Small Men on Campus: Modern University Presidents

Abstract

Modern university presidents lack the stature and standing their predecessors enjoyed, or so it appears. Critics and defenders alike--even presidents and former presidents--seem to agree with this proposition, albeit for different reasons. Critics note that presidents today exhibit a career orientation, moving frequently from institution to institution, with the result that presidential tenure continues to decline at a relatively rapid pace. Given these increasingly brief terms, it should not cause surprise that presidents find it difficult to accomplish or even to define agendas. In addition, the critics claim that modern presidents either lack the authority or will to accomplish much of substance or that they avoid controversial issues both on and off campus. However, few commentators have conducted careful comparisons of earlier and modern presidents to establish the validity of the claim about the “shrinking college president.” This article seeks to evaluate the claim in a comparative and analytical context and to suggest a revised interpretation. Modern presidents tend to focus on their institutions rather than on higher education in general, by way of contrast to earlier presidents; and they spend more time on campus rather than on general societal concerns. That difference, however, appears to be dissipating because of new developments and new needs within the society at large.