The recent resignation and hasty departure of Gene R. Nichol as president of the College of William and Mary has prompted the usual round of speculation about the state of the college presidency. Why do certain circumstances doom well-intentioned people and their presidencies? What determines success and wards off failure? Two intertwined…

In this article, the author notes that an academic institution is essentially a political, not a corporate, system, and that its leader is more akin to the president of the United States than to a corporate chief executive. This is in spite of the argument, particularly when defending the compensation of college presidents, that leading an…

The author, recently retired from a university presidency, offers some lessons he has learned concerning the elusive quality called leadership: (1) Academic bureaucrats at all levels need luck in generous quantities; (2) Try to know as much as possible about your institution; and (3) Administration requires patience. He draws on personal stories…

A gentleman does not steal horses, spit food across the table, or pee on peoples' shoes. By that definition, John "Bluto" Blutarsky is not a gentleman, but something more extraordinary. The fictional antihero of "National Lampoon's Animal House," Bluto is a slovenly symbol of irreverence, a bloated personification of the id. Bored by the past and…

Describes how the number two officials at many higher education institutions are taking on a bigger role than ever before. (EV)

In this article, the author presents Roger W. Bowen who was a president of the State University of New York at New Paltz, in 1996 and now a general secretary of the American Association of University Professors, that he gave almost no thought to the annual salary of $108,000. Here, his experience as an underpaid president, is familiar to governing…

In an interview, Gerald L. Baliles, a former Democratic governor of Virginia, talked about how the job of college president has changed over the years. Baliles said that a president must be many things to many people: leader of the academic community, chief executive of the business enterprise, the spokesperson, the fundraiser, the advocate for…

The job of a college or university planned-giving officer is to seek gifts that the college will receive after the donor's death. It requires substantial interpersonal skills, legal and financial knowledge, and understanding of donor attitudes. While dealing with potential donors requires great tact, the gifts are often substantial. (MSE)

After accepting the presidency of the College of Wooster (Ohio), a highly-qualified and respected woman withdrew the day before taking office in the wake of rumors about a long-term relationship with another woman. Concern within the college community about the situation centers on two issues: homophobia and privacy for administrators. (MSE)

Data for administrators in 61 secondary administrative positions are given for universities, four-year colleges, public two-year colleges, and all institutions as a group. (MSE)

The University of Miami developed its debt-ridden intercollegiate baseball program into a source of substantial income and visibility, as better players and aggressive marketing helped with the increased attendance and support. Other institutions, even in more northern climates, are following Miami's example. (MSE)

Common threads have emerged in recent faculty-president disputes, reflecting a widening gulf between faculty eager to increase their influence and administrators under pressure from a variety of constituents to raise money, improve academic quality, control tuition costs, and maintain enrollment. (Author/MSE)

The growth of computer use into all areas of academic institutions has broadened and complicated the computer operations manager's job and has brought institution-wide management responsibilities, requiring more professional development in managerial skills. (MSE)

College purchasing officers need to dispel their image as penny-pinchers looking for the low bid and purveyors of paperwork who keep employees from the products they want. With competitive bidding and consortium buying, universities have realized significant savings. (MLW)

College deans, formerly responsible mainly for academic issues and liaison between faculty and administration, are increasingly charged with cultivating potential donors, particularly at state institutions in states where public funding has remained flat and institutions are engaged in multi-year capital campaigns. Deans are well positioned to…