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Published: February 2008
Jeanne Neff discusses her involvement in Troy and its community, some of the biggest challenges for women, and how she derives happiness from being an agent of change.
Success Magazine: What does success mean to you?
Jeanne Neff: It means different things in different situations. One kind of success is the direct achievement of specific goals or outcomes; another is the satisfaction you feel when someone you have mentored succeeds; still another may be finding the solution to a challenging problem. Overall, the most important measure of success for me is that what I do makes a positive difference for others.
SM: You have dedicated many years to working in education. What first sparked your interest in this line of work?
JN: I graduated from college in the 1960s and initially went on to graduate school because everyone else was going, not from a real sense of vocation. That developed after I began teaching, at what is now Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PAI loved the interchange with students and faculty colleagues.
SM: How did your own educational experience pave the way for your career?
JN: In earning bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees I moved through many majors, from mathematics, chemistry and physics to literature, medieval studies, creative writing and womens studies. The Jesuit curriculum of my undergraduate years also provided a strong background in philosophy and theology. That eclectic journey actually prepared me well not only for my early work as a teacher, scholar and poet, but also for the work I do today in finance, marketing, and strategic planning. I also benefited greatly from two postgraduate experiences, the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program in Academic Administration and the Harvard Institute for Educational Management.
SM: What brought you to The Sage Colleges as opposed to another institution?
JN: The great majority of colleges seeking a new president use an executive search firm to identify appropriate candidates. I was contacted by a search firm and as I came to know more about Sage, became intrigued by the schools multiple options for students (two undergraduate colleges in two cities, one coed and one a womens college, plus a coeducational graduate school). I saw a unique opportunity here to develop a rich and innovative educational environment.
SM: You are an advocate of womens education and advancement. As times continue to change, what do you see as the biggest challenge that women will have to face in the future?
JN: Think about all the negative forces that are bearing down upon our global societywar, economic downturn, climate change, to name just a few. Overwhelmingly, it is women who are most deeply impacted, especially those who are poor and responsible for children, both in this country and around the world. The biggest challenge for todays women is to maintain the social, economic and political gains achieved during the second half of the last century and, for those in leadership roles, to bring about the kind of reforms necessary to change this picture.
SM: As a woman, what challenges have you had to overcome personally to get ahead in your career?
JN: When I began teaching, the percentage of women faculty in higher education was low. Womens authority in the classroom was challenged by students more readily than that of men (and that is still true today). The same is true for women in administrative roles, where they are expected to be nurturing but also criticized when they are not perceived as strong and decisive. Men and women who are ill at ease with a woman supervising and directing them find many ways to express their discomfort. The other classic challenge at different stages has been achieving the right balance between work and family; work wins much too often.
SM: You have had many roles in the field of education, from faculty to administration. Which role do you feel has given you the opportunity to have the greatest impact on society?
JN: The purpose of education itself is the achievement of a just and humane society. No matter which world problem you choose, its solution begins with education. Whether as teacher or facilitator of teaching as an academic administrator, this has been the most important purpose of my work. That said, my ability as Sages president to make a difference in the neighborhoods and cities surrounding our campuses has been very gratifying.
SM: During your tenure at The Sage Colleges, you have increased enrollment significantly. What are some of the ways that you have you accomplished this goal?
JN: We have not so much increased enrollment as we have shifted enrollment during the past decade and raised the overall academic level of the institution. Professional majors at Russell Sage College that once attracted large numbers of undergraduates, such as physical therapy, have migrated to the Graduate School, which now offers doctoral programs as well as masters degrees. The two-year college in Albany in 2001 became the four-year Sage College of Albany, with more selective admission requirements. In our evening college for adults, now called Sage After Work, we made the decision to focus only on the upper two years of the bachelors degree. For all of our undergraduate colleges, we have established strong partnerships with area community colleges so that transfer students may enter smoothly. And we have worked very hard on developing new academic programs that are relevant and attractive to todays students.
SM: You have established the first nanoscience business incubator at a womans college. What are your goals for this initiative?
JN: The INVEST incubator is intended as a facility for second-stage companies like our current tenant, Evident Technologiesfirms that have successfully moved from the embryonic stage to a stable operating premise and are poised for new growth. With Evident and its successors, we seek to establish a learning partnership: Sage faculty can provide expertise not only in science and technology but also in business and finance areas, and Evident scientists can mentor Sage interns and assist us in developing nanoscience applications within the science curriculum. Because it allows for a successful company to expand, the INVEST model also provides new jobs for Troy and Rensselaer County.
SM: You have done much for Troy and its community. What are some of the projects that you have been involved in there?
JN: Perhaps Sages most important contribution has been its own investment in the Russell Sage campus, which anchors Troys historic district. We also created a highly successful homeowner incentive program in our immediate neighborhood that moved more than 60 properties to owner-occupant hands, creating a livelier, more attractive community. I have served on Troys Waterfront Commission for eight years and helped to create the Working Waterfront Plan that is still evolving. And since 1996 I have been co-chair of Historic Troy 2020, a multi-constituent planning group that has sought to insure a shared vision for Troys economic and community development.
SM: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
JN: Im very proud of the rising academic strength of Sage as a comprehensive universitygreater than the sum of its individual parts. Im also proud of the University Heights Commons in Albany, a project of more than ten years among Sage, Albany Medical Center, Albany College of Pharmacy and Albany Law School, that has transformed the 31-acre property that joins us into a vibrant academic-scientific-medical complex. For all of us who have worked on it, that is a lasting legacy.
SM: What makes The Sage Colleges different from other institutions?
JN: Sage is similar to other comprehensive universities around the country in having undergraduate and graduate, traditional and non-traditional academic programs, residential and commuter students, and more than one campus. What is unusual about Sage is that it has two four-year undergraduate colleges in two cities, one a womans college and the other coeducational. All these elements exist in a creative tension that spurs innovation.
SM: What steps do you take to prepare students for a successful future upon graduating?
JN: Sage was founded initially to make women of the early 20th century competitive in the workplace, and the theme of learning applied in the real world extends through all of its divisions today. General education requirements for undergraduates include an emphasis on the skills needed for todays careers, including technological competency. All students, even those majoring in the liberal arts and sciences, are expected to engage in some form of hands-on learning through internships, practica, service activities or community-based research projects. We are also always examining our degree programs, both in the professions and in the arts and sciences, to make sure that they remain fresh and relevant. We link academic and career advising and assist students in creating strong portfolios and resumes for their job search.
SM: How are you working to stop the trend of brain drain in the area?
JN: Actually, the great majority of Sage graduates stay in the Capital Region. We have a very large population of working adults, both in the Graduate School and in our Sage After Work degree completion program. These students typically are looking to advance in their fields rather than to leave the area. Even in the two traditional undergraduate colleges, while its true that some graduates especially those who grew up here are eager to spread their wings in the wider world, many choose to locate here and many of those who leave eventually return.
SM: You are very involved in your community. Your work is a lifestyle. How do you find time for yourself?
JN: Much of my community involvement is very personally satisfying, so it is for myself as well as for Sage. I learned long ago not to bring my work home, which means sometimes staying later at the office to get done what I need to do, but when I walk in the door of our house I immediately relax. I am an avid reader and its a rare day in which I dont have a work of fictionusually a mystery novelin hand. When traveling on College business, I try to make space for something fun, whether a bit of shopping or dinner with friends. We do have to plan trips to visit our children and grandchildren well in advance and those plans are sacred!
SM: Has it been difficult to balance your career and your family life?
JN: Certainly. There is not a chief executive or senior administrator I know, in higher education or other professional fields, who does not struggle to achieve such balance. Ive been in those 24/7 roles for thirty years now and too often, for all of us, our professional responsibilities win out over our personal ones. However, Ed and I have just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and our three children appear to be happy, well-adjusted adultsso I would say weve been relatively successful at this.
SM: Through our work with other people, we tend to learn about ourselves. What have you learned about yourself over the years of working with the public?
JN: That I am happiest as an agent of change, and that Im easily bored with routine, repetitive activity. Im an effective public speaker and often rise to leadership positions on the boards on which I serve. At the same time, I can be impatient and eager to move quickly where others need time to think, discuss, and deliberate.
SM: To what or whom do you attribute your success?
JN: The characteristics that have propelled me forward, I believe, are a strong work ethic, creativity, integrity, and courage. Im willing to roll up my sleeves and work as long as it takes to get things done; I can find a solution to most any problem with which I am confronted; Im honest and straightforward in my dealings with others; and I have never been afraid to take risks.
SM: What hopes or plans do you have for the future of The Sage Colleges?
JN: In national higher education classifications, Sage is a comprehensive university. New York stands apart from the rest of the country in its unusually stringent regulations regarding use of that title. Weve been working to change this and my greatest wish is to see Sage University come into its own.
SM: What do you enjoy most about living in the Capital Region?
JN: Its location, its people, its cultural attractions and its food! This is a four-season place to live and the proximity to New York, Boston, the Berkshires, and the Adirondacks is wonderful. We also are pleased with the growing sense of energy and enthusiasm for urban development here, especially in Troy.
SM: If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
JN: HAPPY. I have been blessed throughout my life with work that is rich and satisfying, with good colleagues and loving family and friends. Even in difficult times, I get up in the morning eager to meet the day ahead.
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