Dive Brief:
- The controversy and eventual resignation of Simon Newman as president of Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland has some questioning whether his experience will add a nail in the coffin of a trend toward nontraditional higher education presidents.
- Inside Higher Ed reports the answer is likely no, as the number of presidents whose prior position was outside of academe grew from 13% to 20% from 2006 to 2012 — and many of them have done well, including Tom Ross at Davidson College and Barry Mills at Bowdoin.
- The culture shift required to go from the corporate world, like Newman’s Bain consulting background, also exists when presidents go from small liberal arts colleges to major research universities, for example, and the key may be proper transition support and expectations for new leaders.
Dive Insight:
Boards of trustees that are looking for expertise outside of academia have gone to the corporate world, where money management and data-driven decision-making is key. In North Carolina and California, state boards have chosen leaders from government — Margaret Spellings and Janet Napolitano, respecitvely — hoping their experience navigating the world of politics would help state systems negotiate with the legislature. Spellings’ recent appointment was met with student and faculty criticism, not only because she was named, but because she was the only finalist anyone got to consider.
In institutions built on shared governance, open communication and respect for faculty input is critical to a smooth path forward. Besides Mount St. Mary’s and the University of North Carolina, the University of Iowa has been caught up in the turmoil of a new, nonacademic presidential appointment. If boards believe these nontraditional presidents are best for the institution, they should make their case to faculty and get buy-in before these leaders get to campus.