Kent John Chabotar

Chabotar was born in New York City. He graduated magna cum laude from Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pa., in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He served two terms as student government president. He earned a master of public administration degree with distinction and doctor of philosophy degree in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University in 1969 and 1973, respectively.

Chabotar went on to Michigan State University where he was an assistant professor of political science from 1972-75. There he received the school's Fussa Distinguished Educator Award for teaching excellence in 1973. The next year he was honored by the Michigan Legislature for his development of public administration programs. In 1975, Chabotar was a charter faculty member for the College of Professional Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

In the 1980s, Chabotar became a lecturer and faculty member at Harvard University's the Graduate School of Education, eventually receiving the school's Fussa Distinguished Teaching Award in 1988. Presently, Chabotar continues to teach Harvard Seminar for New Presidents and other summer executive programs.

From 1984–86, he served as chief financial officer for The Williamson Group of Cambridge, Mass., a start-up computer services company. Additionally, he was vice president and treasurer at Education Development Center, Inc., of Newton, Mass., a worldwide nonprofit educational research firm from 1986-89.

Chabotar later served as vice president for finance and administration and treasurer at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine from 1991-02 where he was subsequently honored by the Maine Legislature on the 25th anniversary of his college teaching. Bowdoin students established the Kent John Chabotar Scholarship Fund in 2002. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in Education from St. Francis University in 2003, and the Academic Leadership Award from the Council of Independent Colleges in 2003.

Additionally, Kent was on the faculties the University of Massachusetts and Michigan State University. He received the Distinguished Educator Award for Teaching Excellence at Michigan State University.

Chabotar served as the President of Guilford College located in Greensboro, NC from 2002-14 and President Emeritus 2015 - present. The first non-Quaker head of school in his history, Chabotar made significant achievements in this role. During his presidency, the College developed two strategic plans, set an all-time fundraising record toward a total of $90 million in cash and bequests while also restoring financial equilibrium and improving buildings and grounds with $36 million of strategic investments. Throughout his tenure at Guilford and continuing through 2020, Chabotar regularly taught undergraduate courses on public policy and administration.

In 2015, Chabotar became a founder of MPK&D Partners. MPK&D’s experienced team of higher education leaders delivers practical and creative solutions to some of the most complex challenges facing institutions today. From the onboarding and start-up of new presidents to ensure successful institutional transitions—to executive coaching, programs for student retention and success, strategic finance guidance, media training and more, MPK&D provides comprehensive support to their clients.

Suffolk University (2019-present).

National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (2011-14).

North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (2010-13).

Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and Treasurer (2009-13).

Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art Foundation (2011-13).

Greensboro Rotary (2008-10).

Council of Independent Colleges and Treasurer (2005-08).

American Student Assistance Corporation (2004-06).

Cundy’s Harbor Volunteer Fire Department and Treasurer (1993-01).

Vernay Laboratories, Inc. (1987-89).

Saint Francis College Alumni Association (1979-8

Chair, NAICU Task Force on the Department of Education’s Financial Responsibility Test (2011-12).

Member, AGB National Commission on Governance (2013-14).

Member, AGB/NACUBO Task Force on Financial Aid. (2012-14).

Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity

Strategic Finance. Washington, DC: Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and Universities, 2006.

Analyzing Costs in the Courts. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, 1987.

Measuring the Costs of Police Services. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, 1982.

Perspectives on School Improvement: A Casebook for Administrators. Washington, DC: National Institute

of Education, 1981 (with Karen Seashore Louis).

Evaluation Guidelines for Training Programs. Lansing, Michigan: U.S. Civil Service Commission, 1974

(with Lawrence J. Lad).

• Re-printed four times, this book was selected as a National Exemplary Project by the International

Conference on Public Personnel Administration.

Between Collaboration and Merger: Expanding Alliance Strategies in Higher Education. New York:

TIAA-CREF Institute, 2016, (authored by Michael K. Thomas with commentary by Kent John Chabotar).

Financial Responsibilities of Governing Boards. Washington, DC: Association of Governing Boards of

Colleges and Universities, 2009 (with Tracy J. Burlock).

Strategic Budgeting. Washington, DC: Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and Universities,

2008.

New Yardsticks to Measure Financial Distress. Washington, DC: American Association for Higher

Education, 1996 (with James P. Honan).

The Privatization of Corrections. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, 1985 (with Joan Mullen

and Deborah Carrow).

Assessing Needs in General Management. Madison, Wisconsin: U.S. Office of Personnel Management,

1981 (with Joseph Pellitteri).

Target: Employment Opportunities for the Handicapped. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor,

1978 (with Peter Desmond).

Implementing Educational Accountability: The Michigan Experience. East Lansing, Michigan: Center for

Rural Management and Public Affairs/Michigan State University, 1973 (with William A. Sederburg and

Lawrence J. Lad).

“Financing Change: Priorities, Resource, and Community Involvement,” in Donald W. Harward (ed.),

Transforming Undergraduate Education. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2012, pp. 209-222.

“Orchestrating Change,” Business Officer (July/August 2012), pp. 72-86.

“Common Errors During Financial Emergencies,” Business Officer Plus (July/August 2012).

“Valuing Diversity of Ideas,” Inside Higher Ed (July 5, 2012).

“The Old Work of the New Board,” The Chronicle of Higher Education (October 3, 2011).

“Will Your Institution Pass the Financial Responsibility Test?” Trusteeship (July/August 2011), pp. 30-

33.

“Leading in a Changing Environment,” in David W. Breneman and Paul Yakoboski (eds.), Smart

Leadership for Higher Education in Difficult Times. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2011, pp. 128-134.

“What About the Rest of Us? Small Colleges in Financial Crisis,” Change (July/August 2010), pp. 7-12.

“Crisis Fatigue in a Difficult Economy: 5 Mistakes to Avoid,” The Chronicle of Higher Education

(November 29, 2009).

“IT and the Economy: A Focus on Priorities,” EDUCAUSE Review, 44:4 (July/August 2009), pp. 4-5.

“The Mistakes to Avoid,” Inside Higher Ed (June 5, 2009).

“How to Communicate in a Difficult Economy,” The Chronicle of Higher Education (February 13, 2009).

“Using Quaker Principles to Budget in Tough Times,” Inside Higher Ed (February 10, 2009).

“Blue Sky Thinking,” CASE Currents (April 2007), pp. 62-63.

“Coping with Financial Distress,” Trusteeship (January/February 2007), pp. 27-32.

“How to Develop an Effective Budget Process,” in Lucie Lapovsky and Mary McKeown-Moak eds.),

Roles and Responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999, pp. 17-28.

“Ten Commandments of System Conversions,” Business Officer (May 1998), pp. 29-35.

“Reengineering: A View from the Frontlines,” Planning for Higher Education, 25 (Winter 1996-97), pp.

11-17 (with Phillip G. Knutel).

“Managing Participative Budgeting in Higher Education,” Change (September/October 1995), pp. 21-29.

“Fixing a Budget in Trouble,” Executive Officer (March/April 1991), pp. 1-3.

“Coping with Retrenchment: Strategy and Tactics,” Change (November/December 1990), pp. 28-34 (with

James P. Honan).

“Business Managers and Academic Officers: Making the Relationship Work,” Business Officer

KENT JOHN CHABOTAR (Spring 2022) 7

(September 1989), pp. 38-40.

“Cost Analysis in Schools and Other Nonprofits: A Management Perspective,” Urban Education (July

1989), pp. 140-152.

“Measuring the Costs of Magnet Schools,” Economics of Education Review, 8:2 (1989), pp. 169-183.

“Financial Ratio Analysis Comes to Nonprofits,” Journal of Higher Education (March/April 1989), pp.

188-208.

“Problems and Opportunities in School Financial Management: A Consultant’s Perspective,” Urban

Education (April 1987), pp. 3-18.

“Case Studies in Cost Analysis,” Court Review (Spring 1987), pp. 14-17, 24.

“Use of Financial Forecasting in Educational Retrenchment,” Journal of Education Finance (Winter

1987), pp. 351-368.

“Cutback Management: Planning Assistance for Local School Systems,” Planning and Changing (Winter

1985), pp. 223-239 (with Robert A. Dentler).

“Financing Alternatives for Prison and Jail Construction,” Government Finance Review (August 1985),

pp. 7-13.

“Designing a Training Evaluation System,” Journal of Library Administration (Summer 1980), pp. 25-37.

“Sampling Techniques for State and Local Trainers,” Trainer’s Resource Service News (February 1980),

pp. 1, 6-7.

“Training Evaluation,” in C.D. Chmura (ed.), Training of Trainers. Washington, DC, National Training

and Development Service Press (1980), pp. 4/1-4/40.

“Using a Game in Public Administration Education,” Teaching Political Science (January 1979), pp. 200-

212.

“The Logic of Training Evaluation,” Personnel (July/August 1977), pp. 23-27.

“Using Informal Feedback,” In Service Training (December 1976), pp. 18-19, 33.

“Organizational Documents as Indicators of Effectiveness of Educational Planning,” Journal of

Experimental Education (Summer 1975), pp. 53-66 (with Stephen H. Montgomery).

“Conceptual Roadblocks to Educational Evaluation,” CEDR Quarterly (Spring 1975), pp. 20-24.

“Conflict over Educational Accountability: The Case of Michigan,” Planning and Changing (February

1975), pp. 74-76, 95 (with William A. Sederburg and Lawrence J. Lad).

“Michigan Pursues Accountability,” Kappa Delta Pi Record (Summer 1974), pp. 103-113 (with William

A. Sederburg and Lawrence J. Lad).

“Management Development: A Training Model,” Training (July 1974), pp. 42-50.

Sussex Country Club, 1985.

Melissa Warren for U.S. Senate, 1985.

Budgeting at Beacon College (with James P. Honan), 1988, 2009.

Financial Management at Ashmont Museum, 1989, 2009.

Financial Management at Kingwood School, 1989.

Strategic Planning & Ghost of Mrs. Jack, 1990, 2009.

Tuition Pricing at Windsor College (with James P. Honan), 1990.

Matthews College (with Thomas Davidson), 1993, 2009.

Edgecomb College (with Andrew Wheeler), 1993.

Computing at Cameron College (with Andrew Wheeler), 1994.

Reengineering at Macmillan State College (with Holt Hunter), 1996.

Parkview College, (with Peter E. Sims), 1998.

Peterson Museum of Art (with Thomas Davidson) for Harvard/The Getty Trust, 1994, 2009.

Center City University, 2010.

Seymour University (with Michael Bunch), 2011.