Outgoing Albany State University interim president praises school and students

ALBANY — Although she has only served as Albany State University interim president for a month, Kimberly Ballard Washington feels she’s been able to have some impact on what she considers to be a great institution with exceptional students.

An assistant vice chancellor for legal affairs for the University System of Georgia and assistant secretary to the Board of Regents, Ballard Washington assumed the position of interim president of ASU Nov. 1 after the departure of Everette Freeman, who had served as the university’s president since 2005.

Having grown up in Montezuma and the daughter of an ASU alumnus, Ballard Washington said she was thrilled to get the opportunity to serve as the school’s interim president. She also was excited to get to work for a school she felt had a lot to offer its students.

“This is a great institution,” said Ballard Washington. “Students can thrive in this environment. The students are remarkable. They’re doing well in the classroom and in a smaller environment you get to figure out how to work things and how to thrive and how to show your talents. So it’s very impressive.”

Making her career as an attorney within the university system and having attended the University of Georgia, Ballard Washington knows a lot about what makes for a good school and she prides herself on being able to see issues and to solve problems in a beneficial way.

“As a lawyer for the university system, that’s what I do, I solve problems,” she said. “I like to resolve issues properly in the best interest of the university or institution and I think that means I’m going to resolve it in the best interest of the employees of our staff of our students, of everybody. That’s the angel I’ve always worked from and that’s what I’m doing here.”

As an interim administrator, Ballard Washington feels that she is able to look at things differently than a full-time president and that her outside perspective can be very beneficial.

“Sometimes it takes someone who doesn’t have a vested interest, that haven’t been here and had my heels dug in on any issues,” she said. “Sometimes a fresh set of eyes can see things differently. What I’ve done in three weeks is listen-work with the faculty, staff, the students and to hear their ideas and really take their ideas and try to make them work if I deem they’re in the best interest of the school.”

Having previously served as the interim president at Fort Valley State University, Ballard Washington had experience handling a temporary leadership role and was pleasantly surprised when she arrived at ASU to find the institution operating very smoothly.

That was not the case at Fort Valley State.

“That campus had a lot of issues,” said Ballard Washington. “In three weeks, I did a whole lot and that, I think, created a lot of angst about me coming here among faculty and administrators based on the way I handled things at Fort Valley. I removed several administrators while I was there. So I did make several moves there. I have not seen the need to do the same here.”

Ballard Washington said that at Albany State she found a very dedicated, competent faculty and staff that were doing a good job.

“I see people here that want to adhere to university policies, want to adhere to board policies, want to adhere to state and federal laws and that’s what it takes” she said. “The people at Albany State are those kinds of people. They work hard and have the best interest of the university at heart.”

The only real issue Ballard Washington saw when she arrived on campus was a lack of communication, which she feels is a common issue at many schools and in many businesses.

“The CEO of any business, and a university is a business just like any other, has to make the final decision,” said Ballard Washington. “That doesn’t mean that they can’t listen to others and respect the ideas of others. I’ve been in that same position. I hope that I’ve been able to listen and respect the ideas of others. But that doesn’t mean that I have to agree. It doesn’t mean that you have to follow along, often times it’s just hearing. I just need to hear them.

“Often times the CEO may not understand the total picture because that person can’t know everything, that’s why you have so many others around you. If the president is all-knowing you don’t need a vice president for academic affairs, you don’t need a vice president for student affairs, you don’t need a vice president for business affairs, just hire one person.

“That’s not how a university works; that’s not how most businesses work. You have people who are specialists in that area and we have to make sure that we’re taking advantage of their knowledge and listening to those individuals. And again, it’s the president’s position, it’s his decision to make, but only after getting advice from those people who are paid to run those areas and I think that’s something that happens often times on campuses.”

It was addressing those communication issues that Ballard Washington feels was her top priority during her time at ASU. One example that she gave was a school initiative that had fallen by the wayside due to lack of communication.

The program was study tables, which was an initiative driven by the faculty to help tutor students. The study tables were sessions where instructors would basically sit at a table during certain hours and meet with students who needed extra instruction or wanted to ask questions.

The program had been stopped because of an issue with the location and, rather than addressing the issue, the study tables simply ceased. Ballard Washington said the study tables issue was brought to her by both students and faculty as soon as she arrived on campus.

Having attended the University of Georgia, which is the largest school in the state, Ballard Washington felt the concepts of the study tables was a major selling point for the school and something that need to be brought back since both sides were in favor.

“Now, I would argue in that we’re trying to increase graduation rates and things that you would think that that has to be a good learning tool,” said Ballard Washington. “I have never ever had a faculty member sit down with me and I would have liked that. It’s just a given that you need a resolution to a problem like this. It’s an issue that was on the minds of faculty and the minds of students and we administrators sometimes get in the way of doing the business. Unfortunately that was an instance where this had happened but we’ve been able to fix it.”

Another area concerning communication Ballard Washington said she felt needed addressing was allowing more input from alumni, who were wanting to help and promote the school. She said she was immediately impressed by the school’s alumni and wanted them to have more of a voice.

“Our alumni have not always felt that they’ve had an opportunity to be heard,” she said. “The alums of this institution love Albany State, they totally bleed blue and gold and anytime you have that type of allegiance they want to have a voice and should have a voice because they have ideas. They know what’s happened in the past and you can learn from the past as you go to the future. I just see all those things as being very valuable.”

In addition to having high praise for the school, Ballard Washington also gave a positive endorsement for incoming interim president Art Dunning, who will be arriving at the school on Monday. Ballard Washington has worked with Dunning in the past and feels he will be great for the school.

“Art Dunning is wonderful,” she said. “I know him very well and I am ecstatic that he is interested in coming to Albany State. He’s got great ideas and he’s poised, even as an interim to take this institution to the next level. I just think he’s going to be so great for this institution.

“He’s not a person who jumps to conclusions. He wants to know what’s going on. He wants a chance to digest the information, come up with a plan and take action. He’s also not afraid to take necessary action. If he sees things that need to be done, he doesn’t it. He’s just a really really great person. I’m stoked that he’s going to be coming to Albany State and lead this institution.”

Though she will be leaving shortly after Dunning arrives, Ballard Washington says she’s built a special relationship with the school and its faculty, staff and students during her time here. As an adviser for the entire system, she said she hopes to continue that relationship in the future.

“Well, fortunately I get to give advice after I leave and can continue to help the school in some way,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed the time that I’ve spent with the alums, the students, the faculty, cheering on the Rams has been a really, really great experience for me.”