The Seth Bodnar I Know

Reflections on Seth Bodnar’s leadership at the University of Montana

I worked closely with Seth Bodnar for over four years when he was President of the University of Montana. Since he announced his decision to run to serve Montana in the U.S. Senate, I’ve heard from plenty of folks wondering who Seth is and what I think of his candidacy.

As a Montanan who loves this state and as a woman who has worked to earn her place in several organizations, including UM, I decided to write this post because I want to give voters a window into the man I’ve known for nearly six years. I believe strongly that every Montanan should be proud we have someone like Seth running to represent us in Washington.

Seth is one of the most principled and humble leaders I’ve ever met. He believes deeply in service and that all Montanans–no matter their background, no matter their circumstances, no matter their gender–should have every chance to succeed and reach their full potential. He put this belief into practice, not just in his work to support and elevate students at UM but also in his efforts to support and champion faculty, staff, and his leadership team at UM.

I want to spend a moment talking about the leadership team at UM because I had the privilege to serve on it, alongside many women I admire. We were hired, promoted, and supported by Seth. As a leader, he mentored us, yes, but he also asked us to teach and mentor him.

In short, he respected and empowered each of us in ways that embraced our entire life story and enabled us to reach our full potential. And he recognized that in order to reach his full potential, he needed to humbly listen to us. Seth and I did not always agree, and we regularly debated. He appreciated it when I pushed back or questioned his thinking, especially when a decision had profound consequences. He respected my ideas, trusted my judgement, and deeply considered my perspective when it differed from his.

That is a quality and skill unfortunately rare in our current elected leadership.

I’ve already seen some of Seth’s political opponents attack and spread inaccuracies about him in order to score political points. For me and many of the women colleagues I worked with at UM, this is a source of frustration, anger, and deep sadness.

So, let’s fight misinformation with facts:

When Seth arrived at UM, there was one woman dean at the University of Montana. By the time Seth left in January of this year, seven of thirteen deans were women, all hired under his watch. Eight of his sixteen-person senior executive team members were women, and six years into his tenure, 78% of all campus promotions went to women.

None of this is by accident. It’s because Seth cultivated a culture of compassionate accountability, one in which those who worked hard and performed well would be rewarded. He made sure that talented, deserving individuals always had a seat at the table. He intentionally and meticulously worked to change the culture at UM, which we know did not consistently value or support women prior to his tenure.

And because he understood that gender discrimination existed prior to his tenure at UM, he fought for systemic improvements.

Early on in his tenure as President, Seth launched the S.E.A. Change Initiative and secured more than $1 million in private donations to fund it. The program offered undergraduate women paid internships, connected them with mentorship opportunities, and opened doors to leadership development. It also extended beyond campus, providing free programs for middle and high school students who deserved to discover and build confidence in their potential and the possibilities in front of them.

Seth also reestablished the Women’s Leadership Initiative, a professional development and networking program that had gone dormant before his arrival. For the women on campus who participated, it meant real tools, real connections, and a tangible acknowledgement that their growth was a priority.

This is the man and leader I know. So, when I see comments online that seek to disparage Seth’s treatment of women or comments from political opponents pointing to a gender discrimination lawsuit filed against the Montana University System in 2021, I am indignant and disheartened. Gender discrimination is real, which is precisely why I object so vehemently to false accusations being weaponized for political gain. These claims made against Seth are not true.

I know this because I worked directly alongside Seth and witnessed his leadership firsthand.

To be clear, the lawsuit in question wasn’t filed against Seth; it was filed against the university system, and it included claims that went back more than a decade prior to Seth’s tenure at UM.

Seth had no problem acknowledging when the University needed to do better, which is why he made it a priority to invest in Title IX reforms and transparency from day one. He invested additional resources into Title IX functions at the University and promoted an exceptionally talented woman to lead the Title IX office. A review of the University’s Title IX processes and procedures completed in August 2023 by a civil rights attorney, found them “exemplary” and “exceeding what is required by law.”

Ultimately the case against the Montana University system was dismissed with prejudice after the system settled the case, but the allegations in this suit were never found to have merit.

Those are the facts.

As someone who was there during that time and worked closely with Seth, I can say with absolute confidence that I have never worked for a more supportive, talented, or thoughtful leader. If you were to talk to my many female colleagues at UM who actually worked closely with him for many years, I am sure you would hear the same.

Montana deserves a senator who doesn’t just talk about supporting women but who has actually done it, leading an institution, under real pressure, over many years. I watched Seth Bodnar be that type of leader at the University of Montana. He is a tremendously supportive and talented leader, a devoted husband, a loving father, and an integrity-filled Montanan.

I know he’ll be that leader in Washington, too.