Sixty-one percent of presidents come from senior administrative positions within higher education. These senior leaders are, as a group, younger than presidents and more likely to be women. Currently, only 16 percent of all senior campus administrators are people of color compared to 45 percent of women.
“The higher education community must develop more comprehensive talent management strategies to increase the diversity of college and university workforce, particularly at the senior leadership level,” said Andy Brantly, chief executive officer of College and University Professional Association of Human Resources, the organization that co-sponsored the study.
Expanding the number of minority college presidents will likely require increasing the number of people entering faculty positions.
Researchers say small but significant pools of potential candidates exist among Asian Americans at doctoral-granting institutions, African Americans at master’s and baccalaureate institutions, and Hispanics at community colleges.
“We must continue to see an increase of minority representation at doctoral-granting institutions and at institutions of all types,” said Brantley.
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