New energy from Montgomery College President Dr. Derionne Pollard is placing new expectations on staff and faculty to improve the MC student experience on Tuesday, Feb. 5, when Dr. Pollard hosted a Town Hall discussing issues impacting faculty performance she had reflected on during her 6-month sabbatical.

Praise was allotted as well as a call for accountability in the college’s performance. Pollard did not single anyone out but did acknowledge that the buck starts with her. “There’s a point in which voices that are not self-reflective about their own roles become a hindrance to our mission,” Pollard said. Pollard took issue with the  “integrated advising” system at Montgomery College in both terminology and substance. Integrated advising is the collaboration between MC counseling faculty and the academic program advising. While complimenting the department for its efforts, Pollard also indicated room for improvement. She expressed these systems should not just be integrated, but students should navigate these systems seamlessly, even if this results in a system change that makes some staff feel uncomfortable.

“We need to make it seamless for students, and make our own comfort level as employees of the organization secondary,” Pollard said. Pollard referred to staff and faculty comfort as a “back porch” to ensuring students actualize their goals. As the President of the college, Pollard believes that this should be done by example not just command. “I hope I will do it by modeling. I think it is very important that as leaders we demonstrate courage and we demonstrate vulnerability.” An avid reader, Dr. Pollard quoted Brené Brown, author of the book titled, “Dare to Lead” saying, “The good news is courage is contagious”.
Watch the full event here montgomerycollege.edu/TOWNHALL.