🎓 Unpacking the US Higher Education Leadership Crisis

In recent years, American higher education has faced mounting challenges, from declining enrollment and budget shortfalls to intense political scrutiny and campus unrest. At the heart of many institutional struggles lies a deepening leadership crisis, particularly at the presidential level. University presidents, tasked with steering massive organizations through turbulent times, are increasingly falling short, leading to rapid turnover, eroded trust, and stalled progress. A poignant Michigan analysis underscores this national issue, spotlighting failures in presidential stewardship that have left flagship institutions like the University of Michigan in disarray.

Presidential stewardship refers to the responsible management of a university's core mission: fostering student success, advancing research, upholding academic freedom, and ensuring fiscal health while serving diverse stakeholders including faculty, students, alumni, donors, and taxpayers. When presidents prioritize short-term optics or external pressures over these fundamentals, the consequences ripple across campuses. Nationally, average presidential tenures have shrunk to around eight years, with many ending abruptly due to scandals, policy missteps, or failure to deliver results. In Michigan, this crisis manifests starkly, offering a microcosm of broader US trends in higher education leadership.

The stakes are high. Public universities like those in Michigan educate hundreds of thousands, fueling the state's economy with skilled graduates and groundbreaking research. Yet, repeated leadership failures undermine these goals, prompting questions about board hiring practices and the qualities needed in modern presidents.

Michigan's Spotlight: University of Michigan Presidential Turnover Saga

The University of Michigan (UM), one of the nation's top public research universities, exemplifies the turmoil. Over the past decade, it has cycled through five presidents, an unprecedented rate that has disrupted strategic planning and strained relationships. This turnover began with Mark Schlissel's presidency from 2014 to 2022, which ended amid scandal when he was ousted for an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. Such personal misconduct not only violated ethical standards but also diverted attention from pressing issues like pandemic response and campus equity.

Santa Ono succeeded him in 2022, serving just under three years until May 2025. Ono's tenure was marked by inconsistency, earning him the moniker 'weathervane Ono' for shifting stances on key issues. Initially a proponent of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, he later shuttered central DEI offices in response to federal executive orders under the Trump administration. His handling of pro-Palestinian protests drew bipartisan ire: critics accused him of using plainclothes officers excessively and disciplining faculty protesters, raising concerns over academic freedom and free speech. When Ono pursued the University of Florida presidency, Florida regents rejected him amid these controversies, forcing UM into another interim phase under Domenico Grasso.

In January 2026, the UM Board of Regents appointed Kent Syverud, a 'double Wolverine' alumnus and former faculty member, as the 16th president, effective mid-2026. Syverud's 12-year success at Syracuse University—eliminating $440 million in debt, doubling the endowment to over $2 billion, and securing major investments—positions him as a steward focused on stability. Yet, his arrival highlights the crisis: rushed searches, faculty frustration over limited input, and lingering tensions from prior regimes.

Michigan State University (MSU) mirrors these woes. Recent budget cuts eliminated over 150 positions and $104 million, with President Kevin M. Guskiewicz facing backlash for financial mismanagement amid federal funding squeezes. These examples from Michigan's public flagships illustrate how presidential instability hampers long-term vision.

📊 Root Causes of Presidential Failures in Stewardship

Failures in presidential stewardship often stem from a mix of personal lapses, strategic missteps, and systemic pressures. Scandals, like Schlissel's, erode credibility overnight. Political flip-flopping, as seen with Ono, alienates stakeholders: supporting DEI then dismantling it signals opportunism rather than principled leadership.

• Mismanagement of Campus Unrest: Protests over issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict test presidents' ability to balance safety, free speech, and academic freedom. Overly aggressive responses, such as undercover policing, invite lawsuits and donor flight.
• Budget Deficits and Fiscal Opacity: Many inherit fiscal woes but exacerbate them through unchecked spending or failed enrollment strategies. MSU's recent cuts reflect broader trends where state funding stagnates while costs rise.
• Inadequate Experience: Shockingly, 74% of college presidents lack prior presidential experience, often hired with just a doctorate rather than proven faculty leadership or administrative track records. Boards, frequently comprising unpaid volunteers without higher ed expertise, favor 'transformers' over steady stewards.
• Political and Donor Pressures: Post-2024 election shifts, including anti-DEI mandates and visa restrictions, force reactive decisions, undermining institutional autonomy.

According to performance analyses, low-performing presidents oversee graduation rate drops of over 1% annually, widening access gaps for underrepresented minorities (URM) and low-income students via Pell Grants, and net tuition hikes exceeding $1,000 yearly after inflation. Michigan cases, like Eastern Michigan's Susan Martin seeing URM shares fall from 41% to 32%, underscore these metrics.

Stewardship vs. Disruption: Rethinking Presidential Hiring

Stewardship embodies returning to first principles: prioritizing rigorous curricula, faculty support, student scaffolding for success, knowledge generation, and transparent budgets. Disruptors, conversely, chase headlines with business-like overhauls—pushing unproven online programs or slashing admissions standards—often at education's expense.

Boards err by deeming competence 'boring.' Successful stewards like LaSalle University's Daniel J. Allen retooled enrollment and aid without gimmicks, declaring, “There’s no magic, shiny new toy; we’re going to run a really good university.” Evergreen State College's John Carmichael rebuilt post-2017 unrest through faculty-led recruitment and curriculum refresh, reversing enrollment plunges.

In Michigan, Syverud exemplifies stewardship: his Syracuse feats emphasize student outcomes, research, and pride. For those eyeing higher ed executive jobs, cultivate these traits—emotional intelligence, academic roots, and mission fidelity.

Success Stories Offering Hope Amid the Crisis

Not all presidencies falter. Michigan's own Ora Pescovitz at Oakland University boosted graduation rates by nearly 2% yearly and federal aid access dramatically, ranking top-tier in national metrics. Wayne State's M. Roy Wilson elevated retention and graduation, proving mid-tier institutions can thrive under steady leadership.

Nationally, 'superstar' presidents at University of Massachusetts Lowell and Missouri S&T slashed costs post-inflation, grew URM enrollment over 3% yearly, and lifted graduation by 2.5%+. These leaders, often from non-elite backgrounds, used data-driven accountability. Performance rankings reveal average presidents yield modest gains—0.5% in graduation and URM shares—but outliers transform trajectories.

📈 Broader Impacts: From Campuses to Economies

Leadership vacuums inflict deep wounds. At UM, turnover halted initiatives on affordability and research amid Big Ten shifts and NIL deals. MSU's cuts hit 1.3% of staff, straining programs. Students suffer: unstable leadership correlates with enrollment dips, higher dropout risks, and questioned value amid soaring tuitions ($15,000-$60,000 yearly).

Faculty morale plummets, academic freedom erodes, and donors hesitate. Economically, Michigan's 15 public universities produce innovators; instability threatens workforce pipelines in auto, tech, and health. For aspiring leaders, explore higher ed career advice to navigate these dynamics.

Actionable Paths Forward for Stronger Stewardship

• Boards: Prioritize Experience. Mandate prior faculty/admin roles; involve faculty in searches.
• Presidents: Anchor in Mission. Use metrics like graduation rates, net costs, URM/Pell access for transparency. For more on evaluation, see this detailed report.
• Stakeholders: Demand Accountability. Faculty senates push performance plans; alumni advocate via rate my professor platforms.
• Future Leaders: Build Resilience. Gain broad experience; study cases like Syverud's debt elimination.
• Institutions: Succession Planning. Develop internal pipelines to avert crises.

Michigan's recent analysis by climate scientist Figen Mekik calls for stewardship triumph, urging boards nationwide to follow UM's pivot to Syverud.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Looking Ahead: Rebuilding Trust in Higher Ed Leadership

Michigan's saga signals hope if lessons stick. As Syverud steps in, focusing on student success amid DEI debates, Title VI compliance, and affordability, he could model recovery. Prospective admins, check university jobs and higher ed jobs for stewardship roles. Share your views in comments, rate experiences on Rate My Professor, and explore career advice or post a job to strengthen the sector. With principled leadership, US higher ed can reclaim its promise.