Dive Brief:
- A number of controversies at the University of Louisville, some directly involving President James Ramsey and some not, are making certain people question his leadership, though he has maintained the support of his board.
- Inside Higher Ed reports the university has dealt with a prostitution scandal with the men’s basketball team, uproar over racially offensive Halloween costumes by Ramsey and his staff, a number of investigations over fraud and embezzlement, and criticism over Ramsey and his staff’s pay packages.
- While some remain in support of the president, others say the sheer pace of the scandal revelations points to a problem of leadership, especially considering the most recent fraud investigation includes an executive vice president who directly reports to the president.
Dive Insight:
There is much a university president does not control, but the general culture of an institution often comes down to a precedent set by its leadership. Ramsey is walking on thin ice that gets thinner every time a new scandal breaks. His impressive fundraising success since he took over in 2002 has helped him keep support of the board, and he is also credited with a number of other positives at the university over the last decade. The more controversies that plague his administration, however, may prompt ever more people in the university community to lose faith.
When it comes to instances of fraud, higher education is more vulnerable than other industries because of the open, collegial culture. Key steps for pre-empting it include internal financial controls and highly visible anti-fraud efforts.