An "Accidental Administrator" Builds Momentum for Change: Kumble Subbaswamy

As a youth in India, Kumble Subbaswamy was inspired by space exploration to pursue a degree in physics, which ultimately led to him to postdoctoral work in the U.S. He got a taste of leadership by being an active member of the academic community, which led from one opportunity to the next. "When you do a good job, you're rewarded by being asked to do more," he says. Ultimately, this path led him to a decade-long tenure as Chancellor of UMass Amherst, then to his current position as Interim Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and Equity at the University of Massachusetts system.

In this Impactful Leaders podcast, WittKieffer Senior Partner Lucy Leske speaks with "Swamy" about his career journey and lessons he's picked up along the way, beginning with his chosen field. "Physics teaches you to look for the true essence of the problem and solve it first, and to not get lost in the complexity," he says.

Swamy has also learned that, to overcome inertia, the leader must exert force, make the case for change, and get all constituents (students, faculty, staff, trustees, alums, and more) on board. This is more important than ever, he says, as the public's trust in higher education has waned. "Leaders today have an uphill task to reverse this trend," he says.