The Milk Trout
How’s that for a provocative title for my ongoing contribution to The Maguire Network?
Henry David Thoreau has always been one of my favorite writers. The home where he was born is right up the street from our offices here in Concord, where my wife, Linda, and I are privileged to work and live. Thoreau commented that “Some circumstantial evidence is very strong, as when you find a trout in the milk.” My goal will be to scan our research and other interesting findings, spot the “trout in the milk,” and share such “circumstantial evidence” with our readers.
Many of you have seen the study on college trustees Maguire Associates did recently (for The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 11, 2007 issue). As a trustee myself over the years for six different educational institutions and as a consultant to hundreds of presidents, I thought I had the relationships between trustees and their presidents pretty much figured out. But there were many, many surprises waiting for me in this treasure trove of fascinating data.
For starters, the presidents’ opinions on many key issues were more like what we might have predicted their trustees would hold. And vice versa. Here’s one tantalizing example. In ranking criteria for the success or failure of their presidencies, presidents themselves first listed financial issues – like balancing the budget – while trustees gave highest priority to program quality and faculty morale. Please comment on why you think this is the case, and we’ll let you know if you’ve found the trout in the milk.
In the coming months and years, I hope to identify many helpful insights and curiosities in The Chronicle and other research and pass them on to you for your edification and reaction. I’m looking forward to hearing from many of you.
Jack Maguire
Chairman and Founder of Maguire Associates