Dive Brief:
- The University of Wisconsin-Madison's Board of Regents wants to mandate that any college president comes from a tenured faculty track, ensuring an academic leader at the helm, but state legislators are advancing a bill that would disallow the board from doing so — a move that has led to backlash from professors, according to Inside Higher Ed.
- The Public Representation Organization of the Faculty Senate (PROFS) wrote a letter to the state's legislators, criticizing the content of the bill and also decrying the fact that it was kept under wraps, having been introduced the day it was approved and never discussed in conversation between PROFS and legislators.
- The potential legislation comes two years after the legislature voted to remove numerous tenure protections for professors in the public university system, a controversial provision that was included in budget language, and this bill would also be included in budgetary legislation if enacted.
Dive Insight:
Inside Higher Ed’s report notes that the percentage of college presidents hired from outside of academia has actually fallen, according to a report from the American Council on Education released last month. The news is complemented by a recent task force of college presidents, who encouraged leaders in the midst of their tenures to select and groom several qualified candidates from within the institution, introducing them to a leadership development track. The task force also considered it important for new presidents to work with school boards and administrators on a “first-year induction process,” illustrating a concern that presidents from outside the institution may face a more difficult situation becoming accustomed to the particularities of a certain college or university.
There are likely underlying political motivations behind the legislation currently being discussed in Wisconsin, but there are potential compromises to be struck between those who believe an academic background is essential and those who consider an outsider’s perspective to be vital. The typical college president’s perspective on what their job entails has extended to responsibilities far beyond being an academic leader, to include operational and fundraising responsibilities. If institutions could place more emphasis on offering professional development in-house on the aspects of the presidency that might not necessarily be strengthened within academia, it could lessen the concerns of those who want outsiders in the president’s chair.
Recently, department chairs reported they were seeking outside assistance in learning to fundraise, as they saw it as a stepping stone to the provost position and possibly to higher office. Institutions should consider harnessing that entrepreneurial approach on the part of educators by offering an in-house process and venue to develop those skills. Leadership development tracks like the ones touted by the task force could lead to diminished calls for college presidents from outside academia.