"One of my major roles is to identify corporations that will be good partners for the University."

-Thomas J. Haynes

Thomas Haynes is a family man. He takes pride in his own family--wife, Cheryl; daughters, Christen and Chennelle; and 21-month-old grandson, Chance--and he will make advocating for Montclair State a family affair as well.

"We must help our students define their direction, then educate them to become the overall people they are destined to become," said Haynes, the new vice president for University Advancement. The challenge, he says, is not one for faculty alone, but for the entire campus community.

Before accepting the position at Montclair State after a national search, Haynes served as associate vice president for University Relations at Florida A&M. He also was a member of the United States Aid for International Development and World Bank Project that developed and implemented a corporate-education partnership plan to assist in reforming the higher education system in Indonesia.

A believer in private/public partnerships, Haynes discussed how he plans to improve the synergy between Montclair State and the corporate community, while advancing the brand of the University and accomplishing its mission.

Q. What attracted you to Montclair State?
A. I was looking for an institution that was redefining itself, where there were opportunities to make a difference. One thing that encouraged me about the structure at Montclair State was the advisory boards--the academic input that helps deans tweak curriculum development. Programs here flourish because outside input keeps fresh thought pouring in. It's necessary to take an interdisciplinary look at issues, and even more necessary to welcome suggestions from our constituents.

Globalization at Montclair State also intrigued me. International study gives students an appreciation of the people and culture of other countries. Globalization illuminates for our students the possibilities that are inherent in a world community. You can't get that from a textbook.

Q. Tell us about your philosophy on private/public partnerships.
A. A university is the place not only for corporations to identify talent, but to become involved in the development of that talent through collaborations such as joint research, internships, permanent employment and special projects. We have to cultivate and maintain relationships with private, social and government sectors, create a shared vision and work together to develop the tremendous talent pool at Montclair State.

The metropolitan area is a corporate hub and there is tremendous opportunity here for synergy. One of my major roles is to identify corporations that will be good partners for the University. In addition to yielding increased opportunities for student internships, I'd also like to look into summer internships for faculty so they can continue to develop their skill sets and become further grounded in how what they teach relates to business in the northeast hub.

I also would like to establish more collaborative research with the private sector. When corporations conduct research they have end points. We don't. We must convince corporate partners to entrust to us research projects with potential commercial value they can no longer afford to continue.

Q. How will the University identify sources for funding since state aid to public universities has been cut?
A. We have to cultivate relationships necessary for fund and friend raising. Then we'll look to raise more money to support scholarships and increase endowed gifts to support academic chairs and special programs. The Joseph and Elda Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America is an example of how partnerships elevate the image of Montclair State. When people look to where they can go to get Italian culture and language, they have to look at Montclair State.

Q. How do you plan to foster a family atmosphere?
A. The Montclair State community already has a close family structure. At my interview I was impressed at the enthusiasm and loyalty toward the University. The faculty and staff I've met here have a personal ownership of this university.

Beyond that, we become surrogates for students away from home. That's what separates Montclair State from the mega-size universities. Our students are not numbers, they're people. And that doesn't end at graduation. Alumni are never divorced from the family, which means we have an obligation to them for life.

Q. What are the societal responsibilities of higher education?
A. There is a connection between higher education and the greater society, so we have to educate and graduate students who will address and solve societal problems. To do that we must continue to develop a market-relevant institution. I don't just mean in terms of corporate America. Faculty and students in the environmental sciences, for instance, don't just study them, they ask, "What can we do?" That's what I mean by being market relevant. College is more than the classroom experience. We have to put together a plan of action to get students from the freshman year to their desired goal--a career.

Careers today are fluid. What you start out in may not be what you finish in. We need to teach students to embrace change, to learn to read the tea leaves. Part of our responsibility also is to prepare students to participate in a changing world--to develop a world resource pool of students who understand how to work in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environments.

Go back to the Insight index