This chapter reflects on how the Michigan Center for Student Success (MCSS) has leveraged its position within a membership organization for community college presidents and trustees to engage in statewide student success efforts in a state with a unique higher education governance structure. With no formal higher education governing body to set…

According to John Carver (1990), no single relationship in an organization is as important as that between the board and its chief executive officer. That relationship, well-conceived, can set the stage for effective governance and leadership. However, the line between governance and administration in community colleges is not always as clear as…

While the extant literature related to firm financial performance and chief officer turnover is extensive in the for-profit literature, less is known about this relationship in the nonprofit setting, particularly universities. Further, the moderating role of corporate governance on performance -- turnover sensitivity has not been studied in the…

The purpose of this experimental research study is to garner systematic dynamics and governance understanding of what prohibited and subsequently advanced women's considerations to obtain a presidential appointment at historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) across the United States from 2020 through 2023; and why those appointments…

Individual trustees are often looking for different qualities in a community college president, and it can be challenging for a diverse group of stakeholders to agree on what they want. Boards that function most effectively work together to establish a clear set of criteria at the outset of the hiring process, and they share this list with…

Women are underrepresented as college and university (school) presidents and currently hold about 30% of school presidencies. In 2014, the American Council on Education (ACE) launched an initiative to achieve gender parity among U.S. school presidencies by 2030. To support this initiative, Dr. Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association…

With the decrease in enrollment and increase in cost over the past decade, private colleges and universities have experienced financial hurdles, requiring the need to raise private funds. The financial viability of these colleges and universities depends upon the ability of university presidents to raise money. However, challenges must be overcome…

This study explored how a community college president used strategic planning concepts to advance an institution's completion agenda initiatives. The research method was a qualitative single case study design. Keller's (1983) academic strategy served as the conceptual framework to conduct the investigation. Four research questions guided the…

In 1988, members of the American deaf community protested the appointment of a hearing person as the president of Gallaudet University, the world's only university for deaf and hard of hearing students. After a week of protest, the university's board of trustees capitulated and bowed to all the protester's demands. As the protesters engaged in a…

Sexual violence is a serious problem demanding attention in higher education. Neoliberalism, which is ubiquitous in higher education, may appear as an effective guiding philosophy for institutional leaders but falls short when it comes to preventing and responding to sexual violence. Using Michigan State University (MSU) as a case, we, graduates…

This report concerns actions taken by Linfield University to terminate Dr. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a tenured professor of English with ten years of full-time service. The Linfield administration has fully acknowledged that it declined to afford Professor Pollack-Pelzner a dismissal procedure. It has also stated that it dismissed Professor…

The purpose of this qualitative single-instrument case study was to explore how leadership styles and funding knowledge impact presidential turnover as experienced by trustees and senior-level administrators using a rural member college of the North Carolina Community College System as the setting. The central question of this study was, how do…

After recounting the historical circumstances of the establishment of independent boards at Catholic colleges and universities, this paper considers the present conditions of boards at six Holy Cross institutions. Interviews and correspondence with the presidents of these institutions provided answers to a number of questions, including: How are…

The college and university presidency is one of the most coveted positions in academe. Due to the projected retirements of current Historically Black College and University (HBCU) presidents, the researchers interviewed 21 current presidents, institutional board members, and presidential search firm personnel to explore what current HBCU…

This study aimed to discover how trust is established during the decision-making processes of boards of trustees at private historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This study also aimed to address if and how board composition and individual board members' value systems play a role in the decision-making process and work of the board.…