taught us anything, it is that higher education is navigating a complex inflection point— financial pressures, enrollment shifts, technological disruption, and evolving expectations of leadership. In this context, the artificial separation between interim and permanent leadership feels increasingly antiquated. Given that almost one-third of interims transition into permanent roles, often at the same institution, banks of institutional knowledge and proven leadership capacity are being overlooked due to an interim label. Recommendations for Governing Boards It is time for boards of trustees and search committees to rethink outdated assumptions. This includes: - Allowing interim leaders to be considered for permanent roles based on merit and institutional fit. - Recognizing the contributions of interim leaders as part of the
evaluative criteria for future leadership.
- Addressing implicit biases that disproportionately affect women, people of color, and nontraditional candidates in leadership pathways. - Understanding that in times of disruption, continuity and momentum often outweigh a ceremonial search process. Conclusion Higher education cannot afford to overlook effective leaders, regardless of how they arrive at the table. Interim presidents are not merely caretakers, they are often catalysts for change. If they are good enough to lead during crisis, they just might be good enough to stay.
position.
The Talent We Overlook Consider the example of Roz Brewer, appointed interim president at Spelman College in 2023. A globally recognized executive with leadership experience at Walgreens, Starbucks, and Sam’s Club, Brewer brought both operational excellence and cultural fluency to the role. Her appointment reflected a broader recognition of the transferable skills executive leaders bring to academia, particularly during times of disruption. Yet even with her pedigree, there was debate about whether an interim should be a contender for the permanent
Wider Trends in Leadership Transition This reliance on interim leadership coincides with increasingly unstable presidential tenures: average tenure dropped from 8.5 years in 2006 to just 5.9 years in 2022 (Wall Street Journal, 2024). Many elite institutions now intentionally appoint interims for multi-year periods, recognizing that experienced interim leaders can not only preserve stability but also drive institutional momentum.
Time for a Paradigm Shift If the past few years have
1 7 | HBCU TIMES FALL ISSUE 2025
Powered by FlippingBook