Leadership Profile

This leadership profile is intended to provide information about Ithaca College and the position of vice president and general counsel. It is designed to assist qualified individuals in assessing their interest in the position.

Download a PDF file of the full Vice President and General Counsel Leadership Profile.

The Role of the Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees

The GC will exercise executive and administrative direction over the college's legal affairs; serve as the college's chief legal officer providing legal support, advice and assistance to the board of trustees, president, senior leaders, faculty, and staff on all legal matters affecting the institution; monitor the college’s operational and strategic risks through oversight of the insurance and risk management program; provide administrative oversight and lead collective bargaining, contract review and Title IX compliance; serve as a member of the senior leadership team which develops institutional objectives, budget priorities, policies and procedures, and overall planning for the day-to-day administration of the college; and serve as the secretary to the board of trustees.

The GC position reports to President Shirley Collado and provides, guidance, direction and supervision to the associate counsel (to be filled position), assistant counsel, director of risk management and insurance, title IX coordinator, assistant to the vice president, and the assistant to the vice president and secretary to the board.

The legal department has an annual operating budget of slightly over $1M covering salaries and office expenses. Outside counsel legal fees are budgeted through the general institutional fund.

The following is additional detail on the vice president, general counsel and secretary to the board of trustees’ responsibilities:

Ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to institutions of higher education. Review, recommend, and revise institutional policies and procedures in consultation with the governance bodies of the College
Provide consultation as well as advice and formal written opinions, and serve as a legal resource to the president, the board of trustees, senior leaders and other college personnel on the legal implications of college operations, policies and plans
Work with the Director of Risk Management in making contact with insurance company personnel on all matters related to potential and actual litigation impacting the college
Serve as the secretary to the board of trustees, ensuring that the board conducts business in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and the board's bylaws and periodically reviewing bylaws and suggesting amendments when necessary
Attend all meetings of the board of trustees and ensure that minutes of all meetings are accurate and distributed to all trustees. Maintain records of the proceedings of the board and of the standing committees of the board
Serve as communicator and conduit to and among the board and the college
Conduct bargaining and advise on labor issues with unions
Provide oversight and direction for the college-wide enterprise risk management program; monitor the college’s operational and strategic risks
Oversee and ensure Title IX compliance
Develop, demonstrate and promote intercultural awareness and contribute to cultivating an inclusive, diverse, equitable and respectful college community. Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as a college priority, communicate to employees an expectation of behavior that is civil and inclusive when interacting with all staff, faculty, students and visitors and promote a flexible, collaborative and inclusive work and living environment.
Serve on college committees and represent the college at local, state, national, civic, educational and professional organizations
Serve as a key advisor and point person as the college grapples with complex issues such as free speech on campus
Work across the campus with and on internal college governance, serving as a resource, advisor and guide
Manage department staff and budget including retention and performance management and all aspects of financial planning/accountability
Anticipate and respond to college needs, current responsibilities and shifting priorities
Make decisions and offer consultative advice on matters with college-wide implications
Support the innovative direction as well as highly collaborative culture of the college by being savvy about higher education, the national landscape, and the critical success factors for comprehensive institutions of higher education

Opportunities and Expectations for Leadership

The vice president, general counsel and secretary to the board of trustees will be asked to accomplish a number of key objectives within the first 12 to 18 months:

Establish a strong and effective presence at the college

Success in this position is as much about interpersonal finesse and built relationships, as it is about specific expertise and experience. The new leader will need to devote time, energy and heart to establishing strong relationships and to gaining the credibility, trust and respect of senior leadership, trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader community. The effective GC will be recognized within the IC community as a strategic thinker who is insightful, responsive, collaborative and approachable, with strong follow-through, solid legal advice, and expert and broad counsel based upon a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of higher education. This leader, in addition, will bring an unequivocal commitment both to students and student welfare and to the overall effectiveness and health of the college.

Lead and further strengthen the department

The confluence of educational and related issues and requests made of the legal department has grown over the last decade. The president and board recognize that an assessment of the department and in particular its structure and resources is in order, and both entities stand ready to support a well-planned and reasoned approach so as to best meet the ever-evolving imperatives present at an institution of IC’s makeup and stature. The new GC will be asked to come to know the college and the department and to look carefully and wisely at its resources, structure, and deployment and to come up with a plan that will enable its optimal future functioning. This will require, too, the ability to harness and rely upon the support of a strong staff that is eager to be of full use, as well as the expertise offered by expert external counsel.

Serve as key partner to the board chair and president

Representing the highest level of service to the college, IC’s board of trustees is made up of over two dozen dedicated alumni, parents and friends of the college. As secretary to the board, the GC will serve as a key partner and advisor to the board chair and college president as they work to strengthen the board’s governance and structures while seeking to strengthen and diversify the board on every dimension.

Qualities and Qualifications

Ithaca College seeks a driven, innovative and highly skilled vice president, general counsel and secretary to the board of trustees to serve as a strategic partner committed to the college’s success as a pre-eminent, innovative institution of higher education in the 21^st century. Excellent academic credentials, a law degree from an ABA accredited school of law, membership in the New York State Bar, or eligibility for admission based on reciprocity is required (if reciprocity is not available, out of state candidates will be expected to become full New York State Bar members within one year of employment).

The ideal candidate will possess some or all of the following professional qualifications and personal characteristics:

Experience

An outstanding record of achievement with significant and broad legal experience in higher education and/or other non-profit entities gained in-house or through working closely with higher education or not for profit clients
Prior board governance experience as well as significant understanding of and capacity for governance leadership including knowledge of latest trends at a national level
Track record of ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations applicable to institutions of higher education
Experience with state and federal legislatures, regulatory and educational agencies as well as community and professional organizations
Demonstrated ability to effectively analyze and balance legal issues with a propensity for developing humane, practical and legally appropriate solutions to issues and challenges
Record of service as a strong team player who works collaboratively with a highly professional team
Track record of building high performing teams, systems and infrastructure and of successful leadership in a mission driven organization
Experience with Title IX compliance
Experience with bargaining and managing labor relations with unions
Successful experience managing outside legal counsel relations, as well as the ability to discern when the college can be served by its own legal department and when to bring in external expertise
Demonstrated legal and ethical stature, maturity, competence and confidence to operate with credibility at the executive and trustee level, as well as a professional history of maintaining objectivity while anticipating and understanding potential areas of vulnerability, driving appropriate outcomes, managing multiple stakeholder agendas, and promoting high client service standards
Experience working within complex mission-centered enterprises (higher education or related not-for-profits) and/or working within a complex for-profit organization with a similar decision-making culture (both settings should include experience advising a president or CEO, senior leadership team, and governing board)

Leadership and Management Behavioral Competencies

Strong service orientation and responsiveness and will exhibit the ability to be accessible to the president, board of trustees, senior leaders, faculty, staff and students; a track record of being perceived as a highly trusted advisor who is agile, creative, responsive and thorough
Outstanding leadership and management skills; a builder of high performing teams, systems, policies and infrastructure; a record of driving results through effective team and individual performance, setting clear goals and managing accountability; business savvy and an understanding of complex strategic issues; an ability to manage ambiguity and to inspire confidence even when stakes are high and/or markers are unclear or shifting
Ability to create and convey a vision, gain support and buy-in and execute strategies; to influence and gain commitment to strategies by building strong, collaborative working relationships and to encourage meaningful and sometimes transforming dialogue within the team and cross-functional members
Skill as a highly effective communicator; presence, stature and experience representing an organization to a variety of audiences; someone with a strong professional network who is sought out by peers for counsel
Resiliency to lead effectively in a dynamic environment; skill at anticipating a need for and making mid-course corrections; strong attention to detail coupled with the ability to make decisions in a timely manner and – where appropriate – to communicate about the reasoning behind various decision points

Personal Characteristics

Capacity to serve as a highly-valued confidant and close advisor to Ithaca College’s leadership and community
Mastery of and endless curiosity about complex educational as well as business issues
A confident executive who values relationships with staff, peers and superiors equally
A hands-on approach to performing duties, as well as the ability to keep strategic initiatives in focus
Secure and self-directed leadership with an ability to work effectively in a consensus driven environment where direct feedback and constructive criticism is expected and admired
Unquestionable integrity and moral character; an individual whom the institution and community can trust completely and without reservation