Hyatt-Fennell, LLC

05/22/2026

Two Habits to Build Into Your Academic Year-End Routine - https://hyattfennell.com/two-habits-to-build-into-your-academic-year-end-routine/

As the academic year draws to a close, most higher education leaders are consumed by commencement logistics, budget finalizations, and the quiet exhale that comes with the end of another demanding cycle. But the weeks between the last day of finals and the first planning retreat of summer represent one of the most underutilized leadership opportunities of the calendar year. The leaders who treat year-end not as a finish line but as a strategic inflection point consistently enter the fall semester with greater clarity, stronger teams, and a shorter runway to momentum.

Two habits, practiced with intention, can make all the difference. The first is a deliberate debrief—not a casual conversation, but a structured review of what worked, what stalled, and what the data is quietly telling you about your institution's direction. Gather your cabinet, review your strategic plan benchmarks, and document the lessons before the summer scatter sets in and institutional memory fades.

The second is a relationship investment. Year-end is an ideal moment to recognize the faculty member who went above and beyond, to have a candid mentoring conversation with a promising mid-level administrator, or to reach out to a board member or community partner with nothing to ask—only gratitude to offer. These gestures cost very little in time and return enormous dividends in trust and loyalty when the next challenge arrives. At Hyatt-Fennell, we believe that great leadership is not only measured in how you navigate the hardest moments of the year—but in how thoughtfully you prepare for what comes next.

As the academic year draws to a close, most higher education leaders are consumed by commencement logistics, budget finalizations, and the quiet exhale that comes with the end of another demanding cycle. But the weeks between the last day of finals and the first planning retreat of summer represent....

05/20/2026

Do Your Emails Cause Confusion? The Email Audit You Need - https://hyattfennell.com/do-your-emails-cause-confusion-the-email-audit-you-need/

Even the most polished higher education leaders can fall into lazy email habits over time. A rushed send here, a missing signature there—and suddenly your communication is working against you instead of for you. In an environment where clarity and efficiency are institutional assets, sloppy email habits quietly erode the confidence your team and colleagues place in your leadership. It is worth taking ten minutes to audit what your outgoing emails are actually saying about you—before someone else notices first.

Run a quick check against these four standards:

1. Clear, Professional Salutation. "Hey" is for hallways, not inboxes. Every professional email should open with a greeting that matches the relationship and the stakes of the message. When in doubt, err on the side of formality—it is far easier to relax a tone over time than to recover from one that felt dismissive or careless.
2. Proofread Body Text. Autocorrect is not your editor, and a typo in a message to your board chair or a prospective hire sends an unintended signal. Read your email once before you send it. For high-stakes messages, read it aloud. The thirty seconds it takes to catch an error is far less costly than the impression that error leaves behind.
3. Personal Signature. Your closing line is the last thing a reader sees—make it count. A professional signature that includes your name, title, and institution reinforces your identity and the weight of your communication. It is a small detail that signals you take your correspondence seriously.
4. Contact Information in Your Footer. If a colleague, partner, or prospective hire wants to pick up the phone and call you, can they find your number without a second email? A complete footer—name, title, institution, phone number, and website—removes friction and invites the kind of real-time dialogue that moves important conversations forward.

At Hyatt-Fennell, we know that a leader's communication style is an extension of their professional brand. If you are investing in your institution's next great hire, make sure every touchpoint—including your inbox—reflects the standard of excellence you expect from your team.

Even the most polished higher education leaders can fall into lazy email habits over time. A rushed send here, a missing signature there—and suddenly your communication is working against you instead of for you. In an environment where clarity and efficiency are institutional assets, sloppy email ...

05/18/2026

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” —William Butler Yeats

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05/14/2026

Prioritize These Skills in New Hires https://hyattfennell.com/prioritize-these-skills-in-new-hires/

Strategic leaders don’t only recognize the challenges of the current higher education context, but capitalize on the opportunities. Presidents who are intentional about the competencies they recruit for today are quietly building the institutional resilience they will need tomorrow. These four skills belong at the top of every position profile.

1. AI Literacy. Your next dean or VP doesn't need to be a data scientist—but they do need to understand how artificial intelligence is reshaping student services, academic delivery, and administrative efficiency. Leaders who can ask the right questions of AI tools, and guide their teams through adoption, will have a measurable advantage.
2. Interdisciplinary Leadership. The silos that once defined academic culture are becoming liabilities. Institutions need leaders who can broker collaboration across colleges, departments, and divisions—and who see the connective tissue between seemingly unrelated fields as an opportunity, not a complication.
3. Enrollment Strategy. Enrollment is no longer just the admissions office's problem—it is everyone's. New hires at the cabinet and dean level should arrive with a sophisticated understanding of recruitment, retention, and the demographic realities shaping the pipeline. Experience translating data into action is non-negotiable.
4. Partnership Development. Whether it is corporate workforce agreements, community college articulation pathways, or philanthropic relationships, the ability to build and sustain external partnerships is now a core leadership competency. Candidates who have closed deals, stewarded donors, or grown community relationships bring immediate institutional value.

At Hyatt-Fennell, we help presidents and search committees build position profiles that reflect not just where their institution has been—but where it needs to go. Reach out to our team to learn how we can help you hire for the future.

Strategic leaders don’t only recognize the challenges of the current higher education context, but capitalize on the opportunities. Presidents who are intentional about the competencies they recruit for today are quietly building the institutional resilience they will need tomorrow. These four ski...

05/11/2026

“The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it.” — John Buchan

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05/08/2026

Search Spotlight: Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration

Florida Southern College is accepting applications for the position of Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration. The Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration will serve as the chief financial and administrative officer of the College, providing strategic leadership and direction for all financial, business, and operational functions. This position oversees budgeting, accounting, financial planning, facilities management, information technology, human resources, campus safety, risk management, auxiliary services, and more to ensure the institution’s long-term fiscal stability and operational excellence. The Executive Vice President works closely with the President and Cabinet to advance the College’s mission, develop sustainable resource strategies, and promote effective stewardship of institutional assets. As a key member of the leadership team, the Executive Vice President fosters a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement in support of the College’s academic and student success goals.

Florida Southern College (www.flsouthern.edu), is accepting applications for the position of Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration. The Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration will serve as the chief financial and administrative officer of the College, providing strat...

05/06/2026

Who Leads the University After You?

Every president, provost, and cabinet officer eventually moves on. The question that separates truly strategic institutions from reactive ones is whether the answer to "who's next?" is already taking shape—or whether the search begins from scratch when a resignation letter lands on the board chair's desk. At Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search, we believe that the most mission-driven institutions treat succession not as an emergency measure, but as an ongoing act of institutional stewardship. Here are three ways colleges and universities can build intentional leadership pipelines before they need them.

1. Create Stretch Opportunities, Not Just Titles. The future provost sitting in your dean's office will not be ready for the role if their experience has been limited to their own college. Rotate emerging leaders into cross-divisional task forces, board-adjacent committees, and interim responsibilities that force them to think institutionally—not departmentally. Readiness is built in the doing, not in the title.
2. Invest in Formal Leadership Development. Many of higher education's most capable academic leaders have never received a single hour of formal executive coaching. Institutions that send their high-potential leaders to leadership forums, executive education programs, or confidential coaching relationships are making a direct investment in their own stability. At Hyatt-Fennell, our leadership coaching services exist precisely for this purpose.
3. Partner With a Search Firm Before You Need a Search. The best time to build a relationship with an executive search firm is long before a vacancy exists. At Hyatt-Fennell, we regularly consult with presidents and boards on pipeline health, internal talent assessment, and succession readiness. When you already know your landscape, a transition becomes a moment of intentional momentum—not institutional anxiety.

The institutions that will thrive in the decade ahead are those building their next generation of leaders right now. Reach out to the Hyatt-Fennell team to start that conversation today.

Every president, provost, and cabinet officer eventually moves on. The question that separates truly strategic institutions from reactive ones is whether the answer to "who's next?" is already taking shape—or whether the search begins from scratch when a resignation letter lands on the board chair...

05/04/2026

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” —Carl Sagan

05/01/2026

Are You Ready for Summer Strategizing?

The end of the academic year is nearly upon us. The summer months are often more relaxed around college campuses, allowing space for reflection and summer planning. The altered pace can also lull us into inactivity. Don’t wait until half-way through the summer to take the steps to make the 2026–2027 academic year a success.

Before planning any initiatives or setting benchmarks, it’s essential that you have your team in place. Create an inventory of your important hires. Prepare a shortlist of your most essential positions to fill. Without these key players, your success for the next year could be in jeopardy.

Once you’ve taken stock, set a time for a planning conversation with the team at Hyatt-Fennell. We can help you fill those positions you’ve named—and identify some you may not have thought of. We are in your corner and ready to help. Reach out today to build success for the year ahead.

The end of the academic year is nearly upon us. The summer months are often more relaxed around college campuses, allowing space for reflection and summer planning. The altered pace can also lull us into inactivity. Don’t wait until half-way through the summer to take the steps to make the 2026–...

04/29/2026

Reading the Silence

In the nuanced choreography of a high-level executive interview, silence is rarely a void; rather, it’s a communicative tool. At Hyatt-Fennell, we encourage visionary leaders to view these pauses not as indicators of a failing dialogue, but as moments of strategic reflection. When a search committee falls silent after your response, it often signals that they are collectively synthesizing your insights or weighing your alignment with the institutional mission. Mastering the art of the pause requires a high degree of emotional intelligence—resisting the urge to fill the air with nervous chatter demonstrates a composed maturity and a respect for the committee’s internal deliberative process.

To navigate these silences effectively, a candidate must demonstrate active presence. Instead of perceiving a lull as an invitation to over-explain, use the moment to maintain grounded eye contact and a posture of open engagement. If a silence feels particularly prolonged, you might bridge the gap with a clarifying inquiry, such as asking if the committee would like you to expand on a specific aspect of your previous point. This transforms a potentially awkward transition into a moment of shared reciprocity, showing that you are a leader who is comfortable with the complexities of high-stakes communication. By honoring the silence, you signal that you possess the executive presence to lead a campus through its most contemplative and critical transitions.

In the nuanced choreography of a high-level executive interview, silence is rarely a void; rather, it’s a communicative tool. At Hyatt-Fennell, we encourage visionary leaders to view these pauses not as indicators of a failing dialogue, but as moments of strategic reflection. When a search committ...

04/27/2026

“Don't let yesterday take up too much of today.” —Will Rogers