Commodore is renowned for her research in leadership, governance, and administrative practices—which prompted Killeen to name her to the search committee. Here, we chat with Commodore about her research. 

Explain your research focus.

FC: My scholarship is in leadership, governance, and administrative practices, focusing on HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities] and MSIs [Minority Serving Institutions]. I also explore the role of boards of trustees and governing boards in achieving educational equity, the importance of high functioning governance practices in effective institutions, and how leadership is exercised, constructed, and viewed in various communities.

Ultimately, my research expertise lies in how organizational behavior, organizational decision-making, and organizational culture impact achieving equitable success outcomes for institutions. Likewise, a part of this is understanding the role, responsibility, skills, and traits college presidents need to lead these complex organizations in achieving said success outcomes.

As you mentioned, part of your scholarship examines how leadership is exercised, constructed, and viewed in various communities. Tell us more.

FC: Ultimately, though we know there are various leadership styles and personalities in organizations, broadly, and higher education, specifically, there can still be assumptions about what makes a good leader and what does not. Though these assumptions can be informed assumptions, often they are based on stereotypical and narrow understandings of leadership, perpetuating very narrow and non-diverse understandings and definitions of leadership. 

Through my research, I attempt to understand how community characteristics, cultures, history, and context play a role in shaping how certain communities and organizations construct and define what is and what is not ideal or “good” leadership and what is not desirable leadership. Having this deeper and more nuanced understanding of how ideas regarding leadership are constructed can help us have a more nuanced approach in identifying and evaluating leadership and leadership choices.  

Talk about your work with HBCUs and MSIs and the relationship between Black women and leadership, which you also have studied.

FC: One of the things I have learned over the years is the important role of context and culture in having a true understanding of the how and why an institution engages in the decision-making processes that it does. This in turn provides a proper contextual insight into what skills, traits, and cultural competency a leader may need to be successful and effective with that institution. In the same vein, it also helps to properly identify organizational challenges that need to be addressed to strengthen decision-making processes and create a culture that can support effective leadership that it may have otherwise rejected. 

Much of our higher education organizational theory and governance research has been normed on either business industry or predominantly white or historically white, well-resourced institutions. When we attempt to understand HBCUs’ and MSIs’ organizational behavior through these lenses, we ignore the very real ways culture and context are intertwined with their organizational context and decision-making processes. This can lead to an improper analysis and ultimately problematic strategies that don’t work for these institutions. I have learned through my work that if we want to support HBCUs and MSIs as well as embrace diverse types of leaders, then we must first ensure that we are taking the time to truly understand who institutions are, why they do what they do, and not attempt to advise schools through frameworks that don’t fit and are void of understanding how elements like history, race, culture, and mission intertwine with organizational identity.

Why is your research important?

FC: Ultimately, I explore how these three elements of an institution—organizational behavior, organizational decision-making, and organizational culture—impact decision-making and policy and agenda setting at an institution. Understanding this phenomenon is important because of the long reaching and long-lasting impact institutional decisions, policies, and strategic planning objectives can have on equitable success outcomes. 

Often there is great emphasis on evaluating what was done at an institution or the decisions made. But in my work I like to focus on the 'how' and the 'why' actions were taken or decisions made. In understanding the 'how' and the 'why', we really get to unpack what parts of the process were strong and what may need to be addressed to achieve more effective results. In terms of equity, I find that organizations often consider equity as an afterthought to their decision-making processes, which leads to challenges in actually achieving equitable outcomes. Through my work, I aim to help institutional leaders and actors understand how centering equity in their decision-making, governance, and strategic planning processes sets them up for achieving sustainable equitable success outcomes. 

None of this is possible without an inventory of how organizational behavior, organizational decision-making, and organizational culture interact—because it is at this intersection that the questions of 'how' and 'why' are answered.

What are you currently working on?

FC: I have ongoing work focusing on Black women HBCU presidents’ experiences, as well as work regarding supporting state-level system boards in strengthening their equity centered practices by applying a Culturally Sustaining Governance (CSG) framework to their work. I am also a co-PI on an NSF grant where we will be employing a tool to determine equity readiness at institutions to aid in enhancing student success in STEM. Additionally, I am engaged in work with colleagues in the areas of strengthening HBCU governance practices and president-board relations and I serve on the advisory board for the Center for Strategic and Inclusive Governance. 

Tell us about your role on the search committee for the next University of Illinois chancellor and the expertise you'll specifically bring to the process.

FC: First, let me say that I am truly honored to have an opportunity to serve on this committee and am grateful that my colleagues and President Killeen have afforded me this opportunity to serve. I believe there are 15 people on the committee, including  College of Education Dean Chrystalla Mouza. I am serving as a faculty member on the committee.

My unique perspective as someone with research expertise in the area of higher education leadership and governance while also having worked within higher education institutions as an admissions counselor, academic advisor, and faculty member provide me with both a big picture and on-the-ground understanding of what institutions need from leaders, as well as what is needed from a leader to effectively lead higher education institution in this particular moment. Having worked with both institutional and state-level governing boards, I am also keenly aware of the demands and challenges presidents of institutions within state systems also must be prepared to face. Ultimately, what I believe is more important than anything is that I am bringing with me a commitment to community, teamwork, and a desire to do my part and serve with my colleagues on the committee to support the institution and system in identifying a leader who will continue to build on the great work and best parts of the legacy here at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.