Turnover among college and university presidents has increased in recent years. According to the American Council on Education (ACE), the average tenure of college presidents has steadily decreased, with the median length of service dropping from 8.5 years in 2006 to 5.9 years in 2023. This trend reflects the volatility of leadership roles in higher education today.
Several factors contribute to college presidents’ high turnover rates and shorter terms. Some of these challenges include:
- Political and social pressures, particularly around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). State legislation and public debates about DEI have led to conflicts and leadership exits.
- Governance challenges and disagreements over institutional strategy. Budget allocations and leadership directions often cause friction between presidents and boards.
- Financial instability, exacerbated by shrinking enrollments, increasing operational costs, and decreasing public funding, has put increased stress on leaders.
- Difficulty navigating trust issues between faculty and administrators has decreased long-term stability.
In the book The New College President: How a Generation of Diverse Leaders is Changing Higher Education (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2024), Terrence MacTaggart and Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran examine the role of college presidents, focusing on how a more diverse group of leaders is transforming higher education. Each chapter is dedicated to individual leaders and their unique approach to leading during challenging times. The authors focus on political polarization, financial pressures, and the need to manage and understand diverse — and often divided — campus communities. Based on the experiences and wisdom of the presidents profiled in the book as well as their own experiences leading colleges and universities, MacTaggart and Wilson-Oyelaran argue that personal resilience, cultural competence, and the ability to navigate complex institutional landscapes are crucial as leadership credentials for presidents.
The authors emphasize that a growing number of college presidents hail from historically marginalized groups, including people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ communities. These leaders bring unique perspectives and strengths gained from overcoming adversity, which are essential in managing and addressing today’s higher education challenges.
MacTaggart and Wilson-Oyelaran, as well as the presidents they write about, stress that the role of the president today requires a broader skill set beyond the traditional — more academic qualifications. These skills include political savvy, personal resilience, and significant cultural competence.
The New College President also emphasizes the need for better recruitment strategies to attract the best presidential candidates. The authors suggest focusing on character and call for a diverse search committee that understands all aspects of the higher education enterprise. They also call on boards to widen their views of leadership and to embrace the rich diversity of individuals to lead.
Knowing that the presidential role is challenging and expanding significantly, MacTaggart and Wilson-Oyelaran call for universities to implement robust support systems, such as leadership and executive coaching. They emphasize that support is needed in the first year, particularly when presidents are learning the institution, especially during these very difficult times.
According to The New College President, higher education has much to learn from this new group of diverse leaders who have thrived despite adversity and better understand how to leverage the value of diversity to create more equitable and forward-thinking colleges and universities.