US study highlights need for wider leadership pool

Meet your average American college president: he's a 61-year-old married white man who has been in his current role for seven years and boasts a doctorate in education.

This profile, from 바카라사이트 American Council on Education (Ace) study The American College President 2012, highlights one of 바카라사이트 US sector's growing concerns: 바카라사이트 rising average age of its leadership cohort.

Bryan J. Cook, director of 바카라사이트 council's Center for Policy Analysis, said it could soon lead to problems for 바카라사이트 academy.

"The anticipated wave of retirements among college and university presidents is of great concern and may present challenges or even a temporary leadership shortage," he said.

Despite this, Dr Cook added that 바카라사이트 imminent loss of many presidents would present "a unique opportunity to diversify 바카라사이트 leadership of American higher education".

The report found that 바카라사이트 proportion of female presidents in 바카라사이트 sector had risen slightly since 2006, from 23 per cent to 26 per cent.

However, 바카라사이트 percentage of leaders from ethnic and racial minorities declined slightly, from 14 per cent to 13 per cent.

This number fell to 9 per cent when institutions more explicitly directed towards minority populations were removed from 바카라사이트 tally.

Molly Corbett Broad, president of Ace, said 바카라사이트 findings should remind 바카라사이트 sector about 바카라사이트 importance of "developing a more diverse pool" of college leaders.

"Leadership that is not only effective but (also) reflective of 바카라사이트 world around it will be key to managing 바카라사이트 challenges of today and 바카라사이트 unknown challenges of tomorrow," she said.

The study also found that 바카라사이트 number of administrators and business people leading universities had risen significantly.

The proportion of presidents who had come to 바카라사이트 role from outside academia rose from 13 per cent in 2006 to 20 per cent in 2011.

In addition, 30 per cent of presidents had never been an academic faculty member.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com.