‘Understand Your Budget,’ a Vice President Says

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What I Wish - Yolanda Gibson-Shenandoah U

Understanding the budget, policies, procedures, and protocol at your institution is one of the first things you need to know when you become an administrator, says Yolanda Barbier Gibson, vice president for student success at Shenandoah University, in Virginia. “You would think your first couple of weeks you’re going to create your vision and your plan, but it’s really important that you understand your budget,” she says.

Gibson, a native of Virginia and a first-generation college graduate, also encourages leaders to be mindful of transitions. “It’s really important that you look at your own institutional data and make decisions based on your data,” she says.