Copyright© 2007 by School Services of California, Inc.

                                      Volume 20                   For Publication Date: August 3, 2007             No. 17

The Next Generation of College Presidents 

Nearly half of all college and university presidents are approaching retirement, and institutions need to begin planning for the new generation of leaders, according to a recent report by the American Council on Education (ACE), The Changing of the Guard. 

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, 8% of college and university presidents are under the age of 50, while 49% are older than 61. This has created a tidal wave in the turnover of CEOs. Currently, within the California Community College System, of the 110 colleges there are over forty CEO vacancies.   

James C. Renick, author of the report, articulates that “planning for a new generation of leaders requires a shift in thinking by universities. Unlike in the corporate world, where succession planning is often not given high priority and universities rarely work to develop their own talent for leadership positions. For example, 69% of current presidents switched institutions when they took the job.”   

In order to prepare to establish the new generation of leaders, colleges and universities need to develop a pipeline of in-house campus leaders and provide them with training through leadership academies. ACE suggests that more attention be given to identifying talent within “neglected demographic sectors.” While campuses increase the number of female and minority students, most college presidents—86%—are white, and 77% are male. 

At a time when colleges and universities are being called on to produce the next generation of leaders to compete in a global economy, institutions must develop their own leaders http://www.acenet.edu/bookstore/pubInfo.cfm?pubID=384. 

—Jamillah Moore, Ed.D.