interim can come in and do the work that’s required to impact change and to get the staff that you’re working with ready to receive your new permanent leader.

Hench: How do you prioritize the objectives in the Expectations document?

Brumfield: Typically, when I get my Expectations document I read it, study it, and try to put it to memory. I won’t take it and say “okay, this is item one, this is item two; I’m going to work on item one and two in this order.” You have to know how to multitask. We had to prepare for the WASC accreditation team coming in and, at the same time, we were continually developing a budget reduction plan. For example, the campus was preparing for accreditation, which was one of the Expectations I had to help the campus achieve; and at the same time, other priorities were expected to be addressed. 

About once a month I will pull out my Expectations document to review it. I’ll make note of the things I have accomplished and also those things that I still need to address. Once my tenure is up and the new vice president comes on board, my goal is to say to The Registry that I accomplished all of the things I was expected to as the interim Vice President of Student Affairs.

The Expectations document is very helpful in prioritizing the work that I do. Not only at Humboldt, but also in my first assignment at the SUNY New Paltz. I credit that Expectations document with helping me personally to move the work forward. The Expectations document really helps to enforce and keep me mindful that I’m here to help the institution.

Hench: Does your status as an interim influence your ability to get things done? Is there some sense of urgency associated with the requests that you make of your colleagues in the cabinet or staff?

Brumfield: As an interim, it’s critical that I am mindful of the institution’s culture and to work collaboratively with the faculty and staff. If you can’t do that then you’re not going to get any work done. It’s that simple.

I try to come in with a fresh set of eyes. My experience has been that, as the interim, the staff look to me for new ideas. They are looking for things that they can put in place so that when the new leader comes in they can feel proud to say that they had a part in developing a new process or a new procedure.

Personally, I think there is a sense of urgency to get things done in a timely manner. What I’ve set as a personal goal is that there are things in the division that need to be addressed or re-imagined. I want to get those in place so that I can give the permanent leader something to build on if he or she believes that a particular change is something that they would like to keep.

Hench: Do you find that your inclusive and participatory leadership style influences the way your staff and colleagues operate?

Brumfield: My father told me many, many years ago that, whatever you choose to do in life, treat people the way you want to be treated. When I come in to a new institution I get to know everybody as quickly as I can. I visit every office; I visit all the deans. I do that within the first week that I’m on campus in order to build those relationships very quickly.

I go to work as though this is my permanent job. I don’t come in to hold down the position until my contract ends. I bring a strong work ethic to the position; people see that and they appreciate it. They know that I’m here for a relatively short window. In that sense, I do think my collaborative, participatory leadership style has a positive influence.

Hench: What’s something that has surprised you about Humboldt State University?

Brumfield: I look at institutions as entities in their own right. No matter where it’s located, each campus is different. What I try to convey to the faculty, staff, and students is that, from my vantage point, no matter what the issues may be on a campus, no matter how or what the budget challenges may be, what I see here at Humboldt State is that it is a great institution with outstanding faculty and staff. The institution is moving in the right direction in response to the challenges that it’s facing. They are making tough decisions and that’s okay, because the future of the campus is in good hands. Every day I walk on campus I see changes. I’m really fortunate to have had the opportunity to be selected to serve at Humboldt State University.

Hench: How did you first become affiliated with The Registry?

Brumfield: I want to give credit to President James Cofer, my first President who hired me as his first Vice President of Student Affairs. We worked together for eight years at University Louisiana at Monroe. I retired on October 31st, 2014. I was home for about a year and a half when he called me and asked me what I was doing. I said “Oh, I’m in New Orleans, sitting out here in Jackson Square looking over the Mississippi River.” He asked, “You want to go to work?” I said, “I don’t know, what you got?” Dr. Cofer, “Well I just nominated you to The Registry.” I asked, “The Registry…what’s that?” “Look it up and call me back”, he replied.

I did some research and read some of the documents when I got home. I called him back later that night and said, “You know what, that might not be a bad thing at this stage in my retirement life.” That’s how I got involved and I have not looked back. I really enjoy working as an interim leader. It’s the perfect job for me at this stage in my life.

Hench: If you were to put yourself in the shoes of your former president, what message would you give to your friend who is thinking about membership with The Registry?

Brumfield: If you are looking for an opportunity to utilize your experiences at institutions that need interim leadership, The Registry is a great resource to help you do that. I cannot think of any other opportunity where I would have gone back to work after going into retirement for a year and half.

The experience that The Registry has provided me has been fantastic. I’ve shared that with one or two colleagues since I’ve been here in California. It’s a very powerful experience. I enjoy it. It’s more of an experience than “work.”