Presidential Transitions: It's Not Just the Position It's the Transition (The Ace Series on Higher Education)

About this book

A presidential transition has a major impact on the life of an institution. Hundreds of presidential transitions take place annually and when they are not amicable and carefully orchestrated they can scar both the institution and the president. Sanaghan Goldstein and Gaval estimate that more than one-third of the presidential transitions in higher education are involuntary and have a negative effect on the institution. This book is designed to provide assistance to presidents trustees faculty and other important stakeholder groups and help them avoid the pitfalls of poorly managed transitions. The authors discuss how with proper planning care and execution this presidential passage can be an opportunity for a transitioning president and those who surround him or her to write a positive chapter in the campus history. Readers will discover that appropriately addressing the anxiety that accompanies major transitionsfor both those joining the institution and those already presentis essential. Dozens of presidents chancellors board members and other senior executives were interviewed for this book. Each major chapter includes selected personal observations from these interviews which illustrate the critical issues addressed in the book.