Presidential turnover: How to plan for the inevitable

Presidential turnover is an inevitable part of life on any college campus and yet institutions are often unprepared for changes in leadership and the disruption that change will bring.

There are significant financial, operational and reputational risks associated with presidential transitions, especially given the existential challenges facing colleges and universities today. Demographic trends, financial pressures, price sensitivity and political protests are among the many factors making life on a college campus more challenging than ever before.

In this high stakes environment, tuition-dependent institutions, in particular, can ill afford the loss of momentum or revenue that can accompany an unexpected change in leadership. If managed well, however, the presidential transition can be both productive and positive for the institution.

As wonderful as the outgoing president may have been, they invariably had blind spots or deficits. The transition period can be an opportune time to identify and address those issues. With that in mind, here are recommendations for governing boards and senior leadership teams to help them prepare for and make the most of a presidential transition:

Recommendations for board members

1. Expect the unexpected. With the tenure of a college president growing ever shorter—5.9 years according to the latest American College President Study—it’s likely there will be a presidential transition during your time on the board. Work with fellow board members to develop a contingency plan in case of a sudden change in leadership. Business continuity and succession planning for all cabinet members should be part of your institution’s risk mitigation strategy.
2. Engage the senior leadership team. Regular communication with senior team members is a good practice in general but especially when a presidential departure is anticipated. Direct interactions with the senior team will give the board valuable insights on potential challenges and can help maintain stability within the cabinet. Additionally, this is an important opportunity for the board to evaluate the extent of its reliance on the president as the primary conduit for communication with key stakeholders. Strengthening direct lines of communication with the senior team will enhance institutional resilience and support a smoother transition.
3. Consider an interim presidency. Interim periods give institutions time to take stock of the current state of affairs and address any urgent issues. Doing so will allow the next president to fully focus on moving the institution forward rather than dealing with baggage from a prior administration. Interim periods also help ensure alignment between institutional needs and candidate strengths during the presidential search process.

Recommendations for senior leadership teams

1. Educate the board. Before, during and after a presidential transition, board members are called upon to make decisions that require a fairly sophisticated level of knowledge and understanding about the institution and how it operates. Be ready to share your expertise as well as your candid feedback about what the institution needs most in a future leader.
2. Calm the troops. Leadership transitions are unsettling for everyone on campus. Faculty and staff need reassurance that the institution is in good hands and their contributions are more important than ever. Retention of top talent is key during a transition period.
3. Keep an open mind. Senior leadership should actively seek and consider diverse viewpoints from faculty, staff, students and the board regarding university issues, particularly during the presidential transition. Encouraging open dialogue and valuing different perspectives can strengthen decision-making, enhance morale and drive creative problem-solving. By prioritizing inclusive and transparent discussions before the new president takes office, leadership can ensure a smooth transition that keeps critical issues at the forefront while reinforcing trust and collaboration across the university.

Much like packing for a trip, planning for a presidential transition is most successful when done with forethought and a clear understanding of the destination. That means creating space for annual discussions at the board level around what will happen when (not if) the current president leaves office.

It means engaging key stakeholders across the institution to encourage open dialogue and build trust before, during and after the transition period. And it means investing in succession planning at multiple levels, recognizing that presidential turnover can have a ripple effect.

Rick Legon, former president of the Association of Governing Boards, summed it up well when asked about governance turmoil at Michigan State University: “Being a member of a board is not easy. It requires real engagement. It requires awareness. It requires curiosity as a group, as an entity, and as a fiduciary body.”

Engagement, awareness and curiosity are key elements of any successful governing team. The bottom line is that boards and senior leadership teams would be wise to heed that call to action and develop a cohesive plan of action before a president leaves office. Doing so will help to build institutional resilience at a pivotal time while safeguarding the future of the institution in their charge.

References

1. Douglas Belkin, “Why Americans Have Lost Faith in Colleges,” The Wall Street Journal (January 19, 2024).

2. American Council on Education, “The American College President: 2023 Edition” (April 14, 2023).

3. Kristin R. Tichenor, “No Leadership Lull: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Interim Presidency” (PhD diss., University of Pennsylvania, 2019), ProQuest (13897887).

4. Raafat Mahmoud Zaini et al., “Organizational Dissent Dynamics in Universities: Simulations with a System Dynamics Model,” Management Communication Quarterly 33 no. 3(2019): 419–50.

5. Rick Seltzer, “Trustees Take Heat,” Inside Higher Ed (January 28, 2018).