Dr. Donald P. Kaczvinsky, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Louisiana Tech University, recently participated in a professional development course at the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. The Institute, which is part of Harvard’s Programs in Professional Education, is designed for higher education administrators and seeks to identify relevant issues for those responsible for leading and managing change efforts in higher education.  It also provides opportunities for knowledgeable faculty members to present and exchange ideas with participants, and foster peer-to-peer learning and networking through the sharing of ideas and experiences among participants. “It was truly an exceptional opportunity for me to meet with over 100 deans, vice presidents and provosts from around the world and consider critical issues in the current higher education environment, from strategic planning and budgeting to diversity and distance education,” said Kaczvinsky.  “The faculty were tops in their fields and highly experienced educators themselves – university presidents, scholars and advocates leading national education organizations.” The goal of the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education is to increase the quality and effectiveness of higher education leaders and their institutions. “The MLE offered me a community and a context for discussing the changing landscape of college and university education today,” Kaczvinsky said.  “I feel what I learned there will help me guide the College of Liberal Arts in the future as we work to meet the needs of our students.” In addition to his role as dean, Kaczvinsky is a professor of English and holds the George E. Pankey Endowed Chair in English, which helped support his participation. The Pankey Endowed Chair was made available through the State of Louisiana Board of Regents Support Funds.