Leaders Wanted! The Skills Expected and Needed for a Successful 21^st Century Historically Black College and University Presidency

Abstract

This study examines the 21st-century Historically Black College and University (HBCU) presidency. First, we gathered information on the skills needed for the 21st century HBCU president. Then, we examined the background of future HBCU presidents. Through an analysis and discussion of the responses of current HBCU presidents, trustees,1 and presidential search consultants, we determined what skills are pertinent for HBCU presidential hopefuls to attain. Lastly, we made recommendations, based on our findings, regarding the skills needed for HBCU presidential aspirants to not only reach the presidency but to perform well upon doing so.

Stories Untold: Counter-Narratives to Anti-Blackness and Deficit-Oriented Discourse Concerning HBCUs

“…This study seeks to better understand the modern contributions of HBCUs as described by their chief executive officers—HBCU presidents. Building on existing scholarship concerning the HBCU presidency (Freeman, Commodore, Gasman, & Carter, 2016; Freeman & Gasman, 2014; Gasman, 2011) and the contributions of larger, public land grant HBCUs (Esters & Strayhorn, 2013), this research focuses specifically on smaller, private HBCUs. Accordingly, this work expands the current literature concerning HBCUS and contributes to a more holistic understanding of this diverse group of institutions.…”

Understanding the Motivations of Future Minority Serving Institution Presidents

“…They found that HBCU presidents tend to be recycled -meaning they move from one institution to the next, and that fairly few new leaders secure presidencies. Moreover, they found that although grooming of future presidents takes place, it is not systematic in nature (Freeman and Gasman, 2016). Freeman et al (2016) interviewed HBCU presidents, asking them what they thought the essential skills needed to become a president were.…”

“…Moreover, they found that although grooming of future presidents takes place, it is not systematic in nature (Freeman and Gasman, 2016). Freeman et al (2016) interviewed HBCU presidents, asking them what they thought the essential skills needed to become a president were. The seven skills mentioned the most by study participants included: vision, communication, fundraising, a disposition toward entrepreneurship, the ability to understand and negotiate with faculty, board management, and the ability to collaborate.…”

“…Some aspiring leaders have witnessed a revolving door of presidents and see the damage it does to their campuses (Esters et al, 2016;Freeman & Gasman, 2014). They want to provide consistent leadership for MSIs as they see it as the key to the sustainability of these institutions (Freeman et al, 2016). An aspiring leader lamented: "I started watching our administration, and I watched a president pretty much get drummed out, and watched another president come in, and it is one of those moments when you say to yourself, I could do better than this, and you know, I did say to myself, are there certain things that they know that I don't know?…”

A qualitative case study of Spelman College's students' attitude toward Spelman College's transgender admissions and enrollment policy and its transgender and gender non-conforming students

“…Emerging scholarship on HBCUs examines more contemporary issues facing HBCU and their successes. There is a body of scholarship that examines the role of HBCUs presidents (e.g., Anderson et al, 2019;Freeman et al, 2016;Palmer & Freeman, 2019), since HBCUs president are often portrayed within scholarship and the Black community as symbolic figures. Some scholars even compare HBCUs presidents to that of leaders of Black Christian churches.…”