In The Balancing the Presidential Seesaw, (2000) Vaughan discusses in chapter one, ten ethical concepts that community college presidents should practice. In addition, Vaughan suggests that engaging in several of these ethical practices – the “shall-nots”, may result in a president being forced out of his position by having to resign or faced being dismissed (Vaughan, 2000). Further, the “shall nots” are extremely significant to the president’s role – they could be considered the “presidential commandments” which should never be broken (Vaughan, 2000, p. 1). This list is suggested for everyday living, and although it was written for future and current presidents, every individual should attempt to adhere to these ethical concepts (Vaughan, …show more content…
“Many become too comfortable in their position; some become too greedy; others feel powerful and begin to believe that rules and regulations apply only to others; some become over confident and feel they are invincible” (Vaughan, 2000, p. 7). However, a thought worth mentioning is that most community college presidents do not intentionally break any of the ten ethical commandments (Vaughan, 2000). In chapter eight in The Balancing the Presidential Seesaw (2000), Vaughan offers additional observations and recommendations for future presidents. As a former president, Vaughan observation is clear that “presidency is not about headlines – whether to make or avoid them – it is about working hard day in and day out, year in and year out” to accomplish the community college’s goal (Vaughan, 2000, p. …show more content…
In conclusion, it is evident that the community college presidents will have to be an individual with integrity, motivational skills, good physical and mental health, good relationships and good common sense to be successful. Furthermore, temptation will manifest itself in many ways, the task then would be, not to yield to the temptation. Therefore, to help resist temptation, it is recommended that current and future leaders strongly adhere to the ten “shall-nots to stay or become balanced in his or her leadership role (Vaughan,
Skowornek writes, “these presidents each set out to retrieve from a far distant, even mythic, past fundamental values that they claim had been lost in the indulgences of the received order, In this way, the order-shattering and order-affirming impulses of the presidency in politics became mutually reinforcing.” (Skowornek, 37, book). These presidents are in the best position not because they are exceptional at their job but because the time they came into office offered them the elasticity and authority to make new orders and be welcomed by the public because he is taking the country out of its troubles and challenges.
The U.S. president is a person deemed to be the most fitting person to lead this country through thick and thin. It’s been such a successful method that it has led to 43 individual men being put in charge of running this country. However, this doesn’t mean that each one has been good or hasn’t had an issue they couldn’t resolve when in office. But no matter what, each one has left a very unique imprint on the history and evolution of this nation. However when two are compared against one another, some rather surprising similarities may be found. Even better, is what happens when two presidents are compared and they are from the same political party but separated by a large numbers of years between them. In doing this, not only do we see the difference between the two but the interesting evolution of political idea in one party.
In the world of higher education, we as students who have chosen this profession strive to one day possibly becoming a President of an institution. In the article written by Michael D. Cohen and James G. March, “Leadership in an Organized Anarchy” the authors detail their beliefs that most college presidents face four fundamental ambiguities which strike at the heart of a president’s interpretation of leadership. The four ambiguities are ambiguity of purpose, power, experience, and success. But is Cohen’s and March’s concept true for every president and their institution? To determine this I have decided to compare them to the current leadership of 16th president of the University of North Texas (UNT), Dr. Neal Smatresk.
From the inception of the Constitution, there has always been a power struggle between the President and Congress. In the beginning, Madison and the Jeffersonians were placed in a gridlock with Hamilton and his school of political philosophy. Andrew Jackson fought to extend the powers of the President, then Congress spent 50 years fighting to repeal the powers of the Executive. Abraham Lincoln refined Jacksonian presidential politics, then Congress impeached his successor, Andrew Johnson, for fear of another quasi -- tyrannical President. Even today, a Congress, whose majority is of the same party as the President, fights 24 hours a day to check the power of President George W. Bush. But why, and how? Inherent Power Struggles Within the Constitution: Article I, Section I -- "All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives" VS. Article II, Section I -- "The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America" Article II, Section II -- "The President shall be the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States" - The Founders' ambiguous and contradicting language sets the stage for a power struggle between the Executive and the Legislative branches - Being that the Founders were political masterminds, they realized that unique circumstances would demand some deviations from the restraints that the Constitution places on both the Executive and the Legislature - Founders anticipated that during times of crisis', the nation would need ...
The president has a significant amount of power; however, this power is not unlimited, as it is kept in check by both the judicial and legislative branches. The president is held responsible for passing legislation that will improve the lives of everyday Americans, even though he shares his legislative powers with Congress. The sharing of power acts as an impediment to the president’s ability to pass legislation quickly and in the form it was originally conceived. However, Americans do not take this into account when judging a president, as they fully expect him to fulfill all of the promises he makes during his campaign. By making promises to pass monumental legislation once elected without mentioning that Congress stands as an obstacle that must be hurdled first, the president creates unrealistic expectations of what he can fulfill during his time in office (Jenkins-Smith, Silva, and Waterman, 2005). A president is expected to have the characteristics that will allow him to efficiently and effectively lead the nation and to accomplish the goals he set during his campaign (Jenkins-Smith et al., 2005). There have been a handful of presidents that have been immortalized as the ideal person to lead the United States and if a president does not live up to these lofty expectations the American public will inevitably be disappointed. Since every president is expected to accomplish great things during his presidency, he is forced to created and project a favorable image through unrealistic promises. The combination of preconceived ideas of the perfect president and the various promises made by presidential candidates during their campaign create unrealistic expectations of the president by the American public.
Choosing a president can be very challenging. There are many things we as citizens look for in a candidate. For example, goals, visions, etc. We always want what is best for our country and for our families. James D. Barber looks into one thing, which is the candidate’s character. This essay will explain James D. Barber’s theory. It will also criticize the placement of five presidents in the typology he has created.
The presidency of the United Sates of America has been an evolving office since the term of our first president, George Washington. This evolution has occurred because of the changing times and the evolution of society itself, but also because of the actions of the men who have become president. Starting in the 20th century, most have referred to the presidency as the modern presidency due to changes in both a president's power and the way that the office itself is viewed. As the office of the president has evolved so has who can become president evolved. Yet, even today there are certain individuals who because of their gender or race have yet to hold the office of the presidency. The men that have been president in our modern era have all had faults and greatness, some having more of one than of the other. The modern presidency is an office that many aspire to, but that few hold. The evolution of the office of the presidency has been one from that of a traditional role to that of a modern role that is forever evolving.
Richard E. Neustadt, the author of Presidential Power, addresses the politics of leadership and how the citizens of the United States rate the performance of the president's term. We measure his leadership by saying that he is either "weak or "strong" and Neustadt argues that we have the right to do so, because his office has become the focal point of politics and policy in our political system. Neustadt brings to light three main points: how we measure the president, his strategy of presidential influence, and how to study them both. Today we deal with the President himself and his influence on government action. The president now includes about 2000 men and women, the president is only one of them, but his performance can not be measured without focusing on himself.
Lowi, Theodore J. (1985). The personal President: Power invested promise unfulfilled. Ithaca, New York: Cornell
Understanding and evaluating presidents’ performance often poses challenges for political experts. The nation votes one president at the time and each presidency faces different tests. The environments surrounding a presidency have a tremendous impact on the success and failure of that presidency. In addition, the president exercises his power through a check and balance system embody in the Constitution. As stated in (Collier 1959), the Constitution created a government of “separated institutions sharing power.” As a result, a president works with others institutions of the government to shape the nation’s agenda. Thus, determining a presidential performance becomes difficult, especially when it comes to comparing the performance among presidencies.
Many people think that you can enjoy life if you are tied down by a bunch of rules. In my opinion, I think having high moral standard for myself as an educator towards my students and to the public eye is very important to me. When I become an educator my reputation is on the line every day. Whether it’s how I dress or how I speak, no matter what I do I am being watched. I have come to terms that I am perfectly okay with that. Agreeing to Association of American Educators, I recognize that it is my duties are to communicate to parents all information, manifests a positive and active role in school/community relations, not willfully make false statements about a colleague or the school system and effort to protect the student from conditions detrimental to learning, health, or safety. Not only will my superior commander and colleagues will have high of standards for me, but Saint Leo University has high expectations for me as well. I understand that Saint Leo expects me to recognize students’ unique prior knowledge, promote achievement of students at all levels, and provide equitable learning opportunities for all students. In doing this, I will accomplish my position as a positive role model for my students and others. I honestly believe that having these high moral standard for me to follow will guide me in the right direction in becoming an effective
McFadden, C., Miller, B., Sypawka, W., Clay, M., & Hoover-Plonk, S. (2013). Leadership Styles and Moral Judgment Competence of Community College Personnel. Community College Enterprise, 19(2), 63-75.
The Power of the Modern Presidency. Vol. First Edition. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1974. George C. Edwards III, Wayne Stephen J. Presidential Leadership, Politics and Policy Making.
To apply this to the Admissions Office that I work in, I would begin by finding my voice as a leader. Based on the findings by Kouzes and Posner, the authors created the First Law of Leadership which states, “If you do not believe in the messeng...
The real question at hand is what is a President? A President is a leader, someone who others will trust and rely on to make the right choices and decisions for the general public, or in this case the residents of the building. A President must possess many skills and abilities, for he is the chief officer of the organization, and is entrusted with the direction and administration of its policies. This is a very serious and important position, in which the person who assumes that role must be capable of performing at the highest level of capability. The President must possess people skills, which is the ability to respond appropriately to every situation in an appropriate and efficient manner. He has to be able to work well with others, especially the other members of his cabinet. The President must also have an expertise in communication skills, oral and written, so as to have the ability to talk with the students and fully understand exactly what they are saying and asking for. After all, it is the job of the President to do what is best for the students. The president must be trustworthy, and have the trust of his cabinet members. He must be reliable, so he can take care of all problems or issues that come his way. Most of all, the President must be motivated. He has to have the fire in his heart, which burns at the thought of helping out and representing his peers. This is why I know that I am the right person for this position, because I possess all of these qualifications. I am the right man for the job, as I will not accept defeat, and will do everything that is in my powers to be the best possible representative of my peers, my residents, my friends. I have chosen to run for president, because I know and understand what the common person wants, and I have ideas on how to make this the greatest year living in La Riviere ever. Twenty years from now, I want everyone to look back on their experiences in La Riviere, smile, and say "I, President of the Hall Council, made my sophomore year the greatest one at WNEC."