University of Minnesota, other colleges will face tough competition in search for new presidents

Minnesota colleges will be facing intense competition when they search for new leaders in the coming year, as pandemic fatigue, political tensions and other stressors contribute to turnover at universities across the nation.

Four of the state's public schools — including the University of Minnesota — will be searching for new presidents in 2024, as will a smattering of private schools. The trustees and regents who oversee the high-profile hires acknowledge it's one of the most important tasks they'll undertake.

"This is a consequential conversation, a consequential moment for the university," said Mike Kenyanya, co-vice chair of the U's Board of Regents.

The Chronicle of Higher Education, one of most popular places for colleges to post jobs, had listings for 130 presidents, chancellors and vice presidents this month. Data from education groups suggest there could be more vacancies coming. More than half of presidents surveyed by the American Council on Education said they expect to step down within five years.

"Presidents are fatigued," said Judith Wilde, a research professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, whose work has focused in part on presidential searches.

Wilde said presidents are reporting higher levels of stress after years responding to the coronavirus pandemic and enrollment drops that are exacerbating financial challenges. Presidents in some states with Republican majorities, such as Texas and Florida, also face new legal restrictions on what they can teach and bans on diversity programs. And campus leaders are facing scrutiny amid the Israel-Hamas war, as complaints about antisemitism and Islamophobia rise.

Wilde said the nature of the job is changing, with presidents expected to spend a larger amount of time with donors, and that an increasing number of searches are resulting in "failed presidencies."

"We don't necessarily mean they were bad presidents, what we mean is they didn't last more than about two years," Wilde said, adding that often occurred because the candidates weren't vetted thoroughly enough by search firms to ensure they were a good match.

As they attempt to stand out in a crowded field, the leaders of Minnesota's colleges and universities are likely to tout the state's support for higher education, including recent investments in programs offering free tuition to some students. And they'll be hoping the difference in their missions will keep them from competing against other each other.

"I would be surprised if there were overlaps in terms of who wanted to be the president of the University of Minnesota and who wanted to be the president of Winona State [University]," said Scott Olson, chancellor of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities.

Regent Mary Davenport, who chairs the U's 24-member presidential search advisory committee, plans to spend the coming weeks trying to pitch candidates on the idea that "this is the best job out there." She expects the U will face competition from other large research universities as it narrows the field down to two to four finalists.

Those finalists will appear at public forums on the system's five campuses before the board aims to select its next president in late February.

Olson will recommend candidates for three president jobs — a long-term president for Winona State University and interim leaders for St. Cloud State University and Northland Community and Technical College.

He's searching for two interim leaders because, "in the very competitive pool for national talent, it's better if you're the first off the starting blocks and not late to the race. Starting a search as late as this would mean that we weren't really catching the big wave of folks interested in the presidency."

Students and staff at Northland Community and Technical College, which has campuses in East Grand Forks and Thief River Falls, told him they want someone who understands the culture of northwestern Minnesota. For St. Cloud State, Olson said he's likely to recommend an interim candidate from within the system who can serve a two-year term, a length he acknowledged was "a bit unusual."

"We thought it would be helpful to have somebody with their hand on the tiller for a couple of years, just to keep it steady," Olson said.

State law shields most information about applicants — unless they are named finalists — so much of the public college hiring process unfolds in private.

Finalists often have public interviews that Olson compares to a marathon.

"You're in for two solid days, from the crack of dawn, every meal, up until 10 o'clock at night," he said. "They're wanting to see, in part: have you got the energy and the stamina to be outward facing and inward facing with all those different groups that want part of your time."

Presidents frequently meet with students, faculty and alumni who have strong opinions on everything from university traditions to curriculum to athletics. They're the face of universities increasingly caught in cultural conflicts, including debates over free speech and how to foster diversity on campus. They're also expected to make funding pitches to donors and state and federal lawmakers, whose debates can get heated and divide along political lines.

Finding someone who can balance those competing concerns can be "quite complex," said St. Olaf College Regent Stephanie Fehr, who led that school's search earlier this year.

Unlike a corporate search, Fehr said, "I think this is a search that is special to so many people because there is such a history of allegiance and loyalty to this educational institution."