Devorah Lieberman

This book presents a fresh, realistic, and thought-provoking perspective on what it means to be a successful president in today’s destabilized higher education landscape. Drawing on the lived experiences of some of the most tested and respected college and university presidents of this century, this book illustrates how skilled leaders can transform domestic and international adversity into opportunity, regain lost confidence, and redeem themselves in the public eye. It explores seven critical danger zones for presidents while addressing the unique challenges faced by distinct institutional contexts. Features include practical tips for presidents and boards, compelling case studies of leaders who navigated potentially career-ending crises, and reflective questions designed to help readers connect lessons learned to their own lives and professional paths. While an essential resource for current and aspiring academic presidents, these insights will be of significant interest to trustees, instructors, and scholars of higher education administration.

This book presents a fresh, realistic, and thought-provoking perspective on what it means to be a successful president in today’s destabilized higher education landscape. Drawing on the lived experiences of some of the most tested and respected college and university presidents of this century, this book illustrates how skilled leaders can transform domestic and international adversity into opportunity, regain lost confidence, and redeem themselves in the public eye. It explores seven critical danger zones for presidents while addressing the unique challenges faced by distinct institutional contexts. Features include practical tips for presidents and boards, compelling case studies of leaders who navigated potentially career-ending crises, and reflective questions designed to help readers connect lessons learned to their own lives and professional paths. While an essential resource for current and aspiring academic presidents, these insights will be of significant interest to trustees, instructors, and scholars of higher education administration.

Presidents of institutions around the globe are facing challenges that have never before been encountered, or experienced, to this magnitude. This includes, but is not limited to: managing budgets during times of economic crises; imposed government policies that were nonexistent in prior years, shifting public trust in higher education, introductions of tools (e.g., AI) that are altering how institutions teach, how students learn, and the production and application of new knowledge. This book spotlights 13 university leaders from institutions across Australia, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Georgia, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. These institutions range from small to large, public to private, and nonprofit to for-profit. Readers who are current university presidents (or aspiring to be) will (1) read of the authors experiences as president, challenges they faced, introspection about their abilities, and (2) acquire tools they can immediately apply to their own situations/campuses/lives.

Presidents of institutions around the globe are facing challenges that have never before been encountered, or experienced, to this magnitude. This includes, but is not limited to: managing budgets during times of economic crises; imposed government policies that were nonexistent in prior years, shifting public trust in higher education, introductions of tools (e.g., AI) that are altering how institutions teach, how students learn, and the production and application of new knowledge. This book spotlights 13 university leaders from institutions across Australia, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Georgia, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. These institutions range from small to large, public to private, and nonprofit to for-profit. Readers who are current university presidents (or aspiring to be) will (1) read of the authors experiences as president, challenges they faced, introspection about their abilities, and (2) acquire tools they can immediately apply to their own situations/campuses/lives.