The American
College President
2023 EDITION
The American College President:
2023 Edition
Past Editions of the American College President Study
The American College President: A Contemporary Prole
(1988)
Madeleine F. Green
Survey Administered: 1986
The American College President: A 1993 Edition
Marlene Ross, Madeleine F. Green, and Cathy Henderson
Survey Administered: 1987–90
The American College President: A 1998 Edition
Marlene Ross and Madeleine F. Green
Survey Administered: 1991–95
The American College President: 2000 Edition
Marlene Ross and Madeleine F. Green
Survey Administered: 1998–99
The American College President: 2002 Edition
Melanie E. Corrigan
Survey Administered: 2001
The American College President: 2007 Edition (20th Anniversary)
Center for Policy Analysis
Survey Administered: 2006
The American College President 2012
Center for Policy Analysis
Survey Administered: 2011
American College President Study 2017
Jonathan S. Gagliardi, Lorelle L. Espinosa, Jonathan M. Turk, and Morgan Taylor
Survey Administered: 2016
The American College President:
2023 Edition
Danielle Melidona
Analyst
Benjamin G. Cecil
Associate Analyst
Alexander Cassell
Research Associate
Hollie M. Chessman
Director, Practice and Research
AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT STUDY
The American Council on Education (ACE) produced the American College President Study (ACPS)—the
most comprehensive, in-depth, and frequently cited source of information about the college president—
and its related material, with generous support from the TIAA Institute.
The American College
President: 2023 Edition
is the ninth iteration of ACPS, and the data it presents provide a comprehensive
view of the demographics, challenges, and experiences of college presidents, helping all stakeholders
gain a holistic understanding of higher education leadership and better reect on ways to diversify the
presidency. More information about ACPS can be found at acenet.edu/acps.
TIAA INSTITUTE
The TIAA Institute helps advance the ways individuals and institutions plan for nancial security and
organizational effectiveness. The Institute conducts in-depth research, provides access to a network of
thought leaders, and enables those it serves to anticipate trends, plan future strategies, and maximize
opportunities for success. To learn more, visit tiaainstitute.org.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION
The American Council on Education (ACE), the major coordinating body and convener for all of
the nation’s higher education institutions, provides leadership and a unifying voice on key higher
education issues and inuences public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives. To
learn more, visit acenet.edu.
ACE and the American Council on Education are registered marks of the American Council on Education and may not
be used or reproduced without the express written permission of ACE.
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One Dupont Circle NW
Washington, DC 20036
© 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
American
Council on
Education
Suggested citation: Melidona, Danielle, Benjamin G. Cecil, Alexander Cassell, and Hollie M. Chessman. 2023.
The American College President: 2023 Edition. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.
Contents
Foreword ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... viii
Acknowledgments .........................................................................................................................................................................................ix
Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................................xi
Chapter One: Introduction and Methodology .......................................................................................................................................1
Chapter Two: The Summary Prole .........................................................................................................................................................6
Chapter Three: Prole of Women Presidents .....................................................................................................................................16
Chapter Four: Prole of Presidents of Color .......................................................................................................................................24
Appendix A: 2022 American College President Survey Instrument ........................................................................................33
Appendix B: Supplementary Tables .......................................................................................................................................................57
Appendix C: Characteristics of Presidents, by Carnegie Classication, 2022 and 2016 ....................................................61
Appendix D: Characteristics of Presidents, by Gender and Race and Ethnicity, 2022 and 2016...................................80
References ........................................................................................................................................................................................................99
vi THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Tables and Figures
Table 1.1. Summary of Overall Responses, by Carnegie Classication: 2022 .......................................................................... 3
Table 1.2. Survey Respondents, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ....................................................................................................... 4
Table 1.3. Survey Respondents, by Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ................................................................................5
Figure 2.1. Race and Ethnicity and Gender Distribution of Survey Respondents: 2022 ..................................................... 7
Figure 2.2. Gender Identity: Selected Years, 2006–2022 .................................................................................................................. 7
Table 2.1. Average Age: Selected Years, 2006–2022 ........................................................................................................................... 8
Figure 2.3. Average Time in Current Presidential Position, in Years: Selected Years, 2006–2022 ................................ 8
Figure 2.4. Career Paths of Presidents, by Carnegie Classication, Weighted: 2022 ........................................................... 9
Table 2.2. Highest Degree Earned: 2022 .................................................................................................................................................10
Table 2.3. Average Age of First Presidential Aspiration, Application, and Appointment,
by Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ..............................................................................................................................................10
Figure 2.5. Perception of Disclosures Within the Search Process: 2022 and 2016 ............................................................... 11
Figure 2.6. Marital Status, by Gender: 2022 ..........................................................................................................................................12
Table 2.4. Frequency of Reported Career Alterations: 2022 .........................................................................................................12
Figure 2.7. Anticipated Time Frame of Stepping Down from Current Position, Weighted: 2022 ..................................13
Figure 3.1. Distribution of Presidencies Held by Women: Selected Years, 1986–2022 .......................................................17
Table 3.1. Distribution of Women Across the Entire Sample, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ..............................................18
Table 3.2. Representation Among Women Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ........................................................18
Table 3.3. Presidents, by Gender and Carnegie Classication: 2022 ..........................................................................................19
Table 3.4. Average Age of First Presidential Aspiration, Application, and Appointment,
by Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ..............................................................................................................................................19
Figure 3.2. Career Paths of Presidents, by Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ..............................................................20
Table 3.5. Perception of Disclosures Within the Search Process, by Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ............21
Table 4.1. Distribution of Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2011, 2016, and 2022 ....................................25
Table 4.2. Distribution of Presidents, Within Gender, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ...........................................................26
Table 4.3. Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity and Carnegie Classication: 2022 ................................................................26
Figure 4.1. Anticipated Time of Stepping Down from Current Position for Presidents of Color,
by Gender: 2022 ..............................................................................................................................................................................................27
Table 4.4. Next Steps for Presidents of Color Planning to Step Down, by Gender: 2022 ...................................................28
Table 4.5. Perception of Disclosures Within the Search Process, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ....................................29
Figure 4.2. Support Systems for Presidents of Color Compared with White Presidents: 2022 .....................................30
Table 4.6. Survey Respondents, by Race and Ethnicity: 2011, 2016, and 2022 ........................................................................31
Table B.1. Latino Presidents, by Hispanic Origin: 2022 ...................................................................................................................57
Table B.2. Average Age of Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ........................................................................................57
Table B.3. Presidents, by Religious Afliation: 2022 ........................................................................................................................ 57
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION vii
Table B.4. Perceived Board Support, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022 ....................................................................58
Table B.5. Perceived Faculty Support, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022 ...............................................................58
Table B.6. How Presidents Are Addressing Racial Justice Issues, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022 ......... 58
Table B.7. Frequency of Reported Career Alterations, by Gender: 2022 .................................................................................58
Table B.8. Top Stakeholders Consulted Before Assuming Current Presidency, by Race and Gender: 2022 .............59
Table B.9. Career Path of Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022 ..................................................................59
Table B.10. Average Age of Presidential Aspiration, Application, and Appointment,
by Race and Ethnicity: 2022 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Table B.11. Presidents’ Reported Search Process Disclosures, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022..................59
Table B.12. Percentage of Leadership at Minority Serving Institutions, by Race
and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022 ..............................................................................................................................................................60
viii THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Foreword
The American Council on Education (ACE), with generous sponsorship from the TIAA Institute, presents
The American College President: 2023 Edition
. The American College President Study (ACPS) and its
corresponding reports have been the most comprehensive and frequently cited source of information
on the college presidency across the spectrum of American higher education since ACPS’s inception
in 1986. The 2023 edition contains proles of current American college presidents and insights about
contributing factors and implications for their leadership. Notably, the postsecondary sector and its
leaders faced signicant challenges during the period between the last administration of the survey in
2017 and the 2022 American College President Survey.
Although the landscape surrounding the sector has changed, the proles of its leaders have not
changed nearly as substantially. Most presidents remain older, White, and male. While the needle has
moved slightly for women and people of color in the presidency, these shifts remain localized and
isolated—far from ushering in the necessary systemic transformation to achieve parity and equity at
the highest level of postsecondary leadership. At a time when the sector is simultaneously managing
complex issues such as ongoing fallout from COVID-19, social injustice, troubling demographic trends,
and declining public trust in higher education, diverse leadership is essential to addressing the
challenges and opportunities ahead.
Governing boards, search committees, professional associations, current and former presidents, search
rms, and other higher education stakeholders are essential partners for achieving parity and equity
in the presidency. In this edition, we are proud to highlight important data around women presidents
and presidents of color and the experiences they have working in higher education—and to call
attention to areas where improvement is needed. Throughout the report, we invite higher education’s
key stakeholders to motivate and support the crucial progress that must be made to diversify the
presidency by gender, race, and ethnicity.
We hope you nd the 2023 edition informative, insightful, and provocative. As ACE and TIAA continue
to foster dialogue about the study’s ndings, we look forward to engaging you in the positive changes
that are essential to the growth and ongoing success of the American higher education sector.
Ted Mitchell
President
American Council on Education
Thasunda Brown Duckett
President and Chief Executive Ofcer
TIAA
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION ix
Acknowledgments
This report would not be possible without all the people who contributed to it over the course of the 18
months it was in the making, and on behalf of ACE, I would like to express my gratitude to all of them.
Many thanks to Hollie M. Chessman, who served as the co-principal investigator and led the project
team, which included Danielle Melidona, Benjamin G. Cecil, Liz Howard, and Alexander Cassell as its
core members. This report is the result of their hard work, as well as that of many current and former
ACE staff members and external partners.
The involvement and contributions of ACE staff are a testament to ACE’s work as one team. Many
thanks to Bri Clark, Jane Kim, Tabatha Cruz, Alyssa Stefanese Yates, Morgan Taylor, and Maria Claudia
Soler in ACE’s Education Futures Lab. My sincere gratitude goes to many current and former ACE
colleagues and consultants: Gailda Pitre Davis, Sarah Zogby, Ally Hammond, Lindsay Macdonald,
Stefanie Klett, Daisril Richards, Mike Knott, Vanessa Resler, Ursula Gross, Laurie Arnston, Audrey
Hamilton, Robin Matross Helms, Louis Soares, Bill Setzer, April Fehling, Abigail Seaver Caraveo, J’Nai
Baylor, Abby Del Bene, Matthew Carroll, Carrie Soults, Lauren Pais, Jennifer Adams, Mark Davis,
Bathsheba Philpott, Hunter Bowling, Malcolm Moore, Anthony Trueheart, and Zenitta Anderson.
The project also beneted greatly from Ashley Gray, a former senior analyst at ACE, and her work in
the planning and early phases of this project. I value her insights and partnership in developing the
agship survey and organizing the project advisory panel.
I would also like to extend my appreciation to the TIAA Institute for its generous support of this project, as
well as to Anne Ollen, head of programs and operations at TIAA Institute, for her support and insights.
I am deeply appreciative to Kenya Ayers-Palmore, Karla Bird, Roslyn Clark Artis, Pamela Eddy, Leslie
Gonzales, Marvin Krislov, Judy K. Sakaki, Yves Solomon-Fernández, and Gloria D. Thomas for their
counsel and engagement in ACPS through the project’s advisory panel. Likewise, I am thankful to
association colleagues Hal Hartley, Lesley McBain, Magdalena Punty, Jason Rivera, and Andrea Silbert
for providing their insights and feedback on the project’s agship survey.
Finally, but denitely not least, I extend my deepest appreciation to all of the presidents who took
valuable time out of their schedules to complete the survey so that this report and its insights were
possible.
Hironao Okahana
Principal Investigator, American College President Study
Assistant Vice President and Executive Director of Education Futures Lab, ACE
x THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Contribution Statement
This report was prepared by Danielle Melidona, Benjamin G. Cecil, and Alexander Cassell under the
direction of Hollie M. Chessman and Hironao Okahana.
Melidona contributed to the distribution of the instrument and survey management; led the data
cleaning and analysis; authored chapter three; contributed to the summary prole; set up and led the
data checking process; and prepared the longitudinal tables for publication.
Cecil contributed to the development and distribution of the survey instrument, survey management,
and data cleaning and analysis; authored the introduction and methodology, summary prole, and
chapter four; and managed the chapter and appendix tables.
Cassell assisted with data analysis and checking, contributed to chapter four, and worked with tables
and data visualizations for publication.
Chessman provided leadership and overall management of the project through to completion;
contributed to the survey development, strategy, and distribution and to all chapters in writing,
development, and editing; and wrote the executive summary.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION xi
Executive Summary
At a time of intensifying pressures in the midst of COVID-19, racial injustice, and other issues, American
college presidents have led through it all. The data from the American College President Study
(ACPS) present proles of today’s leaders. These proles have been slowly changing, which provides
a continued opportunity for higher education and its stakeholders to pursue parity and equity in
the presidency. In addition to ACPS’s traditional focus on presidential demographics, new data were
collected this year on the ages when presidents rst aspired, applied, and were appointed to their
presidency. ACPS also newly highlights the myriad responsibilities that presidents balance in addition
to their day-to-day jobs, including taking care of children, aging parents, and loved ones. For the rst
time, presidents were also asked about their own community and whether they have a support network
that understands what it is like to be a president.
The American Council on Education conducts ACPS approximately every ve years to better
understand the leaders at the helm of higher education institutions. Over 1,000 presidents responded
to the 2022 American College President Survey (see appendix A). The following are key areas of
opportunity for achieving parity and equity in the presidency:
• The population of current presidents was still not representative of the students served. As
seen in earlier iterations of ACPS, the college presidency remains older, White, and male. The
average age of presidents was 60, compared with 59.9 in 2006, and men still outnumbered
women two-to-one in the presidency. In the survey, presidents of color accounted for a little
over one out of four presidents, and women of color accounted for a little more than one out of
every 10 presidents.
1
• Presidents were newer to their current position than in previous surveys, especially among
women and presidents of color. In 2022, presidents had been in their position an average of
5.9 years, 2.6 years less than in 2006. On average, men had been in their current position about
one year more than presidents of color or women presidents.
• Over half (55 percent) of presidents planned to step down from their current positions within
the next ve years. Of the presidents of color who planned to step down within the next ve
years, nearly one in ve planned to retire without seeking another position. This anticipated
change in leadership, particularly among already underrepresented groups, will not only
affect the diversity of the presidency, but it will also impact several hundred institutions and
the many students, faculty, and staff who attend and work at them. However, these future
vacancies also present an opportunity for more women and people of color to rise to the
college presidency.
Several other ndings lend important insights into the American college presidency:
• There were notable differences by gender in when presidents reported that they rst aspired,
applied, and were appointed to the presidency. Women generally indicated that their rst
aspiration, application, and appointment to the presidency occurred later in life than those
same milestones for men. On average, women were generally appointed within one and a half
years of their rst application, while men were appointed about two years later.
1 In general, our survey was oversampled in responses from women, and women of color in particular, given strategic efforts
to engage these communities. More information related to controlling for oversampling is provided in chapter one.
xii THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
• Presidents most commonly identied reaching the presidency via a faculty or academic
career pathway. More than half of presidents arrived to the presidency through the traditional
faculty or academic pathway, and White women and women of color were more likely than
White men and men of color to have arrived via this pathway to the presidency. However,
the data also showed an increase in presidents who approached the presidency through
alternatives outside the traditional pathway. There may be underutilized potential to diversify
the presidency with career campus administrators and individuals from the public, business,
and nonprot sectors.
• Presidents of color generally, and women of color in particular, reported some different
experiences with transparency and disclosure during the presidential search process.
Women were more likely than men to feel they did not receive a realistic assessment of the
challenges facing the institution during their search process. Presidents of color were less
likely than White presidents to feel that the search process provided a clear understanding
of the institution or system’s expectations. These data present an important opportunity for
qualitative inquiry to understand why these gaps exist and how to close these gaps.
• Presidents indicated they have support networks, but more could be done. While the majority
of presidents agreed that they have a support system with which they share their feelings,
some presidents indicated that they struggle to nd people who understand the experience
of being a president. These data highlight an opportunity for associations, professional
organizations, and current and former presidents to provide support networks for presidents
who may struggle to nd shared understanding of their experiences.
These points are just a few salient ndings that should call those within and around higher education
to action. The complex issues facing colleges and universities today need diverse, informed, and
well-supported leaders to address the changes and developments of tomorrow. Current leaders,
administrators, search consultants and committees, boards, and other stakeholders all have a role in
ensuring capable presidential leadership throughout higher education—both now and in the future.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 1
Chapter One: Introduction
and Methodology
American college presidents are among the most important leaders in the country. The role func-
tions similarly to that of a chief executive ofcer for a business in the private sector, but most college
presidents do not answer to shareholders; instead, presidents are accountable to myriad constituents,
including faculty, staff, students, their local community, state and federal governments, and society
writ large, given the social contract under which higher education serves as a net positive for society
(Maassen 2014). College presidents also answer directly to governing boards or systems and operate
within the premise of shared governance, requiring a more collaborative approach to decision-making.
2
Since 1986, the American Council on Education (ACE) has surveyed college and university presidents to
highlight this unique role and those who serve in it. The data collected and the stories shared detail the
demographics, challenges, and experiences of college presidents, allowing for a holistic understanding
of higher education leadership. Conducted approximately every ve years, the American College
President Study (ACPS) has long served the higher education community as the most comprehensive,
in-depth, and frequently cited source of information about the college presidency and pathways to
higher education leadership.
The rst higher education institutions in the United States were created by White men—often clergy—
for White men, in order to educate rising clergy members (Thelin 2019). These roots still underpin
curriculum, structures, and traditions at colleges and universities, even as the share of students of
color among undergraduate students has increased from about 30 percent in 1995–96 to 45 percent
in 2015–16 and women now account for over half of undergraduate enrollment (Espinosa et al. 2019).
2 See the American Association of University Professors for resources on shared governance.
2 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Though student populations are diversifying, the presidency has a signicant way to go in order for
leadership to be representative of the students it serves. As higher education continues to adapt and
change, so has ACE’s approach to ACPS and presentation of its survey ndings.
In the 2023 edition, ACE has compiled proles of the presidency—an intentional effort to highlight the
nuances and experiences of presidents across gender and racial and ethnic identities and an attempt to
further humanize the American college president. These proles, included as chapters, lend important
insights into the experiences of a variety of presidents, particularly women and people of color.
METHODOLOGY
The 2022 American College President Survey was elded through Qualtrics from mid-February to June
2022. Links to the survey were emailed to 3,901 college and university presidents within ACE’s data-
base, including both ACE member and nonmember institutions. The research team collaborated with
several associations to send survey links to their constituents; they relied on direct email marketing as
well as telemarketing techniques for an overall valid response rate of 28 percent, from 1,075 presidents.
This response rate was calculated based on the survey invitations distributed and completed. While
this response rate is 15 percentage points lower than that of the 2016 survey, the 2022 survey was in
the eld for a shorter amount of time and online responses were not supplemented by mailing paper
surveys. Survey responses below a threshold of 5 percent completion were dropped as incompletes.
For completed surveys received as duplicates, the most complete response was kept and the others
dropped. Each question was analyzed by Carnegie Classication, gender, race and ethnicity, and the
intersection of race and ethnicity and gender. Overall, the survey instrument and subsequent analysis
contained over 500 variables.
METHODOLOGY FOR THE SUMMARY PROFILE
For the summary prole, the data were analyzed by institutional type, following the 2021 Basic
Carnegie Classication of Institutions of Higher Education. Respondents were classied into ve
groups—doctoral, master’s, baccalaureate, associate, and special focus institutions. The sample also
included 60 institutions that were not listed in the 2021 Basic Carnegie Classication. Those unlisted
institutions were classied into one of the ve institutional groups based on the level of the degrees
they predominantly offer.
New in this version of ACPS, a post-stratication weight was applied to the 2022 data using an
algorithm called iterative proportional tting (IPF) (Kolenikov 2014). IPF adjusts a distribution reported
in one data set by totals reported in another, which is helpful when the information is incomplete or
just a sample of data. For ACPS, survey data were weighted with all of the institutions in the Carnegie
Classication system to create a more accurate picture of today’s college presidents. IPF does not
dramatically change the weighting of the sample, but we believe it increases the accuracy of our
reporting across types of institutions.
All data reported within chapter two reect IPF weighting by Carnegie Classication unless otherwise
noted. Table 1.1 summarizes ACE’s data sample by Carnegie Classication and the respective post-
stratication weights.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 3
Table 1.1. Summary of Overall Responses, by Carnegie Classication: 2022
Carnegie Classication Population
Survey Respondents
(Unweighted)
Post-stratication
Applied Weight
Response Rate
(Weighted)
Number Percent Number Percent
Doctoral 473 12% 175 16% 2.702857 12%
Master’s 663 17% 230 21% 2.882609 17%
Baccalaureate 734 19% 192 18% 3.822917 19%
Associate 1,288 33% 368 34% 3.5 33%
Special focus 743 19% 110 10% 6.754545 19%
Total 3,901 100% 1,075 100% – 100%
Notes: Population is from the 2021 Carnegie Classication. | Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
METHODOLOGY FOR THE ANALYSES OF WOMEN
PRESIDENTS AND PRESIDENTS OF COLOR
Specic analyses and variables were used to inform the chapters on women presidents (see chapter
three) and presidents of color (see chapter four).
For the chapter on women presidents, data were analyzed by gender (multiple options were provided
for respondents to indicate gender identity, but no respondents identied outside of the man/woman
binary). As part of the survey outreach strategy, women presidents were encouraged to complete the
survey to cultivate a response rate that would allow for a robust intersectional analysis and accurately
capture the experience of women presidents. As a result of these outreach efforts, there was an
oversampling of women among the respondents. To determine a more accurate representation of
gender across all college and university presidents, ACE’s Information Technology Services department
developed a tool that scraped websites for presidents’ genders based on the pronouns used for each
individual.
3
Using this tool, ACE’s project team was able to determine gender identity against a much larger
distribution than the survey’s data sample. Of the 3,955 positions searched via the web scrape, 2,646
were men, 1,297 were women, and 11 were unable to be determined. These numbers translated into an
overall survey distribution pool of 66.9 percent men, 32.8 percent women, and 0.003 percent unknown.
To conduct some of the intersectional analysis, a variable was created that combined a respondent’s
race and ethnicity and gender for analytical purposes; it was then used throughout this report. This
variable was not meant to insinuate that men and women of color are monolithic groups or have
similar experiences across gender identities. For example, the experiences of a Black or African
American woman and an Asian or Asian American woman are inherently different. While both are
referred to as women of color within our sample, each undoubtedly experiences the presidency and
their personal obligations outside of their jobs differently based on factors far beyond the scope of what
the survey could collect and represent.
3 The scraper rst used a spreadsheet with information about the institution’s leader from ACE’s database; each row contained
a different leader’s information. For each row, the scraper generated a search query in Google using the specic job title
of the leader (president, chancellor, etc.) and the name of the higher education institution. The scraper clicked on the rst
search result and processed all the text HTML elements on the web page under the <p> tag into a list. Each word was read
until the scraper reached a pronoun, and it then assigned a gender based on that pronoun. If no pronoun was found, the
scraper assigned this person’s gender as “unknown” and moved to the next row. If there were unknown gender values left
after the rst round, the process repeated with different search queries. If the scraper found no values, the research team
conducted a manual search. All data were randomly checked for accuracy.
4 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
The race, ethnicity, and gender variable was created for several reasons. First, the data included very
small sample sizes of certain racial or ethnic groups (see tables 1.2 and 1.3). By combining the race and
ethnicity and gender variables, those presidents’ experiences could be highlighted while maintaining
their anonymity. Second, researchers have a responsibility to interrogate the nuance of experiences by
race and ethnicity as well as gender. In short, the creation of this variable allows for a point of contrast
relative to the majority of presidents—White men. In subsequent briefs and deliverables, ACE will
continue to delve into the nuanced individual experiences of women presidents and presidents of color,
including supplementing the survey data with qualitative research.
Table 1.2. Survey Respondents, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022
Race or Ethnicity Percentage of Sample
Hispanicor Latino 5.8%
Caucasian, White, or White American
(non-Middle Eastern descent)
72.7%
Middle Easternor Arab American 0.6%
Black or African American
*
13.6%
American Indianor Alaska Native 0.9%
Asian or Asian American 2.7%
Asian Indian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander 0.2%
Multiracial (excluding Hispanic or Latino) 2.4%
Race not listed 0.5%
Total 100.0%
Note: Data are unweighted.
*
Black or African American population was likely oversampled due to survey outreach
strategies.
In the 2022 survey, presidents could select from a wide array of racial and ethnic identities, including
Caucasian, White, or White American (non-Middle Eastern descent); Hispanic or Latino; Middle Eastern
or Arab American; Black or African American; American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian or Asian Amer-
ican; Asian Indian; Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander; and an opportunity to include any unlisted
racial or ethnic group (see table 1.3).
4
4 Throughout this report, respondents who selected only “Caucasian, White, or White American (non-Middle Eastern descent)”
are referred to as White. Respondents were given the option to select “Hispanic or Latinx(o/a),” but the terms Latino and
Latina are used throughout this report.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 5
Table 1.3. Survey Respondents, by Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022
Women Men
Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage
Hispanic or Latino
*
29 7.9% 27 4.5%
Caucasian, Whiteor White American (non-Middle Eastern descent) 255 69.1% 445 74.8%
Middle Easternor Arab American 2 0.5% 4 0.7%
Black or African American 52 14.1% 79 13.3%
American Indianor Alaska Native 5 1.4% 4 0.7%
Asian or Asian American 15 4.1% 11 1.9%
Asian Indian 0 0.0% 6 1.0%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander 1 0.3% 1 0.2%
Multiracial (excludes Hispanic or Latino)
†
10 2.7% 13 2.2%
Race not listed 0 0.0% 5 0.8%
Total 369 100.0% 595 100.0%
Note
s
: Data are unweighted. | Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Presidents who identied as Hispanic or Latino were invited to share their Hispanic origin (see appendix B). Only presidents who self-identied as Hispanic or
Latino were shown options to share their Hispanic origin.
†
Presidents were given the opportunity to select all racial groups that applied to them. Any who selected more than one race or ethnicity were included in this
created variable.
Lastly, it should be noted that the sample in this report may not necessarily be representative of the
results achievable if all accredited degree-granting college and university presidents had responded.
Further, changes to the Carnegie Classication system may affect year-to-year comparisons within
specic institution types. All historical data presented in the subsequent chapters were derived from
earlier published editions of ACPS.
6 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
INTRODUCTION
Today’s American college president is leading during a complex period of societal and institutional
challenges. COVID-19, racial injustice, student mental health issues, the “great resignation,” and the
enrollment cliff are all converging on the nation’s campuses, presenting leadership challenges like no
other moment in recent history. At the same time, presidents carry with them their own experiences
and identities that affect their approach to leadership and how they interact with stakeholders. This
chapter represents the college president today, based on an average of the responses to the 2022 Amer-
ican College President Survey.
5
Subsequent chapters on women presidents and presidents of color
focus on experiences beyond the aggregate summary presented here.
GENERAL DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
The majority of college presidents in 2022 identied as men, at 61 percent of total survey respondents.
6
Presidents were also most likely to identify as White, at nearly three quarters (72 percent) of survey
respondents; this is compared with 28 percent of presidents who identied with a race or ethnicity that
is non-White, referred to throughout this report as “presidents of color.”
7
A small percentage (0.5 percent)
5 Data presented are weighted by Carnegie Classication unless otherwise specied. For more information on the method-
ological approach within this chapter, please review chapter one.
6 In general, the survey was oversampled in responses by women and women of color in particular as a result of strategic
efforts to engage these communities. Use caution when comparing these percentages to previous surveys. More information
related to controlling for oversampling is provided later in this chapter.
7 See chapter one for how this variable was created; throughout this report, respondents who selected only “Caucasian, White,
or White American (non-Middle Eastern descent)” are referred to as White.
Chapter Two:
The Summary Prole
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 7
did not report their race or ethnicity. Overall, with race and ethnicity and gender combined, nearly half
(46 percent) of college presidents were White men, compared with 13 percent of presidents who identi-
ed as women of color (see gure 2.1).
8
Figure 2.1. Race and Ethnicity and Gender Distribution of Survey Respondents: 2022
0 20 40 60 80 100
Women of colorMen of colorWhite womenWhite men
Note: Data are weighted by Carnegie Classication.
The survey asked presidents to select their gender identity from options including man, woman, nonbi-
nary, and not listed, with a eld to further specify. In our sample, presidents predominantly identied as
men, and all presidents selected a response within the man/woman gender binary.
9
Figure 2.2. Gender Identity: Selected Years, 2006–2022
OtherNonbinaryWomenMen
2022
2016
2011
2006
0 20 40 60
80
100
Notes: Data from 2022 includes the gender breakdown of the entire distribution to whom survey invitations were sent (see discussion of oversampling and web
scrape strategy in chapter one). | Data from 2006, 2011, and 2016 are based on responses to the surveys administered in those years. | All percentages are
unweighted by Carnegie Classication. | “Nonbinary” was only included as an option in the 2022 survey. | “Not listed” was included as an option in the 2022
survey. “Other” was included as an option in the 2016 survey. | Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Figure 2.2 shows the shift in gender across data from the 2022 American College President Survey.
The Moving the Needle: Advancing Women in Higher Education Leadership initiative, a key focus of
ACE’s work in the past decade, has called for advancing women in senior higher education leader-
ship.
10
Gender parity does not exist in the C-suite at colleges and universities; recent data support this
reality especially at the level of president (CUPA-HR 2022). Since the 1980s, women have been earning
more bachelor’s degrees than men and are well represented in entry- and mid-level positions in most
sectors of the economy, but little progress has been made in women advancing to president positions
at colleges and universities (Matias 2019; Fry 2022). As the survey data indicate, progress has been
made in increasing representation for women in senior roles—but with an increase of just under 10
percentage points since 2006.
8 Interpret this data point (13 percent of presidents are women of color) with caution. See chapter one for explanation of poten-
tial oversampling.
9 See chapter one for more information.
10 Learn more about the Moving the Needle: Advancing Women in Higher Education Leadership initiative.
8 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
The average age of a president in 2022 was 60 years old. In the 2006, 2011, and 2016 surveys, the average
ages of presidents were 59.9, 60.7, and 61.7, respectively, as shown in table 2.1.
Table 2.1. Average Age: Selected Years, 2006–2022
Survey Year Average Age (in Years)
2006 59.9
2011 60.7
2016 61.7
2022 60.0
Note: Data from 2022 are unweighted by Carnegie Classication.
A president’s responsibilities can vary based on whether they have oversight of a system, a single
campus, or multiple campuses. Presidents most often led a single campus (78 percent), rather than a
system or multiple institutions. Eight percent of presidents led a multicampus system, and 11 percent
had a dual role overseeing a multicampus system and a campus.
In general, presidents had been in their current role for an average of 5.9 years as of July 2022, which
was down slightly from 2016 (see gure 2.3). Since 2006, presidents’ average time in their position had
decreased by 2.6 years. The data indicate that presidents in this iteration of the survey were newer to
their current position.
Figure 2.3. Average Time in Current Presidential Position, in Years: Selected Years,
2006–2022
0
2
4
6
8
10
2022201620112006
8.5
7.0
6.5
5.9
Note: Data from 2022 are unweighted by Carnegie Classication.
While presidents answer to a variety of stakeholders, they are ultimately accountable to a governing
board or system head. Boards can be statewide, system-wide, or local (Pechota, Fulton, and Bloom
2020). Many system heads ultimately report to boards or governors (Tandberg et al. 2018). Presidents
most commonly reported to a governing board (73 percent), followed by a system head (22 percent).
Around 17 percent of presidents did not have a written contract for their current role. The vast majority
(92 percent) of presidents had a written performance evaluation. Most commonly, presidents had an
annual performance evaluation (88 percent), and this review was conducted by the person or people
to whom they reported (89 percent). A small share (5 percent) of presidents had an annual review with
periodic external evaluation.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 9
PATHWAYS TO THE PRESIDENCY
The survey asked presidents to identify where they held their immediate past position. Prior to
assuming their current role, 61 percent of presidents served at a different institution of higher educa-
tion, while 30 percent served at the same institution they currently led. Nine percent of presidents
(down six percentage points from 2016) had an immediate past position outside of higher education.
Presidents were asked to select the pathway that most closely aligned with their career from a list of
options. The most commonly selected career path was faculty or academic (54 percent), followed by
career administrative leader (e.g., student affairs ofcer, auxiliary services, nance) (28 percent).
In terms of presidential pathways by Carnegie Classication, presidents of doctoral institutions were
more likely to come from the faculty or academic pathway than presidents of other institution types.
Special focus institution presidents were more likely to come from pathways outside of higher educa-
tion. Among those who indicated the career administrative pathway, the largest share came from asso-
ciate institutions. A full list of career pathways is provided in gure 2.4.
Figure 2.4. Career Paths of Presidents, by Carnegie Classication, Weighted: 2022
0 20 40 60
80
100
Not listed (please specify)Nonprofit executiveBusiness executive
Public sector/governmentCareer administrative leader Faculty/academic
Special focus
Doctoral
Master's
Baccalaureate
Associate
Total
When presidents were asked to share their educational trajectory, their highest degree earned was
most likely to be a doctorate (84 percent), followed by a master’s degree (6 percent), and a juris doctor
(6 percent) (see table 2.2). In terms of a eld of study for their highest degree earned, presidents were
most likely to have studied education or higher education, social sciences, or humanities and ne arts.
Several presidents had educational backgrounds in law, business, or biological sciences.
10 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Table 2.2. Highest Degree Earned: 2022
Frequency Percent
Doctorate 794 83.6%
Master’s 58 6.1%
Juris doctor 56 5.9%
Doctor of medicine 20 2.1%
Master of business administration 13 1.4%
Bachelor’s 6 0.6%
Other 3 0.3%
Total 950 100%
Note
s
: All percentages are unweighted by Carnegie Classication. | “Doctorate” includes terminal degrees for respective elds,
including doctor of education and doctor of pharmacy. “Doctor of medicine” also includes other practicing medical degrees,
such as a doctor of osteopathic medicine. “Master’s” does not include master of business administration degrees.
Multiple parties, both internal and external to the institution, are often involved with the presidential
search process. Presidents indicated that they were most commonly recruited or encouraged to apply
by a search consultant or agency (47 percent), member(s) of the board or governing group (21 percent),
or the past president of their current campus (19 percent).
On average, presidents rst aspired to the role at age 44.9, applied at age 49.8, and were appointed to
their rst presidency at age 51.7. Overall, the average time between rst aspiration to the presidency
and a rst presidential appointment was 6.8 years. Some presidents indicated that they aspired early
in their childhood, while others did not aspire until they were in their sixties. These ages also varied
among women presidents and presidents of color.
Table 2.3. Average Age of First Presidential Aspiration, Application, and Appointment, by
Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022
Average Age (in Years) Aspiration Application Appointment
Aspiration to
Appointment Time
Difference
Total 44.9 49.8 51.7 (+) 6.8
Men 43.6 49.0 51.0 (+) 7.4
Women 46.9 51.3 52.8 (+) 5.9
Men of color 41.5 48.4 50.4 (+) 8.9
Women of color 45.7 50.6 51.6 (+) 5.9
Note: These are averages within the sample and not weighted by Carnegie Classication.
As media coverage shows, presidential searches can look different for candidates depending on the
institutional sector and other factors (Kelderman 2022; Nelms 2021). Navigating this process often
requires candidates to lean on their personal networks not only when they apply but also when nego-
tiating terms and accepting a presidential position. Prior to accepting their current appointment to
the presidency, presidents were most likely to have sought advice on the negotiation process from
their partner or family (38 percent), colleagues in higher education (34 percent), peers (32 percent), or
personal attorney (29 percent). One in ve (20 percent) presidents did not seek advice prior to accepting
their current role.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 11
Following the search process, onboarding and socialization into the presidency takes many forms. To
establish their leadership approach on their new campuses, presidents often have a vast number of
meetings, listening tours, or other forms of engagement with campus and community constituents. In
the survey, presidents were asked to select all onboarding activities that applied to their experiences
in their current position. Most commonly, presidents participated in transition meetings with their
predecessor (52 percent), a campus listening tour (48 percent), or a meeting with the governing board
(44 percent).
Compared with 2016, fewer presidents in 2022 felt that disclosures made in the search process were
clear, realistic, or accurate. Further qualitative inquiry is needed to determine why fewer presidents
see the process as transparent compared with data from 2016, especially when it comes to board
expectations. Overall, around two-thirds (67 percent) of presidents felt that the search process provided
appropriate disclosure of the challenges facing the institution or system (72 percent in 2016) as well as
an accurate disclosure of the institution’s nancial condition (67 percent; 71 percent in 2016). Close to
three out of four (72 percent) presidents felt that the search process provided an appropriate disclosure
of board expectations (79 percent in 2016), and 74 percent said they had a clear understanding of
system or institution expectations (79 percent in 2016), as shown in gure 2.5.
Figure 2.5. Perception of Disclosures Within the Search Process: 2022 and 2016
0 20 40 60 80
20222016
Realistic assessment of the current challenges
facing the institution or system
A full and accurate disclosure of institution or
system's financial condition
A clear understanding of the board's expectations
A clear understanding of the institution
or system’s expectations
Note
s
: Percentages represent those who answered ‘yes’ to each question. | Data from 2022 are weighted by Carnegie Classication.
PRESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Presidents were likely to be married (82 percent), with women (11 percent) more than twice as likely as
men (4 percent) to be divorced (see gure 2.6). In the survey, presidents indicated whether their spouses
or partners were employed full time (27 percent), retired (19 percent), or homemakers (10 percent). Part-
ners and spouses were afliated with the presidents’ institution in a variety of ways: 43 percent were
unpaid participants in campus activities, while 2 percent were compensated by the institution for their
role as partner to the president. A small share (6 percent) of presidential spouses and partners were
employed by the same institution as the president. Nine out of 10 (90 percent) presidents identied as
heterosexual. The percentage of presidents who identied as heterosexual has declined by nearly six
percentage points since 2016. In terms of religious afliation, over half of presidents identied with a
Christian practice, with a combined 65 percent who identied as Protestant or Roman Catholic.
12 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Figure 2.6. Marital Status, by Gender: 2022
Widower or widowDivorcedMarried Never married
Never married (member of religious order)Domestic partner Separated
0 20 40 60 80 100
Women
Men
Note: Data are unweighted.
Close to one third (30 percent) of presidents had children under 18 living at home or had children
for whom they had regular responsibility. For those who had children living at home, most had one
child (35 percent), followed by two children (28 percent) and then three or more children (8 percent).
Presidents also have caretaking responsibilities beyond children—a little over one in 10 (13 percent)
presidents indicated that they were caring for an aging parent or loved one. Among presidents with
those responsibilities, a quarter (25 percent) had paid care outside of the family, care provided by their
spouse (24 percent), or care provided by other family members (22 percent).
Balancing career aspirations with family obligations and the career of a spouse can be challenging
for anyone, but it can be especially difcult for these leaders due to the demanding nature of the
presidency. Presidents were asked to respond to personal or family situations that could cause career
changes or alterations. If the response “I did not alter my career for this reason” was selected, presidents
could not select any other responses within the respective category.
Table 2.4 reports frequencies for those who responded that they did alter their career for a given reason.
Due to respondents being able to indicate they altered their career in multiple ways for a specic
reason, data are presented as frequencies instead of percentages; in this case, frequencies are more
accurate.
Table 2.4. Frequency of Reported Career Alterations: 2022
Left my
position
Worked part time/
reduced schedule
Postponed job
search/ promotion
Reason not
listed
Have not altered
career for this
reason
Care for a minor dependent(s) 29 63 148 11 673
Care for an adult dependent(s) 13 20 47 16 795
Career of a spouse/partner 29 21 66 24 761
Career of another loved one 7 10 28 5 829
Personal health issue(s) 7 19 9 4 836
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 13
NEXT STEPS
Over half (55 percent) of presidents indicated that they plan to step down from their current presidency
within the next ve years. One in four (25 percent) presidents anticipated stepping down within the
next year or two and 30 percent intended to do so in the next three to ve years, as noted in gure 2.7.
The 25 percent of presidents who anticipated stepping down within the next year or two had been in
their current positions an average of 8.4 years and had an average age of 64.5 years. The 30 percent who
anticipated stepping down within the next three to ve years had been in their current positions an
average of 6.7 years and had an average age of 61.7 years.
Among the presidents who planned to step down within the next ve years, the top next steps they
were considering included retiring and holding no other position (39 percent), becoming a consultant
outside of a higher education search rm (27 percent), or moving to another presidency (23 percent).
Presidents also considered employment in the nonprot or philanthropic sectors (16 percent), becoming
a consultant in a higher education search rm (16 percent), or moving to a faculty role at either their
current or another institution (12 percent).
Figure 2.7. Anticipated Time Frame of Stepping Down from Current Position, Weighted: 2022
0 20 40 60 80 100
Within the next year or two
Prefer not to answerDon't know10 or more years from now
6–9 years from now3–5 years from now
Among the presidents who intended to step down within the next ve years, one in 10 (10 percent)
indicated that they planned to move to another college, university, or system presidency as the only
next step they were considering. About a quarter (26 percent) of the presidents who planned to step
down in the next ve years indicated that the only next step they were considering was to retire and
hold no other position.
RETIREMENT AS THE ONLY NEXT STEP WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS:
A BRIEF PRESIDENTIAL PROFILE
In order to better understand the potential retirement prole of the 26 percent of presidents whose
only plan is to retire within the next ve years, this section highlights a few key attributes of these
presidents. The average age for these presidents was 67.7. The average age for those who anticipated
stepping down from their current position within the next one to two years was 68.8, and the average
age for those planning to step down in the next three to ve years was 66.7. These data indicate
that many presidents are working past the traditional retirement age of 65. Taken with the data that
presidents were newer to their current positions than they had been in previous years, as highlighted
in gure 2.3, these ndings further support the idea there is likely to be substantial presidential change
and transition within the next few years.
Among presidents in this subset, a little over one third (34 percent) currently led associate institutions;
one quarter (24 percent) currently led master’s institutions; 17 percent currently led baccalaureate and
doctoral institutions, respectively; and 9 percent led special focus institutions.
14 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
When asked if COVID-19 affected the timing of when they plan to step down from their current position,
over half (55 percent) of presidents indicated they were still planning to transition at their previously
anticipated time. Over one in four (27 percent) presidents indicated they had no plan to transition out.
Close to 9 percent of sampled presidents were staying longer because of COVID-19, and 9 percent envi-
sioned stepping down earlier because of COVID-19.
Well over half (59 percent) of presidents were not preparing a successor for their current position.
Among the 30 percent who were preparing a successor, 81 percent indicated that their successor was
at their current institution. Although there are both positive and negative implications for preparing
a successor, the focus on preparing future leaders and succession planning should not be overlooked.
Thirty percent of presidents noted that their institution had plans or policies in place for future presi-
dential searches, and 14 percent noted that their institution had a temporary succession plan or policy.
CONCLUSION AND KEY TAKEAWAYS
In considering the role of the president and the future of the postsecondary sector the role of the pres-
ident and the future of the postsecondary sector, several key ndings from this summary prole and
important takeaways for higher education stakeholders emerged.
• Planning for the future. Presidents who were currently serving had been in their current posi-
tions a shorter period of time than presidents previously surveyed—2.6 years less, compared
with 2006. This shorter period indicates that institutions may be experiencing presidential
transitions more frequently than they did in the past. Not only are presidents newer to their
positions than those in previous surveys, over half (55 percent) planned to step down from
their current roles within the next ve years. While they may not necessarily be stepping
away from the presidency entirely, the prospective loss of institutional knowledge and turn-
over of presidential leadership will undoubtedly impact hundreds of institutions throughout
the higher education sector. With these data in mind, current presidents, C-suite leaders, and
governing boards should be doing two things. First, they should document and communi-
cate the previous presidential transition process so that there are records to assist with the
planning of future transitions at the institution. Second, they should create a succession plan
to assist with the inevitable presidential transition they will face, which might fall within
the next ve years or could even come sooner than expected. Solidifying these plans sooner
rather than later is especially important because fewer than 30 percent of institutions had a
plan in place for future presidential searches and only 14 percent have a temporary succes-
sion plan in place. This planning provides an important avenue to ensuring “there is a diverse,
prepared, and committed pipeline of future higher education leaders in place” (Brantley 2019).
• Institutional knowledge. Related to the transitions highlighted in the takeaway above, the
data showed that the average age of presidents (60 in 2022) had been generally constant since
2006 (59.9). Combine this average age with the 55 percent of presidents who indicated that
they planned to leave their positions in the next ve years (not to mention the traditional
retirement age of 65), and higher education will likely see a substantial number of presidents
retiring in the next three to ve years. Institutions, C-suite leaders, and current presidents
need to capture and document the institutional knowledge of their current leadership and
build means and mechanisms to transmit this knowledge to future leaders through succes-
sion planning and other approaches.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 15
• Presidential demographics. The population of students enrolling in higher education today
is increasingly diverse, which has elevated the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion
on campus.
11
While previous ACPS data showed that the presidency was slowly diversifying
by race and ethnicity (Gagliardi et al. 2017), it is not changing at the same rate as the student
population. Boards and leaders at all levels of the institution will need to consider what this
means for the presidents who lead these increasingly diverse institutions. This is also a call to
action for search consultants and agencies—and anyone else mentoring, recruiting, or hiring
the next generation of leaders—to use an intersectional lens of race, ethnicity, and gender
to seek diverse talent in order to effectively meet the diverse needs of current and future
learners.
• Aspirations and applications.
There are differences by gender in the age at which presi-
dents rst aspired, applied, and were appointed to presidential roles. Presidents who are men
aspired, applied, and were appointed to presidential roles earlier than their women peers.
Mentors and professional development opportunities need to cultivate women presidents
earlier in their careers and provide more distinct and direct leadership experience related to
the college presidency. Search consultants and agencies, campus search committees, and
governing boards need to reimagine their recruitment pools and tactics in order to further
diversify the presidency and increase representation of women, in particular. Instead of
relying on the traditional faculty and academic pathway for future presidents, these groups
should identify and cultivate leaders from nonprots, government, business, the public sector,
and other administrative areas on campus.
11 See “Enrollment in Undergraduate Education” from ACE’s Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education project.
16 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Executive and senior-level leadership positions in higher education have been primarily held by White
men, while women and people of color have been excluded from college leadership roles on the basis
of gender and race (Grottis 2022; Keohane 2020; O’Connor 2018).
12
Women and women of color were
mostly relegated to leadership positions at women’s colleges and a few coeducational institutions.
Historical data also showed a stratication by institutional type, as fewer women served as presidents
of doctoral institutions and more women presidents led at community colleges (Eddy 2008). Over the
last several decades, various ACE initiatives such as Moving the Needle: Advancing Women in Higher
Education Leadership, the ACE Women’s Network, and the ACE Fellows Program, and other efforts,
including the HERS Leadership Institute, Kaleidoscope Leadership Institute, and the American Associ-
ation for Women in Community Colleges, have worked to diversify college leadership by gender. These
endeavors, in addition to sponsorship—that is, people who actively advocate for and champion rising
leaders within their circles—are intended to support more women and women of color as they aspire,
apply, and are appointed to college and university presidencies.
12 Throughout this report, respondents who selected only “Caucasian, White, or White American (non-Middle Eastern descent)”
are referred to as White.
Chapter Three:
Prole of Women Presidents
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 17
Yet the gender gap in presidential leadership remains wide, with men still outnumbering women in the
presidency by a little more than two to one. The gender gap has been noted as an ongoing data point
since the onset of the American College President Study (ACPS). When the survey was rst adminis-
tered in 1986, only 9.5 percent of responding presidents were women, over one third of those presidents
were leading women’s colleges, and about 8 percent of associate colleges were led by women (Green
1988). While the share of women presidents has increased since 1986, today women still only make up
about 32.8 percent of current presidents (see gure 3.1).
13
The gap feels particularly large when consid-
ering that 58 percent of total undergraduate enrollment in fall 2020 were women students (NCES 2021).
These data also demonstrated a slowing rate of growth of women serving in college and university
presidencies.
Figure 3.1. Distribution of Presidencies Held by Women: Selected Years, 1986–2022
0
20
40
2022*201620112006200119981986
9.5%
19.3%
21.1%
23.0%
26.4%
30.1%
32.8%
*
The reported percentage is calculated from the results collected by the web scraper, which more accurately captured the population of women in the college
presidency (see the methodology in chapter one for further details).
GENERAL DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Among women presidents in the sample, over two-thirds (69 percent) identied as White, 14 percent
identied as Black or African American, and 8 percent identied as Hispanic or Latina (see table 3.2).
14
While this chapter highlights some of the nuances in the responses of Black or African American,
Hispanic or Latina, and White women presidents, we are unable to highlight the unique and varied
experiences of Asian or Asian American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian Indian, Native
Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander, Middle Eastern or Arab American, or multiracial women presidents
due to smaller sample sizes.
13 See the methodology in chapter one for more information on how this percentage was calculated.
14 As described in the methodology section in chapter one, the 2022 survey likely oversampled Black or African American
women due to the outreach strategy employed. Therefore, any application of data points to the entire population of college
and university presidents should be done with caution. Respondents were given the option to select “Hispanic or Latinx(o/a),”
but the terms Latino and Latina are used throughout this report.
18 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Table 3.1. Distribution of Women Across the Entire Sample, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022
Race and Ethnicity
Hispanicor Latino 3.0%
Caucasian, White, or White American
(non-Middle Eastern descent)
26.5%
Middle Easternor Arab American 0.2%
Black or African American
*
5.4%
American Indianor Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian or Asian American 1.6%
Asian Indian 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander 0.1%
Multiracial (excluding Hispanic or Latino)
†
1.0%
Race not listed 0.0%
Total 38.3%
‡
*
Black or African American population was likely oversampled due to survey outreach strategies.
†
Presidents were asked to select any race with which they identify. As a result, any president
who identied as more than one race was included in this created variable.
‡
This number represents the sample of women who responded to the survey.
Table 3.2. Representation Among Women Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022
Race and Ethnicity
Hispanicor Latino 7.9%
Caucasian, White, or White American
(non-Middle Eastern descent)
69.1%
Middle Easternor Arab American 0.5%
Black or African American
*
14.1%
American Indianor Alaska Native 1.4%
Asian or Asian American 4.1%
Asian Indian 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander 0.3%
Multiracial (excluding Hispanic or Latino)
†
2.7%
Race not listed 0.0%
Total 100%
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Black or African American population was likely oversampled due to survey outreach strategies.
†
Presidents were asked to select any race with which they identify. As a result, any president
who identied as more than one race was included in this created variable.
Women presidents have, on average, served in their current position for 5.4 years, which was down
slightly from 5.8 years in 2016. Across race and ethnicity, Black or African American women are newer
in their current presidency (4.4 years) when compared with Hispanic or Latina (6 years) or White
women (5.3 years). Generally, the lengths of these (ongoing) terms would suggest that women are more
recently appointed to their roles than men, whose average length of current (ongoing) term was 6.3
years.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 19
In 2022, over two in ve (44 percent) women presidents in the sample were leading associate institu-
tions—the highest representation of women across the Carnegie Classication system. Similarly, 40
percent of presidents at baccalaureate institutions and 39 percent of presidents at special focus institu-
tions were women. Men were over two times more likely to lead doctoral institutions than women (see
table 3.3). One in three women presidents in the sample led minority serving institutions, compared
with 22 percent of men.
Table 3.3. Presidents, by Gender and Carnegie Classication: 2022
Women Men
Doctoral 29.1% 70.9%
Master’s 34.6% 65.4%
Baccalaureate 39.5% 60.5%
Associate 43.6% 56.4%
Special focus 39.4% 60.6%
Note: Data are unweighted. | All public and private, not-for-prot institutions are combined.
PATHWAYS TO THE PRESIDENCY
Women presidents’ age of rst aspiration, application, and appointment to the presidency reveals useful
insights. On average, women presidents in the sample aspired, applied, and were appointed to the
presidency at later ages than men; however, there was less time between aspiration and application
and between application and appointment than for men in the sample. When considering race and
ethnicity, slight differences exist across these stages between women in the sample. On average, about
six years passed between when Black or African American and Hispanic or Latina women rst aspired
and applied to presidential positions, compared with less time for White women (4.2 years). Of note,
Hispanic or Latina women are rising to the presidency more quickly after application and appointment
than other women. Table 3.4 captures the time difference between each of these stages among presi-
dents in the sample by gender and race and ethnicity.
Table 3.4. Average Age of First Presidential Aspiration, Application, and Appointment, by
Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022
Age of Aspiration Age of Application
*
Age of Appointment
†
Women 46.9 51.3 + 4.4 years 52.8 + 1.5 years
Men 43.6 49.0 + 5.4 years 51.0 + 2 years
Black or African American women 44.5 50.5 + 6 years 52.0 + 1.5 years
Hispanic or Latina women 43.3 49.4 + 6.1 years 49.3 - 0.1 years
‡
White women 47.5 51.7 + 4.2 years 53.3 + 1.6 years
*
Time difference is calculated from age of aspiration to age of application.
†
Time difference is calculated from age of application to age of appointment.
‡
Differences attributed to averages within each category.
The 2022 survey is the rst time these data have been collected, and they raise the question of whether
there could be barriers preventing women from aspiring or applying to the presidency sooner. Further
inquiry could help to illuminate the challenges women face on their pathway to the presidency.
Women presidents arrived at their current position from a variety of different career pathways. Among
women presidents, the most commonly indicated pathway was a faculty or academic career (60
percent)—eight percentage points greater than men (52 percent) who identied the same pathway.
20 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Black or African American women (33 percent) were more likely than Hispanic or Latina (28 percent) or
White (26 percent) women to have indicated a background in administration (such as student affairs,
auxiliary services, or nance). Hispanic or Latina women (10 percent) were more likely than White (6
percent) or Black or African American (2 percent) women to have indicated a career pathway as a busi-
ness or nonprot executive (see gure 3.2).
Figure 3.2. Career Paths of Presidents, by Gender and Race and Ethnicity: 2022
0 20 40 60
80
100
OtherNonprofit executiveBusiness executive
Public sector/government
Career administrative leader
Faculty/academic
White women
Hispanic or Latina
women
Black or
African American women
Men
Women
Note: Data are unweighted.
While most women continue to reach the presidency through the faculty or academic pathway, oppor-
tunities exist to mentor and sponsor women from other pathways, both within and outside of higher
education. While the faculty or academic pathway is an important and meaningful one, other pathways
also include women leaders who may not be considering the college presidency because they are not
coming up through the traditional route. Current presidents and other C-suite leaders can help to iden-
tify and mentor talented women in their circles—both within academe and beyond—to encourage and
make way for more women to reach the college presidency.
PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH PROCESSES
Presidential search processes require clear communication between search committees and candi-
dates to fully share and understand the expectations and challenges facing a new president. In the
survey, presidents were asked whether they felt the disclosure or transparency surrounding expecta-
tions for their current presidency was realistic, accurate, and clear during the search process. While the
majority of presidents indicated they received full and accurate disclosure during the search process,
some notable differences emerged, especially by gender.
On average, women presidents, especially women presidents of color, were less likely than men to
report receiving realistic, accurate, or clear disclosures. Hispanic or Latina and White women were
much more likely than Black or African American women presidents to report feeling that the search
process provided a realistic assessment of the current challenges facing the institution or system, a full
and accurate disclosure of the institution or system’s nancial condition, and a clear understanding of
the institution or system’s expectations (see table 3.5).
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 21
Table 3.5. Perception of Disclosures Within the Search Process, by Gender and Race and
Ethnicity: 2022
A realistic assessment
of the current
challenges facing the
institution/system?
A full and accurate
disclosure of the
institution/system’s
nancial condition?
A clear understanding
of the board’s
expectations?
A clear understanding
of the institution/
system’s expectations?
Women 63.3% 67.3% 68.7% 73.3%
Men 70.3% 67.3% 76.4% 77.5%
Women of color 53.2% 63.0% 61.5% 65.1%
Black or African American
women
52.9% 58.8% 64.7% 64.7%
Hispanic or Latina women 66.7% 76.0% 65.4% 73.1%
White women 68.1% 69.2% 71.5% 76.9%
Note: Percentages represent those who answered ‘yes’ to each question. | Data are unweighted.
What might these data mean? While more qualitative research is needed, these ndings raise questions
about how women of color are recruited and what is transparently shared about the overall institu-
tional environment in the process. Search rms, search committees, and boards need to evaluate what
is being disclosed during the search process and how standardized the method for the disclosure is,
especially regarding the challenges the institution is facing. Clear communication on the front end can
help candidates better discern their ability to be successful in the role. Transparency is essential, and
those involved in a presidential search should discuss what this will look like prior to initiating the call
for applicants.
UNDERSTANDING THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN IN
PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP
The data indicate that women are more likely than men to participate in professional development
programs. In terms of engagement in leadership development prior to their rst appointment as a
campus or system president, women presidents most frequently reported participation in the Harvard
Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Education Management (12 percent), the ACE National
Women’s Forum (9 percent), and the American Association of Community College’s Future President
Institute (8 percent).
15
Of note, over one-third (36 percent) of women indicated they did not participate
in leadership development opportunities prior to their rst appointment as president, compared with
half of men presidents. Efforts to fortify the pathway, such as nominating and tapping women within
one’s institution, encouraging and supporting their involvement in leadership development programs,
building stronger networks and communities, and ensuring diverse voices at the table of presidential
searches will ensure greater accessibility and advancement for women. Support at the institutional
level for participation in state- and association-level trainings can be useful for ongoing growth.
15 The ACE National Women’s Forum, rst offered in 1977, offered leadership training for women administrators who sought
senior-level administrative roles. Current ACE programming still works toward this goal, but the names of programs have
since changed. See the ACE Women’s Network for more on this type of programming.
22 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
WOMEN BEYOND THE PRESIDENCY
Many women presidents are balancing or are expected to balance personal and familial obligations and
their presidential responsibilities. The survey included several questions to better understand presi-
dents’ responsibilities around childcare and caregiving. Research shows that the burden of caregiving
responsibilities disproportionately affects women, which has economic, health, and well-being implica-
tions (Mikhail 2022; National Partnership for Women & Families 2021).
In our sample, nearly one in four (24 percent) women presidents indicated they have children living at
home or have children for whom they have regular responsibility. Black or African American women
presidents (29 percent) were more likely than Hispanic or Latina (21 percent) or White (22 percent)
women presidents to have indicated such responsibility. Close to one in ve (18 percent) women pres-
idents in the sample indicated that they are the caretaker for an aging parent or loved one, compared
with 10 percent of men. Among the women leaders who indicated they had these caregiving responsi-
bilities, over one in four (26 percent) indicated they provide the majority of care for an aging parent or
loved one, compared with 12 percent of men. Black or African American women presidents (27 percent)
were more likely than White (26 percent) and Hispanic or Latina (17 percent) women presidents to
provide the majority of care for an aging parent or loved one.
Over nine in 10 (91 percent) women presidents responded that they either “agree” or “somewhat agree”
that they have a support system with whom they share their feelings and stressors, with Black or
African American (94 percent) and Hispanic or Latina (93 percent) women agreeing more frequently
than White women (89 percent).
Of note, more than two in three (69 percent) women reported some level of agreement that they
struggle to nd people who understand the experience of being a president. Black or African American
women (52 percent) were less likely to indicate they struggled to nd people who can relate to their
experience as president, compared with Hispanic or Latina (75 percent) and White women (74 percent).
Efforts should continue to be made to support women’s ability to lead and to fulll familial and
personal obligations. Developing formal and informal communities for women leaders—for example,
the ACE Women’s Network—where trust is fostered, experiences are shared, and support is garnered
would benet current and future women presidents. Regional, online, or virtual communities can
assist women in building networks across educational sectors and levels (such as K–12 educators and
leaders). In addition to networks of support, strategies should be developed at the campus and associa-
tion levels to better support women once they do reach the presidency.
NEXT STEPS
Well over half (58 percent) of women presidents intended to move on from their current role within the
next ve years—this included 27 percent of women who planned to transition in the next one or two years
and 31 percent who planned to do so in the next three to ve years. White women (59 percent) were more
likely to indicate planning to step down from their current presidency within the next ve years than
Black or African American (52 percent) and Hispanic or Latina (48 percent) women presidents.
Among the women who intended to step down from their current position within the next ve years,
one in four (25 percent) indicated “retire and hold no other position” as the only next step they are
considering. Women are already underrepresented in the presidency; if a quarter of them were to retire
in the next ve years, it will be even more essential to identify, support, and mentor other women to
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 23
ensure a more diverse presidency. An additional 7 percent of women who intended to step down from
their current role within the next ve years indicated they planned to “move to another college, univer-
sity, or system presidency” as the only next step they are considering.
These data indicate that higher education may experience a number of presidential vacancies in the
near future and will have the opportunity to ll them with more women and women of color. These
future women presidents could represent numerous academic and employment backgrounds and
leadership experiences, all of which can make positive contributions to higher education today and
strengthen the campuses of tomorrow.
CONCLUSION
The data presented in this chapter capture various experiences across women presidents in the
sample. While there are more women represented in the college presidency today than in the past,
women are more likely to serve at associate institutions and are still underrepresented at doctoral insti-
tutions. As more women and women of color in particular take on presidential roles, the data also raise
the question of whether there are enough women and women of color considering the presidential
pathway as a career choice. Expanding the opportunity to lead to include more women means looking
beyond the traditional faculty or academic pathway, especially at doctoral institutions. These efforts
can also include getting more women interested in the college presidency through mentorship and
professional development opportunities. As more women aspire and are appointed to the presidency,
stakeholders in the higher education sector and beyond must reect upon these data to inform actions
that will continue to advance women in these leadership roles.
Women in leadership often face different expectations than men in similar roles, regardless of employ-
ment sector. The burden of navigating gendered leadership norms is more often placed on women,
rather than eliminating those norms and the systems that enforce them. Women of color face addi-
tional expectations based on race, ethnicity, and gender while often being the rst to hold their senior
leadership roles. Thus, leadership experiences of women presidents are not monolithic and need to be
disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender for deeper understanding. Diversifying presidential lead-
ership is a shared responsibility—current presidents and chancellors play a role through mentorship of
other leaders, while boards, trustees, and other appointing ofcials exercise this responsibility in search
processes. Educating these critical stakeholders on the benets of diversifying presidential leadership
and on where they may have implicit bias in nalizing presidential appointments will create more
equitable search and onboarding processes.
24 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
This chapter focuses on
presidents of color
—a term that encompasses presidents who self-identied as
members of non-White racial or ethnic groups.
16
At a time when the share of undergraduate students
of color has increased from about 30 percent in 1995–96 to 45 percent in 2015–16—a shift largely driven
by Hispanic student enrollment—the college presidency remains overwhelmingly White (Espinosa et
al. 2019).
17
Similar to the growth in women presidents, the growth in presidents of color has progressed
slowly and steadily, but insufciently.
In 1986, the rst year of the American College President Study (ACPS), presidents of color represented 8
percent of all college and university presidents. In 2016, presidents of color accounted for 17 percent of
presidents—an increase of nine percentage points from 30 years prior. At present, CUPA-HR data (2022)
estimates presidents of color account for 15.9 percent of presidents.
18
Partially as a result of rigorous
survey outreach, presidents of color constituted 27 percent of the 2022 American College President
Survey sample, on which this report is based.
16 Presidents of color is a term that encompasses those who responded that they identied as Hispanic or Latino, Middle
Eastern or Arab American, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Asian American, Asian
Indian, and/or Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander. Presidents who selected more than one racial identity were grouped
as multiracial.
17 Throughout this report, respondents who selected only “Caucasian, White, or White American (non-Middle Eastern descent)”
are referred to as White.
18 This data from CUPA-HR’s Administrators in Higher Education Surveys included only nonprot institutions of higher educa-
tion; data for each position included data from at least 674 institutions and 687 administrators, so it represents a smaller
sample size than ACPS data.
Chapter Four:
Prole of Presidents of Color
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 25
Presidents of color are not a monolithic group. In relation to the general population, a small share of
presidents identied as Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian or Asian American, Amer-
ican Indian or Alaska Native, Asian Indian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander, Middle Eastern or
Arab American, or multiracial.
19
In some sections of this chapter, disaggregated responses of Black or
African American and Hispanic or Latino presidents are highlighted and discussed. This chapter also,
when possible, accounts for both race and ethnicity and gender, and it sheds some light on the unique
experiences of men and women presidents of color.
GENERAL DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Among the sample, 14 percent of presidents identied as Black or African American; 6 percent were
Hispanic or Latino; 3 percent were Asian or Asian American; 2 percent were multiracial; and fewer than
1 percent each were Middle Eastern or Arab American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian Indian,
and Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander.
20
Relative to the previous survey in 2016, this approximate 6 percentage point increase in the share of
Black or African American presidents was followed by otherwise modest gains for Hispanic or Latino
presidents (2 percentage point increase over 2016) and multiracial presidents (1 percentage point
increase over 2016). Overall, there was an increase in the representation of most racial and ethnic
groups within the sample.
21
While some gains showed further diversication of the presidency by race
and ethnicity, a lot of work is still to be done to cultivate and recruit talented persons of color to the
presidency so that it is more representative of today’s students.
Table 4.1. Distribution of Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2011, 2016, and 2022
Black or African American Hispanic or Latino White
2011 2016 2022 2011 2016 2022 2011 2016 2022
Women 34.0% 33.9% 39.7% 38.7% 21.7% 51.8% 25.1% 30.1% 36.4%
Men 66.0% 66.1% 60.3% 61.3% 78.3% 48.2% 74.9% 69.9% 63.6%
With the increase of people of color in the presidency, notable gender gaps still exist between men and
women of color. Table 4.2 breaks down the entirety of the sample by racial and ethnic groups, within
gender and in total. Compared with White presidents, the percentage of presidents of color is small,
particularly among women—and especially among Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander, Asian
Indian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Middle Eastern or Arab American women.
19 Respondents were given the option to select “Hispanic or Latinx(o/a),” but the terms Latino and Latina are used throughout
this report.
20 Presidents were given the opportunity to select all racial groups that applied to them. Presidents who selected more than
one race or ethnicity were grouped as multiracial.
21 These numbers should be interpreted with caution due to the belief that women and women of color were slightly oversam-
pled due to targeted survey outreach efforts.
26 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Table 4.2. Distribution of Presidents, Within Gender, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022
Percentage of
Women Presidents
Across Sample
*
Percentage of Men
Presidents Across
Sample
Percentage of Total
Sample
Hispanic or Latino 3.0% 2.8% 5.8%
Caucasian, White,or White American (non-Middle Eastern descent) 26.5% 46.2% 72.7%
Middle Easternor Arab American 0.2% 0.4% 0.6%
Black or African American 5.4% 8.2% 13.6%
American Indianor Alaska Native 0.5% 0.4% 0.9%
Asian or Asian American 1.6% 1.1% 2.7%
Asian Indian 0.0% 0.6% 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander 0.1% 0.1% 0.2%
Multiracial (excludes Hispanic or Latino)
†
1.0% 1.3% 2.4%
Race not listed 0.0% 0.5% 0.5%
Total 38.3%
*
61.7% 100%
Note: Totals represented indicate totals by gender across the survey sample and not the web scrape numbers. For more information, see the methodology in
chapter one.
*
Women presidents are overrepresented in the sample due to the survey outreach strategy. Black or African American women presidents are likely the most
overrepresented in the sample.
†
Presidents were given the opportunity to select all racial groups that applied to them. Any respondents who selected more than one race and ethnicity were
included in this created variable.
In 2022, presidents of color were most likely to lead baccalaureate institutions (32 percent)—the highest
across Carnegie Classication. Similarly, 31 percent of presidents at associate institutions and 28
percent of special focus presidents were people of color. About one in four (23 percent) presidents who
led master’s institutions were people of color. Presidents of color were least represented in leadership at
doctoral institutions, among which only 17 percent were led by people of color (see table 4.3).
Table 4.3. Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity and Carnegie Classication: 2022
Presidents of Color White Presidents
Doctoral 16.8% 83.2%
Master’s 23.3% 76.7%
Baccalaureate 32.3% 67.7%
Associate 31.0% 69.0%
Special focus 28.4% 71.6%
Note
s
: Represents percentages within the sample, unweighted by Carnegie Classication. | All public and private not-for-prot
institutions are combined.
Presidents of color have, on average, served in their current presidency for 5.4 years. These data indi-
cated that presidents of color have more recently entered their current positions when compared with
White presidents, who have served in their current positions an average of 6.3 years. While this differ-
ence is less than a year, there are implications when considered alongside other data points, especially
with the percent of presidents of color who plan to step down from their current role within the next
ve years (discussed in the next section). Governing boards will need to make intentional efforts in the
recruitment, onboarding, and support of presidents of color in the next several years to make strides
toward parity and equity.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 27
Over the next several years, cultivating and supporting leaders of color from administrative campus
roles, the public sector, business, and other areas will also be important. This is due to the fact that
the provost or chief academic ofcer position is seen as one of the key positions on the faculty or
academic pathway to the presidency. Diversity is limited among those in the chief academic role, with
9.2 percent of provosts who were women of color and 7 percent who were men of color (CUPA-HR 2022).
Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that presidents of color—women, in particular—may have
altered their career by postponing a job search or promotion due to familial obligations. Women of color
were more likely to have postponed a job search or promotion (26 percent) or to have left a position (8
percent) due to the care of a minor dependent than White presidents (men and women) or men of color
presidents. These postponements and career pauses can have an impact on the availability of talented
women of color to fulll the anticipated vacancies described below.
NEXT STEPS AND LIFE OUTSIDE THE PRESIDENCY
Data indicated that about 51 percent of presidents of color planned to step down from their current
position within the next ve years. About one in four (23 percent) women of color and about one in ve
(19 percent) men of color anticipated stepping down from their current presidency within the next year
or two. An additional 32 percent of women presidents of color and 28 percent of men of color presidents
anticipated stepping down within the next three to ve years (see gure 4.1).
Figure 4.1. Anticipated Time of Stepping Down from Current Position for Presidents of Color,
by Gender: 2022
0 20
Men of color Women of color
Prefer not to answer
Don't know
10 or more years from now
6–9 years from now
3–5 years from now
Within the next year
40
Overall, these data revealed that over half (54 percent) of women of color and close to half (48 percent)
of men of color anticipated leaving their current presidency within the next ve years. As higher educa-
tion leadership has slowly diversied, these ndings are cause for concern. While this data point does
not necessarily mean these leaders will leave higher education altogether, their departure will result in
lost institutional knowledge and expertise, in addition to a decline in representation of persons of color
in senior leadership. To increase representation of persons of color in the presidency, higher education
simply cannot replace one person of color for another—the eld needs to commit to a net increase in
28 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
representation by race and ethnicity. As these presidents consider their retirement, it will be essential
for higher education stakeholders to mentor, support, sponsor, and coach other talented leaders of color
onto the pathway to the presidency.
Among the presidents of color who intended to step down within the next ve years, nearly one in ve
(19 percent) indicated they will “retire and hold no other position” as the only next step they are consid-
ering after leaving their current role. An additional 11 percent who intended to step down from their
current role within the next ve years indicated they planned to “move to another college, university, or
system presidency” as the only next step they are considering. This change in leadership presents an
opportunity for search rms, governing boards, and other constituents to explore why higher education
is seeing turnover of these leaders and to work on intentional plans to cultivate future leaders of color
on various pathways.
Among all options for next steps, men of color (39 percent) were more likely to indicate they were
considering assuming another presidency than their women of color colleagues (26 percent). Black or
African American men presidents (43 percent) were most likely to consider moving to another presi-
dency. Data indicated that women were more likely to retire following their current presidency when
compared with men of color (see table 4.4), which calls into question issues of retention and the poten-
tial workplace challenges facing women of color specically. Additional qualitative inquiry is needed
to better understand the turnover with an eye to constituent expectations and relationships with
governing boards.
Table 4.4. Next Steps for Presidents of Color Planning to Step Down, by Gender: 2022
Women of Color Men of Color
Retire, hold no other position 29.0% 24.1%
Move to another presidency 26.3% 38.6%
Move to faculty at current or other institution 12.3% 16.6%
Nonprot or philanthropic work outside of higher
education
21.9% 18.6%
Consultant for higher education search rm 24.6% 20.0%
Note: Data represent the most commonly selected responses; presidents were able to select all options they are considering in
their next steps.
On the whole, these data indicate several important ndings and considerations for higher education.
First, presidents of color were newer to their current positions when compared with White presidents.
And not only were newer, but one in ve planned to leave their current position within the next year or
two. Second, over half of presidents of color expected to step down in the next ve years, which is cause
for concern—and requires keen, quick efforts to mentor, sponsor, coach, and support talented colleagues
of color both outside and on the traditional pathway to the presidency.
PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH PROCESS
During the interview phase of the search process, potential presidents are interviewing the institution
as much as the institution is interviewing them. Candidates learn about the challenges facing the insti-
tution, the state of its nances, and the expectations of the board, institution, or system. While most
presidents indicated that disclosure during the search process was clear, accurate, and realistic, there
are differences in perception of disclosure.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 29
When presidents of color were asked if they felt that there was appropriate disclosure related to the
overall challenges facing their institution/system, 60 percent of presidents of color responded “yes,”
compared with 71 percent of White presidents. Additionally, large percentage point differences exist
between presidents of color and White presidents around a clear understanding of board expectations
and the institution or system’s expectations (see table 4.5). These differences are even more apparent
when disaggregated by gender, which is highlighted in chapter three.
Table 4.5. Perception of Disclosures Within the Search Process, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022
The search process provided: Presidents of Color White Presidents
Realistic assessment of the current challenges
facing the institution/system?
60.4% 70.8%
A full and accurate disclosure of institution/
system’s nancial condition?
63.1% 69.2%
A clear understanding of the board’s
expectations?
66.4% 76.0%
A clear understanding of the institution/system
expectations?
68.0% 78.8%
Note: Percentages represent those who answered ‘yes’ to each question.
Several ndings related to disclosure in the search process need further qualitative exploration. A 10
percentage point gap emerged between White presidents and presidents of color and their agreement
that the search process gave them a realistic assessment of the current challenges facing their insti-
tution or system. This gap becomes larger by gender, and a similar-sized gap exists between Black
or African American women presidents and their experience compared with Black or African Amer-
ican men, Hispanic or Latino men, and Hispanic or Latina women. Why do these gaps exist? What are
presidents of color learning about their institutions once they are appointed to the role of a president?
If women of color presidents, particularly Black or African American women, are less likely to feel
informed, how does that affect the rest of their presidency and their ability to be successful?
SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENTS OF COLOR
The job of a president at a higher education institution in the U.S. is complex. Strong teams and
networks are essential to a president’s success. Women of color were much more likely than men of
color to have indicated that they had a personal support system as a president. When presidents were
asked about their support system for sharing feelings and stressors in their presidency role, 95 percent
of women of color responded that they either “agree” or “somewhat agree” about having a support
system, compared with 86 percent of men of color. Well over half (65 percent) of men of color agreed
that they struggled to nd someone who understands their experience as president, compared with 57
percent of women of color (see gure 4.2).
30 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Figure 4.2. Support Systems for Presidents of Color Compared with White Presidents: 2022
0 20 40 60 80 100
Disagree Somewhat disagreeSomewhat agree Agree
White women
White men
Women of color
Men of color
Had a support system with whom to share feelings and stressors
0 20 40 60 80 100
White women
White men
Women of color
Men of color
Struggled to find people who understand the experience of being a president
Note: Data are unweighted.
Other key supports that presidents must have to be successful come from the governing board and the
faculty and staff on their respective campuses. The overwhelming majority (95 percent) of presidents
of color indicated they currently felt supported by their board. Men of color presidents (97 percent) were
a little more likely to rate their board as “very” or “somewhat supportive” when compared with women
of color presidents (93 percent). Men and women of color presidents both indicated the same level of
agreement (96 percent) regarding the support of their faculty. There is room for additional inquiry into
what women of color presidents are entrusted to do and how that may affect their perception of support
from their board.
These data indicate an opportunity for associations, professional organizations, and current and former
presidents to potentially ll a need in providing presidents of color—in particular, men of color—with
a broader support system of those who understand what it is like to be president. Networks for these
presidents, whether offered by an organization or association, or through mentorship with a current
or former president could help increase the well-being of college and university presidents. While the
majority of presidents found their boards and faculty supportive, there is still room for inquiry to under-
stand the potential unwritten expectations and the nuances of support that exist from both governing
boards and faculty for presidents of color; such an exploration may be tied into the level of disclosure
provided in the search process.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 31
DIVERSIFYING THE PRESIDENCY
The demographics of college presidents do not mirror those of society, much less the campuses and
student populations that they serve. While higher education leadership has seen increased representa-
tion by race and ethnicity since 2006 (see table 4.6), equity and parity are still goals that require atten-
tion and effort on behalf of stakeholders across the sector. Again, nearly one out of every ve presidents
of color who were planning to step down within the next ve years anticipated retiring. With this
expected churn in leadership, the opportunity is there to make measurable strides to parity or to move
in the opposite direction. Current leaders in higher education have an urgent responsibility to iden-
tify talented people of color in their institutions today who they could develop, mentor, and coach to
become a candidate for the college presidency tomorrow. It will be essential to look beyond the faculty
and academic pathway and identify leaders in administration, nonprots, business, and the public
sector.
Table 4.6. Survey Respondents, by Race and Ethnicity: 2011, 2016, and 2022
Race
Percentage of Sample
2011
Percentage of Sample
2016
Percentage of Sample
2022
Hispanicor Latino 3.8% 3.9% 5.8%
Caucasian, White, or White American (non-Middle
Eastern descent)
87.2% 83.2% 72.7%
Middle Easternor Arab American – 0.6% 0.6%
Black or African American
*
5.9% 7.9% 13.6%
American Indianor Alaska Native 0.8% 0.7% 0.9%
Asian or Asian American 1.5% 2.3% 2.7%
Asian Indian – – 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander – – 0.2%
Multiracial (excluding Hispanic or Latino)
†
0.8%
‡
1.4% 2.4%
Race not listed – – 0.5%
Total 100% 100% 100%
“–” indicates data was not collected by this designation in previous surveys.
*
Black or African American population was likely oversampled due to survey outreach strategies.
†
Presidents were given the opportunity to select all racial groups that applied to them. Any respondents who selected more than one race and ethnicity were
included in this created variable.
‡
Coded as “other”
Data from CUPA-HR (2022) show that only 16.2 percent of provosts in 2021–22 were people of color.
When disaggregating by gender, only 9.2 percent of provosts are women of color and 7 percent are
men of color. Limitations in the ranks of college leadership mean that traditional pathways such as
academic administration cannot sustain and diversify the presidency alone. To start, leaders who
want to mentor administrators of color into the presidency should look to their chief student affairs or
student life ofcers, chief human resource ofcers, and registrars—as these positions are more likely
to be leaders of color (Taylor et. al 2020). In order to continue to diversify the presidency, search rms,
boards, and search committees will need to cultivate and be open to candidates who are coming from
more nontraditional pathways to the presidency.
Additionally, while this chapter features some of the nuances in the responses of Black or African
American and Hispanic or Latino presidents, it was unable to highlight the unique and varied experi-
ences of Asian or Asian American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian Indian, Native Hawaiian
or other Pacic Islander, Middle Eastern or Arab American, or multiracial presidents. Emphasizing the
experiences of these leaders is important in general, but specically matters for increasingly diverse
32 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
student bodies so that students can see themselves in their leaders. Strategies and policies to identify
and recruit diverse presidents should be developed and utilized by search rms and boards. Profes-
sional associations can also be catalysts in providing space, expertise, and leadership to develop future
presidential leaders in higher education.
CONCLUSION
The data in this chapter capture and highlight the experiences of presidents of color within the sample,
and they present a clear and urgent need to further increase representation and champion equity so
that more students see themselves in the leaders that guide their institutions. While modest gains
have been made in the overall share of presidents of color, several areas for growth and of concern
remain, particularly with the share of presidents of color who anticipate leaving their current positions
within the next ve years. This leadership change will require a continued effort on behalf of governing
boards, search rms, and current presidents to deepen the network of leaders of color prepared to
assume presidencies, particularly at doctoral institutions.
The experiences of these presidents of color necessitate a lens of nuance and identity-based under-
standing to fully contextualize how they experience their roles as senior leaders. Many presidents of
color often hold the designation of being the rst to hold their leadership roles, similar to the experience
of women presidents. Leadership experiences, particularly for presidents of nondominant identities,
are not monolithic; continuing to diversify the presidency is a shared responsibility across governing
boards and current and former presidents. Moving forward, current and former presidents should prior-
itize the identication of talented leaders of color within different sectors and within their institutions
to help cultivate a sustainable pathway into the presidency.
Higher education has been working on expanding educational access for diverse populations while
increasing an institutional focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The diversication of senior leader-
ship, however, is a perpetual challenge for which the responsibility rests with governing boards, search
rms, and parties often external to campuses. These groups must place equity at the center of presi-
dential search processes with clear efforts to hold each other accountable, identify and address implicit
bias, and cultivate a diverse and talented candidate pool to ultimately diversify higher education’s most
prominent and important leadership position.
When considering the future of higher education and its many challenges—racial injustice, the enroll-
ment cliff, declines in public trust, student debt, attacks on tenure and shared governance, and more—
the need for diverse voices has never been greater, and women and people of color must be among
those voices. Higher education has a responsibility not only to acknowledge diversity decits in presi-
dential leadership, but also to take action. Identifying, mentoring, supporting, sponsoring, and coaching
women and people of color into these positions will move the needle, but stakeholders must hold them-
selves accountable. The future of higher education depends on it.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 33
INTRODUCTION
1. Please indicate the name of your institution/system below. Please include the full name of your institution.
is information will be used solely for the purposes of determining institutional characteristics, such as
sector and Carnegie Classication, in the aggregate. Individual institution responses will remain completely
condential. No identiable information will be shared.
Institution/System Name: _______________________________________________________________
I am the chief executive of a campus or system (i.e., president, chancellor, or equivalent) and consent to
participating in this study.
I consent to participating in this study.
GENERAL INFORMATION
First, we’re interested in learning some general information about you and your presidency. In this survey, we use
the term “president/CEO” to refer to presidents, chancellors, and other chief executive ocer positions for college
and university campuses, as well as multicampus systems.
1. Please indicate the year you began your current presidency/CEO post.
Year: ____________
2. Please indicate the month you began your current presidency/CEO post.
Month: _________________
3. My current position (Select all that apply.)
Is an interim appointment.
Is a president/CEO of a single campus.
Is a dual role as the president/CEO of a multicampus system and a campus.
I do not have a singular campus for which I am responsible; I am the head of a multicampus system.
4. Do you currently have a written contract?
{ Yes
{ No (please proceed to question 7)
5. In what year does your current contract end? If your current contract is indenite, please select indenite.
Year: ____________
Indenite
6. In what month does your current contract end? If your current contract is indenite, please select indenite.
Month: ____________
Indenite
Appendix A: 2022 American College
President Survey Instrument
34 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
7. What is your current base salary?
Salary: ___________________
8. Which of the following are components of your agreed-upon conditions of employment? (Select all that
apply.)
Ability to serve in paid corporate directorships
Automobile (with or without a driver)
Childcare
Deferred compensation
Entertainment budget
Health and wellness
House manager
Incentive pay
Involuntary separation agreement
Life insurance
Long-term care insurance
Pension/retirement contributions
Performance-based bonuses
Permission to pursue paid consulting opportunities
Presidential residence
Housing allowance
Professional association membership(s)
Social club membership(s)
Executive coaching
Other professional development (not listed)
Professional nancial planning assistance
Professional retirement planning assistance
Retention (time-based) bonuses
Retiree health insurance
Sabbatical(s)
Salary increase based on merit
Tenured faculty position
Spousal hire
9. Who do you report to as the president/CEO?
{ System head
{ Governing board
{ State commissioner/superintendent
{ Corporate/church board or leader
{ Not listed (please specify): ____________________________________________________________
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 35
10. Do you have a formal performance evaluation?
{ Yes
{ No (please skip to question 13)
11. Who has the performance review conversation with you?
{ Same as the person(s) I report to.
{ Not listed (please specify): ____________________________________________________________
12. What is the frequency of your formal performance evaluation?
{ Annual
{ Annual with periodic external evaluation
{ Every two years
{ Every three years
{ Every four years or more
13. In which of the following areas would you like more training and/or development in for your current presi-
dency/CEO post? (Select all that apply.)
Academic issues (e.g.,curriculum changes)
Accreditation
Alumni as stakeholder group (excluding fundraising)
Assessment of student learning
Athletics
Budget/nancial management
Campus internationalization (e.g.,supporting international students, global curriculum)
Capital improvement projects
Communication—external (e.g., media/public relations)
Communication—internal
Community relations
Crisis management
Diversityorequity issues
Enrollment management
Entrepreneurial ventures
Faculty governance
Fundraising
Global engagement (e.g.,international partnerships, exchange agreements, joint degree programs)
Governing board relations
Government relations (federal)
Government relations (state)
Maintaining personal well-being
Managing a senior-level team
36 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Personnel issues (excluding faculty)
Risk management/legal issues
Shared governance
Spousal role
Strategic planning
Student life/conduct issues
Technology planning (using technological developments to advance institutional mission)
Using institutional research (evidence) to inform decision-making
Not listed (please specify):____________________________________________________________
MOST RECENT SEARCH, ACCEPTANCE, AND ONBOARDING
PROCESS
Now, we have a series of questions about the search, acceptance, and onboarding process for your current
position.
1. Who recruited you or encouraged you to pursue your current role? (Select all that apply.)
Search consultant/search agency
Past president/CEO at my current campus
Another president/CEO outside of my current campus
Current or previous supervisor
Sponsor who conrmed and advocated for your candidacy in the search process
Trusted friend or mentor
Peer or colleague
Partner or spouse
Family member(s) aside from my partner or spouse
Member(s) of the board or governing group
Not listed (please specify): ____________________________________________________________
2. Before accepting the position, who did you seek advice from in negotiating the terms of employment? (Select
all that apply.)
Personal attorney
Peers
Financial planner/accountant/othernancial expert
Predecessor(s) at yourcurrent institution
Governing boardmember(s)of yourcurrent institution
Governing board member(s) of other higher education institutions
Colleagues at your current institution
Colleagues in the eld of higher education
Colleagues outside of higher education
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 37
Spouse/partner/family
Online research (e.g., institutional information, IRS Form 990, state databases)
Presidential associations (e.g., AACC, AASCU, AAU, ACE, APLU, NAICU)
Search consultant/search agency (if used in the hiring process)
Did not seek advice
Not listed(please specify): ____________________________________________________________
3. Do you feel that the disclosure in the search process provided:
Yes No
A realistic assessment of the current challenges facing the institution/system?
A full and accurate disclosure of the institution/system’s nancial condition?
A clear understanding of the board’s expectations?
A clear understanding of the institution/system’s expectations?
4. Which of the following onboarding activities were held when you assumed your current presidency/CEO
post? (Select all that apply.)
Transition meeting(s) with the predecessor
Onboarding meeting(s) with the governing board
Introductionto key donors
Introductionto elected ocials
Campus listening tour
Public aairs/media training
Institutional history overview
Dress codereview
Campus tour
Meeting with faculty senate
Meeting with sta senate
Opportunities for physical, mental, and emotional wellness
Presidential residence review
Notlisted (please specify): ____________________________________________________________
5. What is your perception of the support you have from your governing board/agency at present?
Very supportive
Somewhat supportive
Somewhat unsupportive
Very unsupportive
6. What is your perception of the support you have from faculty at your institution at present?
Very supportive
Somewhat supportive
Somewhat unsupportive
Very unsupportive
38 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
7. Briey, what are the top three challenges you have faced during your tenure?
Challenge 1:
Challenge 2:
Challenge 3:
8. How has the changing conversation around racial injustice aected you as a president/CEO? (Select all that
apply.)
I am leading my institution to take steps in addressing racial justice issues.
I have faced challenges in publicly addressing or recognizing racial justice issues.
I have been criticized because of the way I chose to address racial justice issues.
I have received inquiries from external stakeholders related to critical race theory.
I feel equipped to lead the institution in addressing racial justice issues.
I am continuously looking for guidance from peers or others who are addressing racial injustice on
campus.
WELL-BEING OF PRESIDENTS
e demands and stressors for college presidents/CEOs are wide-ranging and varied. We are interested in learning
more about the well-being of college and university presidents/CEOs as they work to address the signicant
challenges facing higher education. Using a validated instrument, we hope to establish a baseline of college and
university president/CEO well-being.
Please read the following statements and choose your level of agreement for each.
1. I lead a purposeful and meaningful life.
Strongly
agree
Agree Slightly agree Neither agree
nor disagree
Slightly
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
2. My social relationships are supportive and rewarding.
Strongly
agree
Agree Slightly agree Neither agree
nor disagree
Slightly
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
3. I am engaged and interested in my daily activities.
Strongly
agree
Agree Slightly agree Neither agree
nor disagree
Slightly
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 39
4. I actively contribute to the happiness and well-being of others.
Strongly
agree
Agree Slightly agree Neither agree
nor disagree
Slightly
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
5. I am competent and capable in the activities that are important to me.
Strongly
agree
Agree Slightly agree Neither agree
nor disagree
Slightly
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
6. I am a good person and live a good life.
Strongly
agree
Agree Slightly agree Neither agree
nor disagree
Slightly
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
7. I am optimistic about my future.
Strongly
agree
Agree Slightly agree Neither agree
nor disagree
Slightly
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
6. People respect me.
Strongly
agree
Agree Slightly agree Neither agree
nor disagree
Slightly
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.
7. I have a support system with whom I share my feelings and stressors.
Agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Disagree
10. I use strategies that help me reenergize (e.g., exercise, meditation, yoga, nutrition).
Agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Disagree
8. I struggle to nd people who understand the experience of being a president/CEO.
Agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Disagree
40 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
PRESIDENTIAL PATHWAYS
e next series of questions will ask you about your journey to your current post, as well as into the presidency/
CEO role in general.
1. Which option most closely aligns with your career pathway?
{ Faculty/academic
{ Career administrative leader (student aairs ocer, auxiliary services, nance, etc.)
{ Public sector/government
{ Business executive
{ Nonprot executive
{ Not listed (please specify): ___________________________________________________________
2. At what age did you rst aspire to serve in a president/CEO role at a college campus or system?
___________________________
3. At what age did you rst apply to serve in a president/CEO role at a college campus or system?
___________________________
4. At what age were you rst appointed to a president/CEO role at a college campus or system?
___________________________
5. Where did you hold your immediate past position to your current presidency/CEO post? (Select one.)
Current institution
Another higher education institution or system
Another employer other than a higher education institution or system
6. List the prior ve roles leading up to your current president/CEO role, with position 1 being the immediate
past position held.
I did not hold a job at a college campus or university system prior to my current presidency.
Position 1
Employer
Position Title
Start Year
Start Month
End Year
End Month
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 41
Please select the description that most closely aligns with this position. (Select one.)
{ Academic dean
{ Chief academic ocer or provost
{ Department chair/program director
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor of a system
{ Non-tenure-track faculty
{ Other senior executive in academic aairs (not including dean)
{ Outside of higher education—business sector (please specify): _________________________________
{ Senior campus/system executive for diversity (e.g., chief diversity ocer)
{ Senior campus/system executive for advancement or development (e.g., VP/AVP of development)
{ Senior campus executive in business and/or administration
{ Senior campus executive in student aairs
{ Senior campus/system executive for athletics
{ Tenured faculty
{ Tenure-track faculty
{ Not listed (please specify):___________________________________________________________
Position 2
Employer
Position Title
Start Year
Start Month
End Year
End Month
Please select the description that most closely aligns with this position. (Select one.)
{ Academic dean
{ Chief academic ocer or provost
{ Department chair/program director
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor of a system
{ Non-tenure-track faculty
{ Other senior executive in academic aairs (not including dean)
42 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
{ Outside of higher education—business sector (please specify):_________________________________
{ Senior campus/system executive for diversity (e.g., chief diversity ocer)
{ Senior campus/system executive for advancement or development (e.g., VP/AVP of development)
{ Senior campus executive in business and/or administration
{ Senior campus executive in student aairs
{ Senior campus/system executive for athletics
{ Tenured faculty
{ Tenure-track faculty
{ Not listed (please specify): ___________________________________________________________
Position 3
Employer
Position Title
Start Year
Start Month
End Year
End Month
Please select the description that most closely aligns with this position. (Select one.)
{ Academic dean
{ Chief academic ocer or provost
{ Department chair/program director
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor of a system
{ Non-tenure-track faculty
{ Other senior executive in academic aairs (not including dean)
{ Outside of higher education—business sector (please specify): _________________________________
{ Senior campus/system executive for diversity (e.g., chief diversity ocer)
{ Senior campus/system executive for advancement or development (e.g., VP/AVP of development)
{ Senior campus executive in business and/or administration
{ Senior campus executive in student aairs
{ Senior campus/system executive for athletics
{ Tenured faculty
{ Tenure-track faculty
{ Not listed (please specify):___________________________________________________________
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 43
Position 4
Employer
Position Title
Start Year
Start Month
End Year
End Month
Please select the description that most closely aligns with this position. (Select one.)
{ Academic dean
{ Chief academic ocer or provost
{ Department chair/program director
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor of a system
{ Non-tenure-track faculty
{ Other senior executive in academic aairs (not including dean)
{ Outside of higher education—business sector (please specify): _________________________________
{ Senior campus/system executive for diversity (e.g., chief diversity ocer)
{ Senior campus/system executive for advancement or development (e.g., VP/AVP of development)
{ Senior campus executive in business and/or administration
{ Senior campus executive in student aairs
{ Senior campus/system executive for athletics
{ Tenured faculty
{ Tenure-track faculty
{ Not listed (please specify):___________________________________________________________
44 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Position 5
Employer
Position Title
Start Year
Start Month
End Year
End Month
Please select the description that most closely aligns with this position. (Select one.)
{ Academic dean
{ Chief academic ocer or provost
{ Department chair/program director
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor
{ Interim president/CEO/chancellor of a system
{ Non-tenure-track faculty
{ Other senior executive in academic aairs (not including dean)
{ Outside of higher education—business sector (please specify): _________________________________
{ Senior campus/system executive for diversity (e.g., chief diversity ocer)
{ Senior campus/system executive for advancement or development (e.g., VP/AVP of development)
{ Senior campus executive in business and/or administration
{ Senior campus executive in student aairs
{ Senior campus/system executive for athletics
{ Tenured faculty
{ Tenure-track faculty
{ Not listed (please specify): ___________________________________________________________
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 45
7. Prior to your rst appointment as a president/CEO, how many presidential searches were you a part of as a
candidate and in what capacity?
Total number of searches: ___________________________
Searches in which you were a semi-nalist: ___________________________
Searches in which you were a nalist: ___________________________
8. Before your rst appointment as a campus or system president/CEO, in which of the following leadership
development programs did you participate? (Select all that apply.)
ACE Fellows Program
ACE Advancing to the Presidency
ACE National Women’s Forum
ACE Spectrum Executive Leadership Program
ACE Institute for New Chief Academic Ocers
AACC’s Future President Institute (FPI)
AASCU’s Millennium Institute
Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence
CIC’s Presidential Pathways Programs (i.e., New Presidents Program, Executive Leadership Academy,
Senior Leadership Academy)
Hampton University’s Executive Leadership Summit
Harvard’s Institute for Educational Management (IEM)
Other ACE leadership program(s) (please specify): ________________________________________
Other non-ACE leadership program(s) (please specify): ______________________________________
None
9. In general, how helpful were these leadership development programs in securing your rst presidency/CEO
role? Please write in the experiences selected above in the left-hand column.
Name of leadership development
program
Very helpful Helpful
Neither
helpful nor
unhelpful
Unhelpful
Not helpful
at all
46 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
10. As you think about your current role, how helpful are the skills you developed in these leadership develop-
ment programs? Please write in the experiences selected above in the left-hand column.
Name of leadership development
program
Very helpful Helpful
Neither
helpful nor
unhelpful
Unhelpful
Not helpful
at all
11. Please list all postsecondary degrees you have earned to date (please list in the order of most recent to oldest):
Degree 1
Degree type:
{ Associate
{ Bachelor’s
{ Master’s
{ Educational specialist
{ Doctor of philosophy
{ Doctor of education
{ Doctor of pharmacy
{ Juris doctor
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________
Field of Study
Year Completed
Institution
Degree 2
Degree type:
{ Associate
{ Bachelor’s
{ Master’s
{ Educational specialist
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 47
{ Doctor of philosophy
{ Doctor of education
{ Doctor of pharmacy
{ Juris doctor
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________
Field of Study
Year Completed
Institution
Degree 3
Degree type:
{ Associate
{ Bachelor’s
{ Master’s
{ Educational specialist
{ Doctor of philosophy
{ Doctor of education
{ Doctor of pharmacy
{ Juris doctor
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________
Field of Study
Year Completed
Institution
Degree 4
Degree type:
{ Associate
{ Bachelor’s
{ Master’s
{ Educational specialist
{ Doctor of philosophy
{ Doctor of education
{ Doctor of pharmacy
{ Juris doctor
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________
48 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Field of Study
Year Completed
Institution
Degree 5
Degree type:
{ Associate
{ Bachelor’s
{ Master’s
{ Educational specialist
{ Doctor of philosophy
{ Doctor of education
{ Doctor of pharmacy
{ Juris doctor
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________
Field of Study
Year Completed
Institution
11. Does your background include any of the following types of international experience? (Select all that apply.)
Postsecondary study outside the United States
Professional experience overseas (outside the eld of higher education)
Employment at a higher education institution outside the United States
International research or teaching grant or fellowship (e.g., Fulbright)
Deployed overseas as U.S. personnel (military or civilian)
None
Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 49
NEXT STEPS FOR YOU AND YOUR INSTITUTION
e next section of the survey is going to ask some questions about the next career steps for you and the impact on
your current institution.
1. When do you anticipate stepping down from your current position, relative to the current academic year?
(Select one.)
{ Within the next year or two
{ 3–5 years from now
{ 6–9 years from now
{ 10 or more years from now
{ Don’t know
{ Prefer not to answer
2. Has the COVID-19 pandemic aected the timing of when you plan to step down from your current presi-
dency/CEO post? (Select one.)
{ Yes, I am planning to stay longer than previously anticipated.
{ Yes, I am transitioning out earlier than previously anticipated.
{ No, I am still planning to transition at the previously anticipated time.
{ I do not have a plan for transitioning out.
3. Please indicate if your institution has any of the following in place. (Select all that apply.)
Detailed list of presidential responsibilities
Temporary succession plan
Plans for increased eorts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion for current students, faculty, and sta
Plans for increased eorts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion for prospective students, faculty, and
sta
Plans/policies for a temporary succession plan
Plans/policies for presidential searches
4. Are you preparing a successor for your current role? (Select one).
{ Yes
{ No (please proceed to question 6)
{ Not applicable (please proceed to question 6)
5. Is your successor (select one):
{ At your current institution
{ At another higher education institution
{ Outside of higher education
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
50 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
6. What next steps are you considering after you leave your current position? (Select all that apply.)
Retire and hold no other position
Move to another college, university, or system presidency
Move to a senior-level position at a higher education campus/system (non-president)
Become a CEO of a higher education-related (non-campus) organization, association, or state system
Become an honoric chancellor at current institution
Move to the faculty at current or another institution
Become employed outside of higher education—nonprot or philanthropic (e.g., foundation president)
Become employed outside of higher education—corporation, for prot
Become a consultant for a search rm in higher education
Become a consultant—other
Unsure
Not listed (please specify): ____________________________________________________________
BACKGROUND
Please tell us about you and your background.
1. What is your gender identity?
{ Man
{ Woman
{ Nonbinary
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
2. What is your sexual orientation?
{ Heterosexual
{ Gay or lesbian
{ Bisexual
{ Prefer not to answer
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
3. Year of birth:
Year: ________________
4. What is your citizenship status?
{ U.S. citizen (by birth)
{ U.S. citizen (naturalized)
{ U.S. permanent resident
{ U.S. visa holder
{ Prefer not to answer
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 51
5. Are you Hispanic or Latinx(o/a)?
{ Yes
{ No (please proceed to question 7)
6. Please indicate your Hispanic origin:
Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano
Puerto Rican
Cuban
Dominican
Salvadoran
Central American excluding Salvadoran
South American
Other Hispanic origin (please specify): ________________________________________
7. What is your race? (Select all that apply.) Note: We provide broad racial background options below. If you wish to
provide further detail, please use the appropriate option below.
Caucasian, White, or White American (non-Middle Eastern descent)
Middle Eastern or Arab American
Black or African American
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian or other Pacic Islander
Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
8. Please share the term(s) that best describes your ethnicity.
_____________________________________________________________
9. What is your current aliation with the U.S. military? (Select one.)
{ Active duty
{ Reserve
{ Protected veteran
{ None of the above
10. Please select your religious practice or aliation. (Select all that apply.)
Atheist
Agnostic
Buddhist
Christian (Protestant)
Christian (Roman Catholic)
Church of Latter-day Saints
52 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Hindu
Jewish
Muslim
Sikh
None
Prefer not to answer
Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
11. What is your marital status? (Select one.)
{ Never married (member of religious order) (please proceed to question 14)
{ Never married (please proceed to question 14)
{ Married
{ Domestic partner
{ Separated (please proceed to question 14)
{ Divorced (please proceed to question 14)
{ Widower/widow (please proceed to question 14)
12. Please describe the employment status of your spouse or partner. (Select all that apply.)
Employed full time
Employed part time
Unemployed
Student
Retired
Homemaker
Self-employed
Unable to work
Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
13. In what way(s) is your spouse or partner aliated with the institution where you serve as president/CEO?
(Select all that apply.)
Compensated by your institution or system for role as host, fundraiser, and/or spouse or domestic partner
Employed at your institution or system, in a capacity not related to the presidency
Unpaid participant in campus or system activities
Not applicable
Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
14. Do you have any children living at home with you, or who you have regular responsibility for?
{ Yes
{ No (please proceed to question 18)
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 53
15. How many children under 18 do you have regular responsibility for?
Number of children under 18: ________________________________
16. Who is primarily responsible for managing childcare in your household in a normal week? (Select all that
apply.)
I am a single parent.
I share the responsibility of childcare with a partner.
I co-parent with an ex-partner.
I share the responsibility of childcare with a relative.
I share the responsibility of childcare with a paid caregiver (e.g., nanny, babysitter).
My child/children attend day care or after-school care outside of the home.
Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
17. For each prompt below, please indicate the percentage of childcare responsibilities you share within your
household. For instance, if you share responsibility equally with your household family members, please
indicate 50 percent.
Prompt Share of responsibility
Picking up/dropping o child(ren) at school
Transporting child(ren) to after-school activities
Preparing meals for child(ren)
Taking time o of work for sick child(ren) or taking
child(ren) to medical appointments
Being involved in child(ren)’s school(s) (e.g., PTA
volunteer)
18. Are you a caretaker for an aging parent/loved one?
{ Yes
{ No (please proceed to question 21)
19. Who provides the majority of aging parent/loved one care in a normal week? (Select one.)
{ I provide the majority of care.
{ My spouse provides the majority of care.
{ Another family member provides the majority of care.
{ Paid caregiver(s) (outside of the family) provide the majority of care.
{ Not listed (please specify): _____________________________________________________________
54 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
20. For each prompt below, please indicate the percentage of aging parent/loved one care responsibilities that you
share with others. For instance, if you share responsibility equally with another party, please indicate 50%.
Prompt Share of responsibility
Assist with housekeeping and/or regular errands
Provide transportation to medical appointments
Monitor medications and medical follow-up
Prepare meals and/or grocery shopping
Assist with mobility or other quality of life tasks
Serve as power of attorney or in other legally
responsible role
21. Have you altered your career, at any point, for the following reasons? (Select all that apply.)
Care for a minor dependent(s)
Left my position
Worked part time/
reduced schedule
Postponed job
search/promotion
Reason not listed
(please specify)
I have not altered
my career for this
reason.
Other reason: ____________________________________________________________________________
Care for an adult dependent(s)
Left my position
Worked part time/
reduced schedule
Postponed job
search/promotion
Reason not listed
(please specify)
I have not altered
my career for this
reason.
Other reason: ____________________________________________________________________________
Career of a spouse/partner
Left my position
Worked part time/
reduced schedule
Postponed job
search/promotion
Reason not listed
(please specify)
I have not altered
my career for this
reason.
Other reason: ____________________________________________________________________________
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 55
Career of another loved one
Left my position
Worked part time/
reduced schedule
Postponed job
search/promotion
Reason not listed
(please specify)
I have not altered
my career for this
reason.
Other reason: ____________________________________________________________________________
Personal health issue(s)
Left my position
Worked part time/
reduced schedule
Postponed job
search/promotion
Reason not listed
(please specify)
I have not altered
my career for this
reason.
Other reason: ____________________________________________________________________________
For any non-listed circumstances that altered your career, please elaborate on the issue(s) and how these issue(s)
impacted your career.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
ank you for your participation in the 2022 American College President Survey.
is concludes the formal written survey portion.
Please turn the page for additional follow-up details.
56 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
FOLLOW-UP
1. Please indicate your interest in future follow-up opportunities (Select all that apply):
I would be interested in participating in a follow-up to the study, which may include an interview, a case
study, podcast, and more. If you indicate interest, you can withdraw at any time.
I would like access to early results of the American College President Study.
I would like to be entered into a drawing for an Amazon gift card for me and my assistant.
I am not interested in any of these opportunities at this time.
2. If you are interested in follow-up opportunities, please enter your contact information below.
Name: _______________________________________________________________________________
Email address: _________________________________________________________________________
President/CEO’s assistant’s name: __________________________________________________________
Assistant’s email address: _________________________________________________________________
Phone number to best reach you: __________________________________________________________
3. ACE wants to be sure that this study draws from a representative sample of higher education presidents/
CEOs—please list the names of other president/CEO colleagues we should include.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 57
Appendix B: Supplementary Tables
Table B.1. Latino Presidents, by Hispanic Origin: 2022
Frequency Percentage
Latino 56 5.8%
Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano 20 2.1%
Puerto Rican 14 1.5%
Cuban 10 1.6%
Dominican 2 0.2%
Salvadoran 2 0.2%
Central American, excluding Salvadoran 0 0.0%
South American 5 0.5%
Other Hispanic origin 4 0.4%
Note: Presidents who identied as Hispanic or Latino were invited to share their Hispanic origin, including Mexican, Mexican
American, Chicano; Puerto Rican; Cuban; Dominican; Salvadoran; Central American, excluding Salvadoran; South American; and
any other Hispanic origin. Only presidents who self-identied as Latino were shown options to share their Hispanic origin.
Table B.2. Average Age of Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity: 2022
Current Average Age
Total sample of presidents of color 58.5
White presidents 60.5
Women of color 59.2
White women 60.8
Men of color 57.9
White men 60.4
Black or African American women 58.9
Black or African American men 56.8
Hispanic or Latina women 58.5
Hispanic or Latino men 59.6
Note: Age calculated from July 2022.
Table B.3. Presidents, by Religious Afliation: 2022
Religious Afliation Total
Atheist 3.3%
Agnostic 5.2%
Buddhist 1.2%
Christian (Protestant) 43.9%
Christian (Roman Catholic) 21.3%
Church of Latter-day Saints 1.3%
Hindu 0.6%
Jewish 4.2%
Muslim 0.1%
Sikh 0.0%
None 6.4%
Not listed (please specify) 4.2%
Prefer not to answer 8.4%
Notes: Data are weighted by Carnegie Classication. | Totals may not add up to 100 percent
due to rounding.
58 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Table B.4. Perceived Board Support, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022
Women Men Women of Color Men of Color Presidents of Color
Very supportive 72.2% 76.6% 65.5% 73.8% 70.2%
Somewhat supportive 20.5% 18.5% 27.4% 22.8% 24.8%
Somewhat unsupportive 5.1% 3.8% 3.5% 3.4% 3.5%
Very unsupportive 2.2% 1.0% 3.5% 0.0% 1.6%
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Table B.5. Perceived Faculty Support, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022
Women Men Women of Color Men of Color Presidents of Color
Very supportive 50.9% 51.2% 49.1% 52.1% 50.8%
Somewhat supportive 43.1% 43.0% 46.4% 43.8% 44.9%
Somewhat unsupportive 4.3% 4.9% 3.6% 4.2% 3.9%
Very unsupportive 1.6% 1.0% 0.9% 0.0% 0.4%
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Table B.6. How Presidents Are Addressing Racial Justice Issues, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022
Leading institution
to take steps in
addressing racial
justice issues
Have faced
challenges in
publicly addressing
or recognizing racial
justice issues
Criticized for way
I chose to address
racial justice
issues
Received
external
inquiries about
CRT
Feel equipped to
lead institution in
addressing racial
justice
Looking for
guidance from
peers or others
addressing these
issues
Women 73.2% 22.6% 21.5% 16.4% 41.7% 47.0%
Men 68.7% 21.0% 20.3% 21.8% 54.0% 49.8%
Black or African
American women
71.2% 17.3% 21.2% 15.4% 48.1% 26.9%
Hispanic or Latina
women
55.2% 17.2% 13.8% 10.3% 51.7% 41.4%
White women 77.3% 24.7% 22.4% 17.6% 36.9% 53.3%
Black or African
American men
67.1% 15.2% 16.5% 15.2% 70.9% 24.1%
Hispanic or Latino
men
77.8% 25.9% 26.6% 11.1% 63.0% 51.9%
White men 68.5% 21.8% 21.4% 23.8% 50.1% 54.2%
Total 65.7% 19.7% 18.8% 17.6% 46.8% 46.0%
Note: Totals are weighted by Carnegie Classication.
Table B.7. Frequency of Reported Career Alterations, by Gender: 2022
Left my position
Worked part time/
reduced schedule
Postponed job
search/promotion
Reason not listed
Have not altered
career for this
reason
Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men
Care for a minor dependent(s) 20 9 47 15 82 65 5 5 218 454
Care for an adult dependent(s) 4 9 15 5 24 22 10 5 286 507
Career of a spouse/partner 18 11 11 10 29 37 14 9 275 483
Career of another loved one 4 3 6 4 11 16 3 2 307 519
Personal health issue(s) 2 5 11 8 4 5 1 3 313 519
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 59
Table B.8. Top Stakeholders Consulted Before Assuming Current Presidency, by Race and Gender: 2022
Presidents of Color White Presidents Men Women
Spouse/partner/family 37.8% 39.6% 37.7% 40.9%
Colleagues within higher education 41.7% 34.2% 35.5% 37.6%
Peers 37.5% 31.5% 33.5% 32.3%
Personal attorney 36.7% 29.5% 29.7% 33.9%
Table B.9. Career Path of Presidents, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022
Black or
African
American Men
Hispanic or
Latino Men
Black or African
American
Women
Hispanic or
Latina Women
White Men
White
Women
Faculty/academic 43.0% 48.1% 57.7% 58.6% 52.9% 61.6%
Career administrative leader (student affairs
ofcer, auxiliary services, nance, etc.)
36.7% 40.7% 32.7% 27.6% 26.6% 26.3%
Public sector/government 6.3% 3.7% 1.9% 0.0% 4.7% 2.0%
Business executive 2.5% 0.0% 1.9% 6.9% 4.1% 3.1%
Nonprot executive 5.1% 3.7% 0.0% 3.5% 4.1% 3.1%
Not listed (please specify) 6.3% 3.7% 5.8% 3.5% 7.7% 3.9%
Notes: Data are unweighted. | Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Table B.10. Average Age of Presidential Aspiration, Application, and Appointment, by Race and
Ethnicity: 2022
Age of Aspiration Age of Application Age of Appointment
Total sample of presidents of color 43.3 – 49.3 +6 years 50.9 +1.6 years
White presidents 45.4 – 50 +4.6 years 51.9 +1.9 years
Women of color 45.7 – 50.6 +4.9 years 51.6 +1 year
White women 47.5 – 51.7 + 4.2 years 53.3 + 1.6 years
Men of color 41.5 – 48.4 +6.9 years 50.4 +2 years
White men 44.2 – 49.1 +4.9 years 51.2 +2.1 years
Black or African American women 44.5 – 50.5 +6 years 52 +1.5 years
Black or African American men 39.4 – 47.6 +8.2 years 49.9 +2.3 years
Hispanic or Latina women 43.3 – 49.4 +6.1 years 49.3 -0.1 years
Hispanic or Latino men 43.2 – 49.8 +6.6 years 51.1 +1.3 years
Note: Differences attributed to averages within each category.
Table B.11. Presidents’ Reported Search Process Disclosures, by Race and Ethnicity and Gender: 2022
The Search Process Provided
Presidents
of Color
White
Presidents
Men
Presidents
of Color
Women
Presidents
of Color
Black or
African
American
Men
Hispanic
or Latino
Men
Black or
African
American
Women
Hispanic
or Latina
Women
Realistic assessment of current
challenges facing the institution/system
60.4% 70.8% 66.0% 53.2% 66.7% 66.7% 52.9% 66.7%
Full and accurate disclosure of
institution/system nancial condition
63.1% 69.2% 63.2% 63.0% 64.1% 74.1% 58.8% 76.0%
Clear understanding of board
expectations
66.4% 76.0% 70.1% 61.5% 73.1% 66.7% 64.7% 65.4%
Clear understanding of system or
institution expectations
68.0% 78.8% 70.1% 65.1% 71.8% 74.1% 64.7% 73.1%
Note: Percentages represent those who answered ‘yes’ to each question.
60 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Table B.12. Percentage of Leadership at Minority Serving Institutions, by Race and Ethnicity and
Gender: 2022
Men of
Color
Women of
Color
White
Men
White
Women
Total Number of MSIs
Represented in the
Sample
*
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) 62.1% 34.5% 3.5% 0.0% 29
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) 45.5% 36.4% 18.2% 0.0% 11
Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) 40.0% 20.0% 25.0% 15.0% 20
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) 17.7% 19.0% 31.0% 32.3% 158
Asian American and Native American Pacic Islander-Serving Institutions
(AANAPISI)
17.2% 15.5% 25.9% 41.4% 58
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNH) 20.0% 20.0% 30.0% 30.0% 10
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) 8.3% 8.3% 58.3% 25.0% 12
Notes: Data are unweighted. | Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
This column uses the total number of minority serving institutions (MSI) represented in the sample for which we had the presidents’ race and ethnicity information. MSI status
was designated by College Scorecard data from 2022.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 61
Appendix C: Characteristics of Presidents, by
Carnegie Classication, 2022 and 2016
The following tables present longitudinal data, when available, for different years of ACPS data presented by Carn-
egie Classication. It is important to note that the data for the 2022 totals are presented as weighted by Carnegie
Classication, which is explained further in the methodology. Data from previous surveys are not weighted.
Data reported by gender for 2022 are reported as respondents from the sample, as opposed to the web scrape data
obtained and utilized throughout the report (see the methodology in chapter one).
Any average, median, or data represented as a time period are unweighted.
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
TIME IN CURRENT POSITION, IN YEARS
*
Mean 6.5 – 6.3 – 5.6 – 5.3 – 7.0 – – – 5.9 –
Median 5.0 – 4.8 – 4.1 – 4.0 – 5.9 – – – 4.5 –
Minimum 0.3 – 0.2 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 1.0 – – – 0.0 –
Maximum 30.2 – 32.9 – 41.3 – 34.1 – 26.5 – – – 41.3 –
Note: Data in this table are unweighted.
CURRENT POSITION
Interim appointment 4.0 – 4.3 – 5.2 – 4.9 – 1.8 – – – 4.2 –
Single campus president/CEO 77.1 – 83.9 – 90.1 – 68.2 – 80.0 – – – 78.3 –
Dual role president/CEO
(multicampus system and
single campus)
14.9 – 8.3 – 3.6 – 14.1 – 10.9 – – – 10.6 –
Multicampus president/CEO 6.3 – 5.2 – 2.1 – 14.1 – 8.2 – – – 8.3 –
DO YOU HAVE A WRITTEN CONTRACT?
Yes 82.2 78.7 78.3 80.3 84.8 85.8 89.1 83.0 75.5 70.4 – 69.6 83.0 80.9
No 17.8 21.3 21.7 19.7 15.2 14.2 10.9 17.0 24.5 29.6 – 30.4 17.0 19.1
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
62 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ARE COMPONENTS OF YOUR AGREED-UPON CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT?
Ability to serve in paid corporate
directorships
38.3 42.0 30.0 28.8 28.6 25.2 8.4 10.2 10.9 11.7 – 16.7 20.0 21.8
Automobile (with or without a
driver)
62.3 79.3 69.6 81.0 62.5 78.6 43.2 52.7 19.1 33.1 – 54.2 49.0 66.3
Childcare 0.0 1.2 0.0 0.8 1.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.9 0.0 – 0.0 0.4 0.7
Deferred compensation 44.0 61.5 33.5 38.3 38.0 37.7 27.7 30.4 21.8 24.8 – 29.2 31.5 36.7
Entertainment budget 33.1 49.7 34.8 45.7 27.6 45.5 14.4 22.3 18.2 31.0 – 31.3 23.3 37.1
Health and wellness 24.6 31.4 33.9 41.9 26.0 40.3 26.1 31.9 32.7 42.1 – 33.3 28.5 37.1
House manager 17.1 32.0 8.3 15.2 11.5 15.9 0.5 0.2 0.9 2.1 – 8.3 6.0 11.2
Incentive pay
*
18.9 – 10.4 – 10.9 – 6.8 – 12.7 – – – 10.8 –
Involuntary separation agreement 24.0 32.0 28.7 31.3 33.3 38.3 15.8 20.4 20.0 26.9 – 16.7 23.1 28.7
Life insurance 48.6 54.4 58.7 67.1 63.0 74.5 58.2 66.0 47.3 66.2 – 54.2 55.9 66.6
Long-term care insurance 20.0 21.3 23.9 24.2 23.4 24.4 19.6 24.0 16.4 26.2 – 18.8 20.5 23.9
Pension/retirement contributions 75.4 80.5 71.7 80.4 74.5 83.2 69.0 80.3 60.0 78.6 – 64.6 69.6 80.3
Performance-based bonuses 36.6 34.3 27.8 25.8 26.6 25.2 9.5 14.7 31.8 37.9 – 27.1 23.4 24.4
Permission to pursue paid
consulting opportunities
15.4 13.6 20.4 17.1 15.6 15.7 13.9 18.5 15.5 14.5 – 8.3 15.8 16.3
Presidential residence 58.3 68.6 50.4 55.7 59.4 62.6 5.4 8.7 9.1 11.0 – 22.9 30.3 39.1
Housing allowance 20.6 21.9 33.0 32.1 21.9 23.5 21.5 27.6 24.5 28.3 – 27.1 24.0 27.2
Professional association
membership(s)
37.7 41.4 47.0 44.6 42.7 44.1 36.4 41.4 34.5 36.6 – 37.5 39.2 42.2
Social club membership(s) 50.9 58.0 38.3 51.1 39.6 44.6 16.6 21.4 14.5 23.5 – 27.1 28.4 38.0
Executive coaching 14.3 7.7 19.6 10.6 25.5 12.8 12.2 5.5 17.3 9.7 – 2.1 17.2 8.9
Other professional development
(not listed)
6.3 11.2 10.9 26.4 16.1 26.7 15.5 38.0 20.0 31.0 – 27.1 14.6 28.8
Professional nancial planning
assistance
2.3 5.9 5.7 7.3 5.7 7.3 2.4 3.2 5.5 4.1 – 0.0 4.2 5.4
Professional retirement planning
assistance
2.9 4.7 6.5 5.4 6.3 7.3 5.4 3.6 5.5 4.8 – 0.0 5.5 5.0
Retention (time-based) bonuses 17.7 21.9 8.3 12.8 13.0 11.0 6.0 6.2 10.9 11.7 – 14.6 10.1 11.3
Retiree health insurance 11.4 14.2 11.3 16.0 8.9 9.6 14.7 18.1 3.6 7.6 – 22.9 10.5 14.4
Sabbatical(s) 24.6 23.1 19.1 19.6 16.7 20.3 5.4 8.3 10.0
15.2 – 8.3 13.1 15.9
Salary increase based on merit 33.7 52.7 21.7 36.1 31.3 34.2 18.8 30.4 28.2 37.2 – 25.0 25.2 35.5
Tenured faculty position
*
60.6 – 31.3 – 26.6 – 3.0 – 12.7 – – – 21.1 –
Spousal hire
*
3.4 – 3.0 – 6.8 – 0.5 – 0.9 – – – 2.6 –
*Only included in the 2022 instrument.
WHO DO YOU REPORT TO AS PRESIDENT/CEO?
System head 26.3 31.7 27.9 25.6 12.7 10.0 29.3 27.4 9.2 8.5 – 21.3 21.8 21.6
Governing board 70.8 64.0 67.7 72.3 80.4 81.8 64.4 66.0 84.4 90.1 – 68.1 72.5 73.1
State commissioner/
superintendent
1.2 1.2 0.9 0.0 1.1 0.9 1.6 1.3 0.0 0.0 – 0.0 1.0 0.7
Corporate/church board or leader 0.6 1.8 0.9 1.4 1.6 4.4 0.3 0.6 3.7 0.7 – 4.3 1.3 1.9
Other 1.2 1.2 2.6 0.8 4.2 2.9 4.4 4.7 2.8 0.7 – 6.4 3.4 2.7
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 63
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
DO YOU HAVE A FORMAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION?
Yes 89.9 93.4 92.1 87.7 91.4 90.0 92.9 94.0 90.8 90.2 – 83.0 91.7 90.9
No 10.1 6.6 7.9 12.3 8.6 10.0 7.1 6.0 9.2 9.8 – 17.0 8.3 9.1
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHO HAS THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW CONVERSATION WITH YOU?
Same as the person(s) I report to 89.3 – 90.8 – 88.1 – 92.9 – 82.7 – – – 89.3 –
Other 10.7 – 9.2 – 11.9 – 7.1 – 17.3 – – – 10.7 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHAT IS THE FREQUENCY OF YOUR FORMAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION?
Annual 88.7 85.8 78.1 88.6 84.2 84.6 95.0 92.7 86.9 86.8 – 82.1 87.8 88.4
Annual with periodic external
evaluation
*
6.6 – 8.6 – 7.6 – 3.3 – 3.0 – – – 5.3 –
Every two years 1.3 3.9 4.3 3.2 5.3 5.6 0.9 5.0 5.1 6.2 – 7.7 3.1 4.8
Every three years 2.6 5.2 7.6 5.4 2.3 5.2 0.9 2.3 3.0 4.7 – 5.1 2.9 4.3
Every four years or more
†
0.7 5.2 1.4 2.9 0.6 4.6 0 0.0 2.0 2.4 – 5.1 0.8 2.6
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
†
Options of “every four years” and “every ve years” were combined on the 2022 instrument.
64 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
IN WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS WOULD YOU LIKE MORE TRAINING AND/OR DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUR CURRENT
PRESIDENCY/CEO POST?
Academic issues (e.g., curriculum
changes)
4.6 – 8.7 – 7.8 – 9.0 – 8.2 – – – 8.0
Accreditation 1.7 – 4.8 – 9.4 – 8.4 – 9.1 – – – 7.3
Alumni as stakeholder group
(excluding fundraising)
5.1 – 11.3 – 8.9 – 11.1 – 13.6 – – – 10.5
Assessment of student learning 5.1 – 6.1 – 8.3 – 8.7 – 11.8 – – – 8.3
Athletics 9.1 – 11.7 – 8.9 – 7.9 – 3.6 – – – 8.1
Budget/nancial management 17.1 – 25.2 – 23.4 – 26.9 – 33.6 – – – 26.1
Campus internationalization (e.g.,
supporting international students,
global curriculum)
5.7 – 17.4 – 11.5 – 11.4 – 8.2 – – – 11.1
Capital improvement projects 16.6 – 24.3 – 18.2 – 26.6 – 23.6 – – – 22.9
Communication—external 15.4 – 23.9 – 20.8 – 16.3 – 27.3 – – – 20.4
Communication—internal 10.3 – 13.9 – 18.8 – 12.8 – 14.5 – – – 14.1
Community relations 5.7 – 6.5 – 9.4 – 10.3 – 10.0 – – – 8.9
Crisis management 19.4 – 20.4 – 17.2 – 24.2 – 14.5 – – – 19.8
Diversity or equity issues 18.3 – 22.6 – 22.9 – 25.8 – 13.6 – – – 21.5
Enrollment management 15.4 – 23.9 – 18.2 – 26.9 – 24.5 – – – 22.9
Entrepreneurial ventures 30.3 – 32.2 – 39.6 – 34.2 – 26.4 – – – 32.9
Faculty governance 6.9 – 12.6 – 11.5 – 9.0 – 8.2 – – – 9.6
Fundraising 18.3 – 26.5 – 21.4 – 35.3 – 45.5 – – – 31.1
Global engagement 14.9 – 16.1 – 21.4 – 12.5 – 18.2 – – – 16.1
Governing board relations 10.3 – 17.0 – 16.7 – 17.4 – 10.0 – – – 14.9
Government relations (federal) 11.4 – 13.0 – 10.9 – 14.4 – 11.8 – – – 12.7
Government relations (state-level) 9.7 – 11.7 – 12.0 – 16.8 – 10.9 – – – 13.1
Maintaining personal well-being 14.9 – 16.5 – 21.4 – 16.8 – 16.4 – – – 17.3
Managing a senior level team 8.6 – 16.1 – 19.3 – 16.6 – 18.2 – – – 16.3
Personnel issues (excluding
faculty)
5.1 – 7.8 – 6.8 – 6.5 – 7.3 – – – 6.8
Risk management/legal issues 14.3 – 24.3 – 22.4 – 24.7 – 16.4 – – – 21.4
Shared governance 10.3 – 11.3 – 8.3 – 10.6 – 16.4 – – – 11.4
Spousal role 4.0 – 8.3 – 7.3 – 4.9
– 1.8 – – – 5.2
Strategic planning 8.6 – 17.4 – 16.7 – 13.9 – 25.5 – – – 16.6
Student life/conduct issues 2.9 – 5.2 – 5.7 – 2.4 – 6.4 – – – 4.3
Technology planning 16.6 – 20.4 – 24.5 – 21.5 – 21.8 – – – 21.3
Using institutional research
(evidence) to inform decision-
making
14.9 – 20.0 – 19.3 – 20.9 – 25.5 – – – 20.6
Other 4.6 – 3.0 – 3.1 – 3.3 – 1.8 – – – 3.1
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 65
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2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
WHO RECRUITED YOU OR ENCOURAGED YOU TO PURSUE YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
Search consultant/search agency 60.6 – 58.7 – 58.9 – 38.3 – 30.9 – – – 46.9
Past president/CEO at my current
campus
16.6 – 17.4 – 8.9 – 22.6 – 24.5 – – – 18.8
Another president/CEO outside of
my current campus
10.3 – 14.8 – 12.5 – 18.5 – 6.4 – – – 13.4
Current or previous supervisor 10.3 – 9.1 – 11.5 – 20.1 – 12.7 – – – 14.0
Sponsor who conrmed and
advocated for your candidacy in
the search process
2.9 – 5.2 – 3.1 – 1.9 – 1.8 – – – 2.8
Trusted friend or mentor 18.9 – 22.6 – 16.1 – 20.4 – 12.7 – – – 18.3
Peer or colleague 10.9 – 16.5 – 10.9 – 18.2 – 17.3 – – – 15.5
Partner or spouse 8.0 – 9.6 – 8.3 – 10.3 – 7.3 – – – 9.0
Family member(s) aside from my
partner or spouse
2.3 – 3.5 – 1.6 – 2.4 – 4.5 – – – 2.8
Member(s) of the board or
governing group
20.6 – 18.3 – 20.3 – 13.0 – 39.1 – – – 21.2
Other 4.0 – 3.9 – 4.2 – 6.3 – 8.2 – – – 5.6
BEFORE ACCEPTING THE POSITION, WHO DID YOU SEEK ADVICE FROM IN NEGOTIATING THE TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT?
Attorney 39.4 32.5 37.4 35.9 39.6 36.2 19.8 26.5 20.9 22.1 – 25.0 29.1 31.1
Peers
*
30.9 – 28.7 – 33.9 – 32.3 – 33.6 – – – 32.1 –
Financial planner/accountant 4.6 6.5 7.4 7.1 3.1 6.1 2.4 7.6 4.5 7.6 – 4.2 4.1 6.9
Predecessor
*
8.0 – 8.7 – 6.8 – 10.9 – 12.7 – – – 9.7 –
Governing board member at
current institution
*
9.7 – 8.7 – 8.9 – 6.3 – 17.3 – – – 9.7 –
Governing board member at other
institution
*
3.4 – 2.2 – 2.6 – 1.4 – 1.8 – – – 2.1 –
Colleagues at current institution
*
5.7 – 7.4 – 7.8 – 5.4 – 15.5 – – – 8.2 –
Colleagues in the eld 26.3 55.0 35.2 61.1 41.7 62.6 38.0 64.3 25.5 47.6 – 47.9 34.4 60.1
Colleagues outside of higher
education
5.1 13.0 6.5 13.6 10.4 16.5 4.3 11.7 12.7 18.6 – 18.8 7.6 14.2
Spouse/partner/family 37.1 56.2 40.4 53.8 42.2 62.0 31.3 55.2 46.4 55.9 – 58.3 38.5 56.7
Online research
*
10.9 – 18.7 – 21.4 – 13.3 – 11.8 – – – 15.2 –
Presidential associations
*
4.0 – 8.3 – 4.7 – 6.8 – 2.7 – – – 5.5 –
Search consultant/agency
*
14.9 – 17.4 – 17.2 – 7.9 – 10.9 – – – 12.7 –
Did not seek advice 17.1 20.1 18.7 21.2 14.6 16.8 23.1 17.8 20.9 27.6
– 25.0 19.6 19.8
Other 1.1 1.8 2.6 2.2 5.2 2.3 2.4 2.8 3.6 2.8 – 6.3 3.1 2.5
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
66 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
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2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
DO YOU FEEL THE DISCLOSURE PROCESS PROVIDED:
A realistic assessment of the current challenges facing the institution/system?
Yes 67.3 79.4 68.8 69.1 58.5 69.9 70.7 72.8 69.2 71.4 – 61.7 67.4 71.5
No 32.7 20.6 31.2 30.9 41.5 30.1 29.3 27.2 30.8 28.6 – 38.3 32.6 28.5
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
A full and accurate disclosure of the institution/system’s nancial condition?
Yes 68.5 76.3 59.6 69.7 58.6 59.9 72.8 77.1 71.2 72.1 – 70.2 67.0 70.7
No 31.5 23.8 40.4 30.3 41.4 40.1 27.2 22.9 28.8 27.9 – 29.8 33.0 29.3
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
A clear understanding of the board’s expectations?
Yes 75.8 78.1 71.4 79.4 71.7 77.0 75.6 79.0 66.3 80.7 – 83.0 72.4 78.8
No 24.2 21.9 28.6 20.6 28.3 23.0 24.4 21.0 33.7 19.3 – 17.0 27.6 21.2
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
A clear understanding of the institution/system’s expectations?
Yes 79.9 80.6 76.2 77.5 65.6 82.3 78.9 77.5 66.3 79.3 – 80.9 73.7 79.2
No 20.1 19.4 23.8 22.5 34.4 17.7 21.1 22.5 33.7 20.7 – 19.2 26.3 20.8
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ONBOARDING ACTIVITIES WERE HELD WHEN YOU ASSUMED YOUR CURRENT
PRESIDENCY/CEO POST?
Transition meeting(s) with the
predecessor
59.4 – 59.6 – 55.2 – 49.5 – 42.7 – – – 52.2 –
Onboarding meeting(s) with the
governing board
50.3 – 42.2 – 47.9 – 40.2 – 46.4 – – – 44.4 –
Introduction to key donors 64.0 – 50.4 – 51.0 – 29.3 – 25.5 – – – 40.5 –
Introduction to elected ofcials 49.7 – 43.5 – 33.3 – 43.2 – 11.8 – – – 36.2 –
Campus listening tour 61.1 – 57.4 – 43.8 – 50.3 – 29.1 – – – 47.5 –
Public affairs/media training 18.9 – 10.9 – 6.8 – 8.4 – 6.4 – – – 9.4 –
Institutional history overview 30.9 – 28.7 – 21.4 – 17.4 – 16.4 – – – 21.5 –
Dress code review 0.0 – 0.4 – 0.5 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.2 –
Campus tour 40.6 – 47.0 – 44.3 – 43.5 – 23.6 – – – 40.1 –
Meeting with faculty senate 56.0 – 48.7 – 32.8 – 36.4 – 21.8 – – – 37.4 –
Meeting with staff senate 42.3 – 30.0 – 20.3 – 25.3 – 13.6 – – – 25.0 –
Opportunities for physical, mental,
and emotional wellness
2.3 – 3.9 – 2.1 – 1.6 – 2.7 – – – 2.4 –
Presidential residence review 38.9 – 32.6 –
38.5 – 3.8 – 5.5 – – – 19.8 –
Other 4.0 – 10.0 – 10.9 – 9.8 – 13.6 – – – 10.1 –
WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE FROM YOUR GOVERNING BOARD/AGENCY AT PRESENT?
Very supportive 72.3 – 71.8 – 73.5 – 75.7 – 85.0 – – – 76.0 –
Somewhat supportive 21.7 – 20.7 – 19.5 – 19.1 – 10.3 – – – 18.1 –
Somewhat unsupportive 4.8 – 5.3 – 5.4 – 4.3 – 2.8 – – – 4.4 –
Very unsupportive 1.2 – 2.2 – 1.6 – 0.9 – 1.9 – – – 1.5 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 67
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2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE FROM FACULTY AT YOUR INSTITUTION AT PRESENT?
Very supportive 54.9 – 44.4 – 45.1 – 54.1 – 60.7 – – – 52.1 –
Somewhat supportive 38.4 – 49.8 – 46.2 – 39.9 – 36.4 – – – 41.9 –
Somewhat unsupportive 4.3 – 4.9 – 7.1 – 4.6 – 2.8 – – – 4.7 –
Very unsupportive 2.4 – 0.9 – 1.6 – 1.4 – 0.0 – – – 1.2 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
HOW HAS THE CHANGING CONVERSATION AROUND RACIAL INJUSTICE AFFECTED YOU AS A PRESIDENT/CEO?
I am leading my institution to take
steps in addressing racial justice
issues.
76.0 – 73.5 – 65.6 – 63.3 – 56.4 – – – 65.7 –
I have faced challenges in publicly
addressing or recognizing racial
justice issues.
27.4 – 21.7 – 26.6 – 16.0 – 12.7 – – – 19.7 –
I have been criticized because of
the way I chose to address racial
justice issues.
22.3 – 26.1 – 24.5 – 14.4 – 11.8 – – – 18.7 –
I have received inquires from
external stakeholders related to
critical race theory.
30.3 – 23.5 – 21.4 – 13.6 – 7.3 – – – 17.6 –
I feel equipped to lead the
institution in addressing racial
justice issues.
47.4 – 47.8 – 51.0 – 44.0 – 46.4 – – – 46.8 –
I am continuously looking for
guidance from peers or others who
are addressing racial injustice on
campus.
50.9 – 50.9 – 43.2 – 45.1 – 42.7 – – – 46.0 –
FLOURISHING SCALE: AGGREGATE SCORE
Mean 51.9 – 50.9 – 50.4 – 51.2 – 51.1 – – – 51.1 –
Median 53.0 – 52.0 – 51.0 – 52.0 – 52.0 – – – 52.0 –
Minimum 34.0 – 25.0 – 27.0 – 21.0 – 38.0 – – – 21.0 –
Maximum 56.0 – 56.0 – 56.0 – 56.0 – 56.0 – – – 56.0 –
Notes: Data are unweighted. | These data represent aggregate scores of the Flourishing Scale, a validated instrument used to measure well-being. The scores can range from
21 to 56.
FLOURISHING SCALE: I LEAD A PURPOSEFUL AND MEANINGFUL LIFE.
Strongly agree 69.5 – 66.8 – 60.1 – 60.7 – 62.3 – – – 63.0 –
Agree 26.9 – 28.3 – 32.2 – 34.2 – 35.8 – – – 32.2 –
Slightly agree 3.6 – 1.8 – 5.5 – 3.7 – 1.9 – – – 3.3 –
Neither agree nor disagree 0.0 – 1.3 – 0.5 – 0.3 – 0.0 – – – 0.4 –
Slightly disagree 0.0 – 1.3 – 0.5 – 0.9 – 0.0 – – – 0.6 –
Disagree 0.0 – 0.4 – 0.5 – 0.3 – 0.0 – – – 0.3 –
Strongly disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.5 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.1 –
FLOURISHING SCALE: MY SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE SUPPORTIVE AND REWARDING.
Strongly agree 42.8 – 31.9 – 32.2 – 38.2 – 40.6 – – – 37.0 –
Agree 39.8 – 45.1 – 41.5 – 39.6 – 47.2
– – – 42.4 –
Slightly agree 11.4 – 13.3 – 16.9 – 13.1 – 3.8 – – – 11.9 –
Neither agree nor disagree 2.4 – 4.9 – 2.7 – 3.4 – 2.8 – – – 3.3 –
Slightly disagree 3.6 – 3.1 – 3.3 – 3.7 – 4.7 – – – 3.7 –
Disagree 0.0 – 1.3 – 2.7 – 1.4 – 0.9 – – – 1.4 –
Strongly disagree 0.0 – 0.4 – 0.5 – 0.6 – 0.0 – – – 0.4 –
68 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
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2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
FLOURISHING SCALE: I AM ENGAGED AND INTERESTED IN MY DAILY ACTIVITIES.
Strongly agree 61.1 – 55.3 – 48.1 – 52.6 – 49.1 – – – 52.6 –
Agree 32.9 – 37.6 – 41.0 – 39.7 – 40.6 – – – 38.9 –
Slightly agree 4.2 – 5.3 – 8.2 – 5.7 – 8.5 – – – 6.5 –
Neither agree nor disagree 0.6 – 1.3 – 1.6 – 0.9 – 0.9 – – – 1.1 –
Slightly disagree 0.6 – 0.4 – 0.5 – 0.9 – 0.9 – – – 0.7 –
Disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.5 – 0.3 – 0.0 – – – 0.2 –
Strongly disagree 0.6 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.1 –
FLOURISHING SCALE: I ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE HAPPINESS AND WELL-BEING OF OTHERS.
Strongly agree 52.7 – 42.7 – 41.0 – 45.9 – 49.1 – – – 45.8 –
Agree 44.9 – 50.2 – 47.0 – 46.2 – 47.2 – – – 47.1 –
Slightly agree 1.8 – 4.9 – 7.7 – 6.0 – 3.8 – – – 5.2 –
Neither agree nor disagree 0.6 – 2.2 – 3.3 – 0.9 – 0.0 – – – 1.4 –
Slightly disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 1.1 – 0.6 – 0.0 – – – 0.4 –
Disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.3 – 0.0 – – – 0.1 –
Strongly disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.3 – 0.0 – – – 0.1 –
FLOURISHING SCALE: I AM COMPETENT AND CAPABLE IN THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME.
Strongly agree 61.7 – 52.2 – 57.7 – 53.9 – 49.1 – – – 54.3 –
Agree 35.3 – 44.2 – 39.0 – 43.3 – 44.3 – – – 41.9 –
Slightly agree 1.8 – 3.1 – 2.7 – 2.3 – 4.7 – – – 2.9 –
Neither agree nor disagree 1.2 – 0.0 – 0.5 – 0.6 – 0.9 – – – 0.6 –
Slightly disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.9 – – – 0.2 –
Disagree 0.0 – 0.4 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.1 –
Strongly disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.0 –
FLOURISHING SCALE: I AM A GOOD PERSON AND LIVE A GOOD LIFE.
Strongly agree 61.7 – 56.6 – 50.5 – 64.7 – 62.3 – – – 59.8 –
Agree 34.7 – 37.6 – 42.9 – 33.3 – 34.0 – – – 36.1 –
Slightly agree 3.6 – 1.8 – 2.7 – 1.4 – 1.9 – – – 2.1 –
Neither agree nor disagree 0.0 – 3.5 – 3.3 – 0.3 – 0.9 – – – 1.5 –
Slightly disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.9 – – – 0.2 –
Disagree 0.0 – 0.4 – 0.5 – 0.3 – 0.0 – – – 0.3 –
Strongly disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.0 –
FLOURISHING SCALE: I AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT MY FUTURE.
Strongly agree 56.9 – 52.7 – 51.6 – 58.6 – 43.4 – – – 53.1 –
Agree 35.9 – 38.1 – 35.2 – 32.9 – 46.2 – – – 37.1 –
Slightly agree 3.6 – 5.8 – 9.3 – 6.3 – 6.6 – – – 6.5 –
Neither agree nor disagree 2.4 – 2.2 – 2.7 – 1.4 – 1.9 – – – 2.0 –
Slightly disagree 1.2 – 0.9 – 1.1 – 0.6 – 1.9 – – – 1.1 –
Disagree 0.0 – 0.4 – 0.0 – 0.3 – 0.0 – – – 0.2 –
Strongly disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.0 –
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 69
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2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
FLOURISHING SCALE: PEOPLE RESPECT ME.
Strongly agree 46.1 – 40.3 – 38.5 – 44.7 – 42.5 – – – 42.5 –
Agree 50.3 – 53.1 – 52.7 – 48.4 – 53.8 – – – 51.3 –
Slightly agree 2.4 – 4.0 – 6.0 – 4.6 – 1.9 – – – 4.0 –
Neither agree nor disagree 1.2 – 1.8 – 2.7 – 2.0 – 0.9 – – – 1.8 –
Slightly disagree 0.0 – 0.4 – 0.0 – 0.3 – 0.9 – – – 0.4 –
Disagree 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.1 –
Strongly disagree 0.0 – 0.4 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.0 –
PLEASE INDICATE YOUR LEVEL OF AGREEMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS.
I have a support system with whom I share my feelings and stressors.
Agree 48.8 – 44.7 – 52.7 – 57.7 – 56.6 – – – 53.2 –
Somewhat agree 42.7 – 41.2 – 34.6 – 31.7 – 35.8 – – – 36.0 –
Somewhat disagree 6.7 – 12.8 – 10.4 – 8.3 – 4.7 – – – 8.6 –
Disagree 1.8 – 1.3 – 2.2 – 2.3 – 2.8 – – – 2.2 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
I use strategies that help me reenergize (e.g., exercise, meditation, yoga, nutrition).
Agree 57.0 – 55.8 – 46.7 – 48.6 – 62.3 – – – 53.1 –
Somewhat agree 29.1 – 33.6 – 36.8 – 37.1 – 30.2 – – – 34.2 –
Somewhat disagree 10.3 – 7.1 – 12.6 – 11.4 – 5.7 – – – 9.7 –
Disagree 3.6 – 3.5 – 3.8 – 2.9 – 1.9 – – – 3.1 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
I struggle to nd people who understand the experience of being a president/CEO.
Agree 27.3 – 26.5 – 36.3 – 22.9 – 33.0 – – – 28.5 –
Somewhat agree 42.4 – 43.4 – 31.9 – 43.7 – 34.9 – – – 39.6 –
Somewhat disagree 17.0 – 19.0 – 15.4 – 19.4 – 18.9 – – – 18.2 –
Disagree 13.3 – 11.1 – 16.5 – 14.0 – 13.2 – – – 13.7 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHICH OPTION MOST CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH YOUR CAREER PATHWAY?
Faculty/academic 68.3 – 56.6 – 55.7 – 46.6 – 52.8 – – – 53.8 –
Career administrative leader
(student affairs ofcer, auxiliary
services, nance, etc.)
13.8 – 27.4 – 29.5 – 38.9 – 17.0 – – – 27.9 –
Public sector/government 4.8 – 4.9 – 2.2 – 3.4
– 3.8 – – – 3.7 –
Business executive 6.6 – 4.0 – 4.4 – 2.0 – 5.7 – – – 4.0 –
Nonprot executive 2.4 – 3.1 – 3.8 – 2.0 – 10.4 – – – 4.2 –
Not listed 4.2 – 4.0 – 4.4 – 7.1 – 10.4 – – – 6.3 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
AT WHAT AGE DID YOU FIRST ASPIRE TO SERVE IN A PRESIDENT/CEO ROLE AT A COLLEGE CAMPUS OR SYSTEM?
Mean 46.8 – 46.0 – 44.5 – 42.6 – 47.4 – – – 44.9 –
Median 49.0 – 46.0 – 47.0 – 44.0 – 48.0 – – – 45.0 –
Minimum 18.0 – 19.0 – 7.0 – 21.0 – 26.0 – – – 7.0 –
Maximum 67.0 – 70.0 – 99.0 – 65.0 – 73.0 – – – 99.0 –
Note: Data are unweighted.
70 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
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2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
AT WHAT AGE DID YOU FIRST APPLY TO SERVE IN A PRESIDENT/CEO ROLE AT A COLLEGE CAMPUS OR SYSTEM?
Mean 51.1 – 50.8 – 49.8 – 48.4 – 50.9 – – – 49.8 –
Median 52.0 – 50.0 – 50.0 – 48.0 – 50.0 – – – 50.0 –
Minimum 26.0 – 32.0 – 30.0 – 28.0 – 26.0 – – – 26.0 –
Maximum 70.0 – 70.0 – 67.0 – 65.0 – 73.0 – – – 73.0 –
Note: Data are unweighted.
AT WHAT AGE WERE YOU FIRST APPOINTED TO SERVE IN A PRESIDENT/CEO ROLE AT A COLLEGE CAMPUS OR SYSTEM?
Mean 52.7 – 52.7 – 52.0 – 50.1 – 52.4 – – – 51.7 –
Median 54.0 – 53.0 – 53.0 – 50.0 – 52.0 – – – 52.0 –
Minimum 28.0 – 33.0 – 31.0 – 28.0 – 26.0 – – – 26.0 –
Maximum 70.0 – 73.0 – 70.0 – 69.0 – 75.0 – – – 75.0 –
Note: Data are unweighted.
WHERE DID YOU HOLD YOUR IMMEDIATE PAST POSITION?
Current institution 25.9 29.2 23.5 21.7 22.0 17.4 31.2 28.7 44.3 46.4 – 25.7 30.0 26.0
Another higher education
institution or system
65.1 70.8 67.7 78.3 69.8 82.7 66.2 71.3 34.9 53.6 – 74.3 61.0 74.0
Another employer other than a
higher education institution or
system
*
9.0 – 8.8 – 8.2 – 2.6 – 20.8 – – – 9.0 –
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Notes: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding. | This question changed to select all that apply for the 2022 survey.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
TOTAL NUMBER OF SEARCHES
†*
None 42.7 – 31.6 – 33.3 – 32.9 – 67.0 – – – 40.3 –
1 12.7 – 17.9 – 15.2 – 20.3 – 12.8 – – – 16.6 –
2 9.6 – 11.8 – 8.5 – 11.7 – 5.3 – – – 9.7 –
3 12.1 – 9.4 – 10.9 – 10.8 – 6.4 – – – 9.9 –
4 to 5 10.2 – 11.8 – 15.2 – 11.4 – 4.3 – – – 10.7 –
6 to 7 5.7 – 4.7 – 4.8 – 4.0 – 2.1 – – – 4.2 –
Greater than 7 7.0 – 12.7 – 12.1 – 8.9 – 2.1 – – – 8.7 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Mean
*
3.3 – 4.2 – 4.3 – 3.8 – 2.1 – – – 3.7 –
Median
†
2.0 – 3.0 – 3.0 – 2.0 – 1.0 – – – 2.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Data are unweighted.
†
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
SEARCHES IN WHICH YOU WERE A SEMIFINALIST
None 41.4 61.5 32.2 55.3 32.2 54.1 35.2 54.4 70.6 77.1 – 68.2 41.2 57.9
1
20.7 14.1 25.2 13.0 17.8 18.5 26.7 16.0 12.9 15.0 – 13.6 21.6 15.5
2 11.0 11.5 14.9 9.5 18.4 10.3 14.3 10.2 4.7 4.3 – 4.6 13.0 9.5
3 11.7 6.4 7.9 8.4 9.2 7.0 9.4 6.2 8.2 2.1 – 0.0 9.2 6.3
4 to 5 9.0 3.2 11.9 7.8 12.5 5.5 8.5 8.0 1.2 0.7 – 6.8 8.6 6.1
6 to 7 4.1 1.3 4.0 2.3 3.9 2.1 2.3 1.8 0.0 0.0 – 0.0 2.7 1.7
Greater than 7 2.1 1.9 4.0 3.8 5.9 2.4 3.6 3.3 2.4 0.7 – 6.8 3.7 2.9
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Mean
*
2.6 1.0 3.0 1.4 3.3 1.2 2.8 1.4 1.8 0.4 – 1.2 2.8 1.2
Median
*
2.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 2.5 0.0 2.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 – 0.0 2.0 0.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Data are unweighted.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 71
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2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
SEARCHES IN WHICH YOU WERE A FINALIST
None 47.6 48.7 36.9 49.4 33.5 48.5 39.4 46.1 66.7 66.7 – 63.6 43.7 50.1
1 20.0 24.1 32.0 17.7 31.0 25.6 30.3 19.2 21.4 19.3 – 11.4 27.9 20.6
2 18.6 15.2 15.3 15.5 14.2 14.8 13.4 13.7 6.0 10.4 – 13.6 13.2 14.2
3 8.3 4.4 9.9 8.2 8.4 6.6 8.5 11.0 4.8 3.0 – 6.8 8.0 7.8
4 to 5 4.8 6.3 4.9 7.0 8.4 3.0 5.2 7.3 1.2 0.7 – 2.3 5.0 5.4
6 to 7 0.7 0.6 1.0 1.7 3.9 1.5 2.9 2.0 0.0 0.0 – 2.3 2.0 1.5
Greater than 7 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.6 0.6 0.0 0.3 0.7 0.0 0.0 – 0.0 0.2 0.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Mean
*
2.1 1.0 2.2 1.2 2.5 1.0 2.3 1.3 1.5 0.5 – 0.8 2.2 1.1
Median
*
2.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 – 0.0 2.0 0.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Data are unweighted.
BEFORE YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT AS A CAMPUS OR SYSTEM PRESIDENT/CEO, IN WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS DID YOU PARTICIPATE?
ACE Fellows Program 2.9 2.4 8.7 7.1 5.2 6.7 2.4 3.0 2.7 2.8 – 4.2 4.1 4.7
ACE Advancing the Presidency 7.4 7.1 10.4 8.2 8.3 7.3 0.8 1.9 4.5 4.8 – 0.0 5.4 5.4
ACE National Women’s Forum 2.9 1.8 4.8 3.8 3.1 3.2 2.2 2.1 1.8 1.4 – 4.2 2.8 2.7
ACE Spectrum Executive
Leadership Program
1.1 0.0 0.9 0.8 1.0 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.9 0.7 – 0.0 0.9 0.6
ACE Institute for New Chief
Academic Ofcers
3.4 3.0 3.9 4.6 4.2 2.9 0.5 1.3 0.9 1.4 – 0.0 2.2 2.6
AACC’s Future President Institute
(FPI)
0.6 1.2 1.7 2.2 3.6 1.2 12.2 17.4 0.0 0.0 – 2.1 5.1 6.3
AASCU’s Millennium Institute 3.4 2.4 3.9 5.7 5.2 2.3 1.1 0.9 1.8 0.7 – 0.0 2.8 2.5
Aspen Presidential Fellowship for
Community College Excellence
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.5 0.3 7.1 1.3 0.9 0.7 – 0.0 2.6 0.6
CIC’s Presidential Pathways
Programs (i.e., New Presidents
Program, Executive Leadership
Academy, Senior Leadership
Academy)
*
2.3 – 10.4 – 9.9 – 0.3 – 5.5 – – – 5.0 –
Hampton University’s Executive
Leadership Summit
*
0.0 – 1.3 – 1.6 – 0.5 – 0.0 – – – 0.7 –
Harvard’s Institute for Educational
Management (IEM)
12.0 14.2 18.7 29.4 13.5 23.8 4.3 8.3 7.3 15.2 – 6.3 10.0 18.0
Other ACE leadership program(s) 0.0 2.4 1.3 2.5 2.6 2.9 1.9 3.0 0.9 2.1 – 6.3 1.5 2.8
Other non-ACE leadership
program(s)
10.3 20.1 15.7 29.6 15.6 27.3 26.9 46.7 16.4 32.4 – 47.9 18.8 34.1
None
*
54.9 – 39.6 – 30.7 – 38.3 – 48.2 – – – 41.0 –
*Only included in the 2022 instrument.
72 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
HIGHEST DEGREE EARNED
Bachelor’s degree 0.6 – 1.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 3.3 – – – 0.6 –
Master’s degree (except MBA) 0.6 – 4.8 – 4.8 – 8.0 – 14.1 – – – 6.1 –
Master’s of business
administration (MBA)
1.3 – 1.9 – 1.2 – 0.9 – 2.2 – – – 1.4 –
Doctor of education (EdD) 8.3 – 13.8 – 17.3 – 42.1 – 16.3 – – – 23.4 –
Doctor of philosophy (PhD) 74.5 – 69.5 – 69.6 – 45.5 – 47.8 – – – 60.1 –
Doctor of medicine (MD) or similar 4.5 – 0.5 – 0.6 – 0.3 – 10.9 – – – 2.1 –
Doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 1.1 – – – 0.1 –
Juris doctor (JD) 10.2 – 8.1 – 6.5 – 2.8 – 3.3 – – – 5.9 –
Other 0.0 – 0.5 – 0.0 – 0.3 – 1.1 – – – 0.3 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
MAJOR FIELD OF STUDY FOR HIGHEST DEGREE EARNED
Agriculture/natural resources 0.0 4.9 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.3 0.0 1.3 0.0 0.0 – 0.0 0.0 1.1
Biological sciences 4.5 4.2 4.8 4.4 6.0 2.1 1.2 1.5 2.2 0.7 – 4.2 3.5 2.6
Business 8.3 5.5 5.2 8.0 5.4 8.6 4.0 5.6 4.3 4.9 – 4.2 5.3 6.7
Computer science 0.0 1.8 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 – 2.1 0.3 0.3
Education or higher education 21.7 18.8 29.5 29.7 36.3 34.8 69.7 68.2 26.1 25.2 – 31.3 42.7 41.1
Engineering 8.9 14.6 2.9 1.9 0.6 1.5 1.2 0.9 2.2 2.1 – 4.2 2.8 3.0
Humanities/ne arts 9.6 3.6 15.2 15.1 17.9 15.9 7.4 8.2 9.8 11.9 – 4.2 11.6 11.3
Law 10.8 7.3 8.6 8.0 7.1 7.7 2.8 3.7 3.3 4.9 – 12.5 6.2 6.4
Mathematics 1.3 0.6 1.9 1.7 0.6 1.2 0.9 0.9 0.0 0.0 – 2.1 1.1 1.1
Health professions 2.5 3.0 1.9 2.2 0.0 1.5 0.3 0.9 3.3 11.2 – 4.2 1.3 2.6
Medicine 4.5 3.6 0.5 0.8 0.6 0.9 0.3 0.0 10.9 10.5 – 8.3 2.1 2.0
Physical/natural sciences 3.2 5.5 1.9 4.7 1.8 3.5 0.6 0.9 3.3 1.4 – 6.3 1.7 3.1
Religion/theology 0.6 2.4 3.3 3.9 4.2 5.9 0.6 0.6 14.1 17.5 – 8.3 3.2 4.6
Social sciences 22.9 24.2 24.3 19.0 19.6 16.2 9.6 7.5 19.6 9.8 – 8.3 17.8 14.2
Not provided
*
1.3 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.6 – 1.1 – – – 0.5 –
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only calculated on the 2022 instrument.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 73
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
DOES YOUR BACKGROUND INCLUDE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE?
Born outside United States and its
territories (does not include U.S.
military bases)
†
– 14.8 – 6.0 – 6.7 – 6.2 – 7.6 – 12.5 – 7.5
Postsecondary study outside the
United States
15.4 17.8 13.9 16.3 18.8 20.0 10.9 11.0 16.4 15.9 – 16.7 14.5 15.7
Obtained a postsecondary
degree(s) outside the United
States
†
– 10.7 – 6.5 – 7.0 – 3.0 – 9.0 – 8.3 – 6.3
Professional experience overseas
(outside the eld of higher
education)
15.4 21.3 17.0 19.6 12.5 22.0 7.3 17.0 19.1 34.5 – 29.2 13.2 21.2
Employment at a higher education
institution outside the United States
10.3 8.9 7.4 7.1 5.2 10.1 2.7 4.5 8.2 6.9 – 8.3 5.9 7.2
International research or teaching
grant or fellowship (e.g., Fulbright)
10.9 20.7 13.5 16.0 11.5 14.5 2.7 6.2 6.4 7.6 – 10.4 7.9 12.2
Deployed overseas as U.S.
personnel (military or civilian)
*
4.0 – 4.8 – 3.6 – 5.7 – 7.3 – – – 5.3 –
None 50.3 50.3 43.9 54.6 44.8 47.5 57.1 65.8 32.7 51.0 – 47.9 47.1 55.4
Other
*
2.9 – 7.0 – 8.9 – 5.7 – 4.5 – – – 5.9 –
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
†
Only included in the 2016 instrument.
WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE STEPPING DOWN FROM YOUR CURRENT POSITION RELATIVE TO THE CURRENT ACADEMIC
YEAR?
Within the next year or two 22.5 21.6 24.9 22.5 30.4 22.4 26.4 21.9 19.2 18.1 – 22.9 25.0 21.8
3–5 years from now 32.5 37.1 32.3 29.6 29.8 28.2 23.9 33.9 37.4 34.7 – 35.4 30.1 32.1
6–9 years from now 16.3 24.6 16.6 26.6 14.0 21.8 16.4 23.0 17.2 25.7 – 20.8 16.1 23.9
10 or more years from now 7.5 6.6 9.2 11.2 9.4 13.5 16.4 13.3 8.1 12.5 – 12.5 11.2 12.0
Don’t know 17.5 10.2 15.2 10.1 12.9 14.1 13.6 7.9 14.1 9.0 – 8.3 14.3 10.2
Prefer not to answer
*
3.8 – 1.8 – 3.5 – 3.3 – 4.0 – – – 3.3 –
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only calculated on the 2022 instrument.
HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECTED THE TIMING OF WHEN YOU PLAN TO STEP DOWN FROM YOUR CURRENT
PRESIDENCY/CEO POST?
Yes, I am planning to stay longer
than previously anticipated
6.4 – 10.1 – 7.8 – 7.3 – 13.3 – – – 8.9 –
Yes, I am transitioning out earlier
than previously anticipated
9.0 – 7.4 – 10.2 – 11.3 – 7.1 – – – 9.3 –
No, I am still planning to transition
at the previously anticipated time
54.5 – 59.0 – 56.6 – 54.4 – 49.0 – – – 54.6 –
I do not have a plan for
transitioning out
30.1 – 23.5 – 25.3 – 26.9 – 30.6 – – – 27.1 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
74 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
PLEASE INDICATE IF YOUR INSTITUTION HAS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IN PLACE.
Detailed list of presidential
responsibilities
38.9 – 47.8 – 48.4 – 59.2 – 51.8 – – – 51.4 –
Temporary succession plan 21.1 – 25.2 – 21.4 – 15.5 – 29.1 – – – 21.5 –
Plans for increased efforts related
to diversity, equity, and inclusion
for current students, faculty, and
staff
75.4 – 67.0 – 58.3 – 63.0 – 50.0 – – – 61.8 –
Plans for increased efforts related
to diversity, equity, and inclusion
for prospective students, faculty,
and staff
62.9 – 49.1 – 41.7 – 47.3 – 40.0 – – – 47.0 –
Plans/policies for a temporary
succession plan
9.1 – 16.5 – 10.9 – 11.7 – 23.6 – – – 14.3 –
Plans/policies for presidential
searches
34.9 – 33.0 – 29.2 – 32.1 – 22.7 – – – 30.2 –
ARE YOU PREPARING A SUCCESSOR FOR YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
Yes 28.5 – 31.8 – 21.1 – 32.7 – 33.3 – – – 30.0 –
No 58.9 – 60.4 – 65.5 – 53.9 – 59.6 – – – 58.9 –
Not applicable 12.7 – 7.8 – 13.5 – 13.3 – 7.1 – – – 11.1 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
IS YOUR SUCCESSOR:
At your current institution 76.7 – 72.1 – 80.6 – 86.1 – 84.8 – – – 81.5 –
At another higher education
institution
18.6 – 17.6 – 13.9 – 11.1 – 6.1 – – – 12.5 –
Outside of higher education 0.0 – 2.9 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.5 –
Other 4.7 – 7.4 – 5.6 – 2.8 – 9.1 – – – 5.5 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHAT NEXT STEPS ARE YOU CONSIDERING AFTER YOU LEAVE YOUR CURRENT POSITION?
Retire and hold no other position 32.0 34.3 38.3 41.9 32.3 34.8 35.1 37.8 26.4 37.2 – 29.2 33.1 37.4
Move to another presidency 20.0 18.3 21.3 24.7 30.2 27.0 25.8 28.0 20.0 15.9 – 14.6 24.1 24.4
Move to a senior position (non-
president)
2.3 4.7 7.8 2.2 8.3 4.9 5.4 6.4 7.3 4.8 – 6.3 6.4 4.7
Become a CEO of a higher
education organization
7.4 9.5 7.8 6.3 10.9 7.0 8.2 8.3 8.2 2.1 – 2.1 8.5 6.9
Become an honoric chancellor at
current institution
7.4 7.1 9.1 5.4 6.3 7.3 2.7 1.7 8.2 11.7 – 10.4 6.1 5.6
Move to the faculty at this or
another institution
20.0 37.3 11.3 16.6 13.5 16.2 7.6 11.0 19.1 20.7 – 18.8 13.0 17.5
Become employed outside of
higher education—nonprot,
philanthropic
17.7 20.1 15.7 16.3 20.8 26.4 9.8 15.3 20.0 21.4 – 10.4 15.8 19.0
Become employed outside of
higher education—corporation, for
prot
8.6 6.5 8.3 4.6 9.4 9.3 7.6 9.8 10.0 5.5 – 10.4 8.6 7.7
Become a consultant for a search
rm
10.9 7.1 17.4 13.0 18.8 14.8
18.5 13.2 12.7 4.1 – 6.3 16.3 11.8
Become a consultant—other 12.6 18.9 28.7 25.3 24.0 27.0 23.6 27.2 25.5 19.3 – 18.8 23.6 24.8
Unsure 14.3 5.9 10.4 6.5 9.9 7.3 11.4 7.6 9.1 9.7 – 4.2 10.9 7.2
Other 5.1 14.2 3.9 14.7 3.6 14.8 3.5 13.6 6.4 12.4 – 18.8 4.4 14.2
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 75
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
WHAT IS YOUR GENDER IDENTITY?
Man 71.3 78.2 65.4 70.7 59.8 72.1 56.4 64.2 59.6 69.0 – 75.0 60.9 69.8
Woman 28.7 21.8 34.6 29.0 40.2 27.9 43.6 35.8 40.4 30.3 – 25.0 39.0 30.1
Nonbinary
*
0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.0 –
Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 – 0.0 0.0 0.1
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note
s
: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding. | Totals for men and women are based on survey respondents and not the web scrape (see the methodology in
chapter one for more information).
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
WHAT IS YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATION?
Heterosexual or straight 91.3 96.9 90.7 95.3 92.3 96.4 88.4 94.8 87.8 92.9 – 100.0 89.7 95.5
Gay or lesbian 3.8 1.8 4.7 3.9 4.2 2.7 7.6 3.7 6.1 5.0 – 0.0 5.7 3.3
Bisexual 0.0 0.6 0.9 0.3 0.0 0.6 1.2 0.4 2.0 0.7 – 0.0 1.0 0.5
Other 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.3 0.0 1.1 1.0 1.4 – 0.0 0.2 0.7
Prefer not to answer
*
5.0 – 3.7 – 3.6 – 2.7 – 3.1 – – – 3.4 –
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
CURRENT AGE AS OF SURVEY CLOSE
31–40 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 1.5 0.4 1.3 1.4 – 0.0 0.8 0.5
41–50 1.6 3.7 7.6 5.3 11.3 10.2 15.1 12.1 15.8 4.9 – 2.1 11.6 8.2
51–60 33.6 29.0 34.5 28.2 40.3 37.9 47.6 36.5 26.3 25.9 – 39.6 38.4 33.1
61–70 56.0 53.1 46.8 53.1 40.3 43.0 28.8 42.1 44.7 54.6 – 41.7 40.3 47.3
71 or older 8.8 14.2 11.1 13.4 8.1 8.1 7.0 8.9 11.8 13.3 – 16.7 9.0 11.0
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 – 100.0 100.0 100.0
Mean
*
62.5 63.7 61.3 63.1 59.6 60.4 58.0 60.2 60.4 63.1 – 62.7 60.0 61.7
Median
*
63.0 64.0 62.0 64.0 60.0 61.0 57.0 61.0 62.0 64.0 – 62.5 60.0 62.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Data are unweighted.
WHAT IS YOUR CITIZENSHIP STATUS?
U.S. citizen (by birth) 88.1 – 92.6 – 90.7 – 91.5 – 89.0 – – – 90.7 –
U.S. citizen (naturalized) 9.4 – 7.4 – 7.0 – 7.3 – 8.0 – – – 7.6 –
U.S. permanent resident 1.3 – 0.0 – 1.2 – 0.6 – 1.0 – – – 0.8 –
U.S. visa holder 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 1.0 – – – 0.2 –
Other 0.6 – 0.0 – 0.6 – 0.0 – 1.0 – – – 0.4 –
Prefer not to answer 0.6 – 0.0 – 0.6 – 0.6 – 0.0 – – – 0.4 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
76 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
WHAT IS YOUR RACE AND ETHNICITY?
Hispanic or Latino 5.7 3.6 4.7 5.2 6.0 1.8 7.0 4.7 4.0 2.1 – 8.3 5.7 3.9
Caucasian, White, or White
American
82.3 82.1 76.2 85.2 67.7 85.4 68.5 80.0 72.0 85.4 – 79.2 72.1 83.2
Middle Eastern or Arab American 0.6 0.6 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.9 1.2 0.9 1.0 0.0 – 0.0 0.7 0.6
Black or African American 6.3 7.1 12.1 7.4 21.6 8.9 16.5 8.8 5.0 4.9 – 8.3 13.2 7.9
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.6 7.0 4.9 – 0.0 1.5 0.7
Asian or Asian American 1.9 5.4 3.7 1.4 0.6 0.9 3.1 3.0 4.0 2.1 – 2.1 2.8 2.3
Asian Indian
*
1.3 – 0.9 – 0.6 – 0.0 – 1.0 – – – 0.6 –
Native Hawaiian or Pacic Islander
*
0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.6 – 0.0 – – – 0.2 –
Multiracial (excluding Hispanic or
Latino)
0.6 1.2 1.9 0.6 3.0 2.1 2.1 1.9 6.0 0.7 – 2.1 2.8 1.4
Not listed* 0.6 – 0.5 – 0.6 – 0.6 – 0.0 – – – 0.5 –
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
PLEASE SELECT YOUR RELIGIOUS PRACTICE OR AFFILIATION.
Atheist
*
2.6 – 3.3 – 6.0 – 2.1 – 3.1 – – – 3.3 –
Agnostic
*
5.8 – 5.2 – 4.8 – 5.8 – 4.1 – – – 5.2 –
Buddhist 0.0 0.6 0.5 1.1 0.6 0.3 1.8 0.7 2.0 0.7 – 0.0 1.2 0.7
Christian (Protestant) 38.1 43.9 42.7 40.8 51.8 56.9 49.4 50.0 31.6 42.5 – 52.1 43.9 48.1
Christian (Roman Catholic) 27.1 28.7 29.1 34.4 14.5 24.5 20.6 24.1 18.4 21.6 – 20.8 21.3 26.8
Church of Latter-day Saints
†
0.0 1.2 1.4 0.8 1.8 0.6 1.5 2.0 1.0 0.0 – 2.1 1.3 1.1
Hindu
*
0.6 – 0.0 – 0.6 – 0.0 – 2.0 – – – 0.6 –
Jewish 9.7 7.9 2.8 4.7 1.8 4.7 1.5 1.5 9.2 11.5 – 4.2 4.2 4.7
Muslim 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 – 2.1 0.1 0.3
Sikh
*
0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.0 –
None 5.2 11.6 8.5 14.7 5.4 10.0 7.0 15.2 5.1 17.3 – 14.6 6.4 13.7
Prefer not to answer
*
7.7 – 3.8 – 8.4 – 7.6 – 14.3 – – – 8.4 –
Other 3.2 5.5 2.8 3.1 3.6 2.7 2.7 6.5 9.2 6.5 – 4.2 4.2 4.6
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
†
Listed as ‘Mormon’ in the 2016 instrument.
WHAT IS YOUR MARITAL STATUS?
Never married (member of
religious order)
4.4 3.6 2.3 4.7 0.6 3.0 0.0 0.2 2.0 2.1 – 0.0 1.4 2.4
Never married 3.8 2.4 4.2 3.6 2.4 2.7 3.4 4.1 2.0 4.2 – 2.1 3.1 3.4
Married 84.2 87.5 80.8 86.3 87.1 87.0 82.3 84.2 75.8 78.5 – 85.4 81.9 85.2
Domestic partner 1.3 0.0 1.9 0.3 1.2 1.8 2.8 1.3 3.0 3.5 – 0.0 2.2 1.2
Separated 1.3 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.6 0.3 0.9 0.2 2.0 0.0 – 2.1 1.1 0.2
Divorced 4.4 4.8 7.9 3.8 4.1 4.1 7.6 7.9 10.1 9.7 – 10.4 7.1 6.0
Widower/widow 0.6 1.8 1.9 1.4 4.1 1.2 3.1 2.1 5.1 2.1 – 0.0 3.1 1.6
Total 100 100.0 100 100.0 100 100.0 100 100.0 100 100.0 – 100.0 100 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 77
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
PLEASE DESCRIBE THE EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF YOUR SPOUSE OR PARTNER.
Employed full time 19.4 – 21.3 – 29.2 – 32.1 – 26.4 – – – 27.1 –
Employed part time 12.0 – 13.0 – 8.9 – 7.9 – 12.7 – – – 10.4 –
Unemployed 10.9 – 7.0 – 3.1 – 4.1 – 1.8 – – – 4.8 –
Student 0.6 – 0.0 – 0.5 – 0.5 – 0.0 – – – 0.3 –
Retired 21.7 – 17.8 – 22.4 – 20.4 – 13.6 – – – 19.2 –
Homemaker 11.4 – 16.1 – 7.8 – 8.2 – 8.2 – – – 9.8 –
Self-employed 5.7 – 9.1 – 9.9 – 6.0 – 10.0 – – – 8.0 –
Unable to work 0.6 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.3 – 0.9 – – – 0.3 –
Other 1.7 – 1.7 – 1.6 – 1.1 – 0.9 – – – 1.3 –
IN WHAT WAY(S) IS YOUR SPOUSE OR PARTNER AFFILIATED WITH THE INSTITUTION WHERE YOU SERVE AS PRESIDENT/CEO?
Compensated by your institution/
system
2.3 4.7 4.3 3.5 6.3 9.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 2.8 – 0.0 2.2 3.8
Employed at your institution/
system
8.0 9.5 6.1 7.9 7.8 7.8 3.5 4.9 4.5 8.3 – 10.4 5.5 7.2
Unpaid participant in campus/
system
60.6 66.3 57.0 61.4 47.9 52.5 34.5 40.3 27.3 44.8 – 45.8 42.6 51.5
Employed outside your institution/
system
†
– 15.4 – 24.5 – 28.1 – 48.6 – 40.7 – 39.6 – 33.6
Not applicable 7.4 8.9 8.3 13.0 11.5 9.3 34.0 14.4 30.9 15.9 – 12.5 21.6 12.4
Other
*
1.7 – 1.7 – 3.1 – 0.8 – 3.6 – – – 2.1 –
Note: The phrasing of this question changed slightly from 2016 to 2022.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
†
Only included in the 2016 instrument.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CHILDREN LIVING AT HOME WITH YOU OR WHO YOU HAVE REGULAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR?
Yes 21.9 – 26.4 – 25.9 – 33.1 – 38.4 – – – 30.2 –
No 78.1 – 73.6 – 74.1 – 66.9 – 61.6 – – – 69.8 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
HOW MANY CHILDREN UNDER 18 DO YOU HAVE REGULAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR?
0 33.3 – 21.4 – 27.9 – 27.9 – 33.3 – – – 28.6 –
1 45.5 – 41.1 – 25.6 – 41.3 – 22.2 – – – 34.6 –
2 15.2 – 28.6 – 32.6 – 26.0 – 33.3 – – – 28.2 –
3 0.0 – 5.4 – 11.6 – 2.9 – 2.8 – – – 4.4 –
4 6.1 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 1.9 – 8.3 – – – 3.2 –
5 0.0 – 1.8 – 2.3 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.7 –
6 0.0 – 1.8 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.0 – – – 0.3 –
WHO IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING CHILDREN IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD IN A NORMAL WEEK?
I am a single parent. 0.0 – 0.4 – 1.0 – 1.4 – 1.8 – – – 1.1 –
I share responsibility of childcare
with a partner.
13.1 – 16.5 – 15.6 – 18.8 – 17.3 – – – 16.8 –
I co-parent with an ex-partner. 0.0 – 1.7 – 0.5 – 2.4 – 2.7 – – – 1.7 –
I share the responsibility of
childcare with a relative.
0.0 – 0.0 – 0.5 – 0.0 – 1.8 – – – 0.4 –
I share the responsibility of
childcare with a paid caregiver
(e.g., nanny, babysitter).
0.6 – 0.4 – 0.5 – 0.5 – 0.0 – – – 0.4 –
My child/children attend day care
or after-school care outside of the
home.
0.6 – 1.7 – 0.5 – 0.5 – 0.9 – – – 0.8 –
Other 1.1 – 2.2 – 1.0 – 3.0 – 0.9 – – – 1.9 –
78 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
ARE YOU A CARETAKER FOR AN AGING PARENT/LOVED ONE?
Yes 11.4 – 14.6 – 11.2 – 15.0 – 10.1 – – – 12.9 –
No 88.6 – 85.4 – 88.8 – 85.0 – 89.9 – – – 87.1 –
Total 100 – 100 – 100 – 100 – 100 – – – 100 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHO PROVIDES A MAJORITY OF THE AGING PARENT/LOVED ONE CARE IN A NORMAL WEEK?
I provide the majority of care. 16.7 – 9.7 – 11.8 – 25.0 – 40.0 – – – 21.3 –
My spouse provides the majority
of care.
33.3 – 29.0 – 23.5 – 20.8 – 20.0 – – – 24.2 –
Another family member provides
the majority of care.
22.2 – 22.6 – 11.8 – 22.9 – 30.0 – – – 22.2 –
Paid caregiver(s) (outside of the
family) provide the majority of care.
22.2 – 32.3 – 35.3 – 22.9 – 10.0 – – – 24.6 –
Other 5.6 – 6.5 – 17.6 – 8.3 – 0.0 – – – 7.7 –
Total 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – 100.0 – – – 100.0 –
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
HAVE YOU ALTERED YOUR CAREER, AT ANY POINT, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS?
Care of minor dependent(s)
Left my position 1.1 – 2.6 – 2.6 – 3.0 – 4.5 – – – 2.9 –
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
5.1 – 5.7 – 5.2 – 6.5 – 6.4 – – – 5.9 –
Postponed job search/
promotion
14.9 – 9.1 – 15.1 – 16.8 – 9.1 – – – 13.5 –
Other 0.0 – 0.9 – 2.1 – 1.1 – 0.9 – – – 1.1 –
I have not altered my career for
this reason
62.9 – 67.8 – 61.5 – 59.2 – 64.5 – – – 62.6 –
Care of adult dependent(s)
Left my position 0.6 – 0.9 – 0.5 – 2.2 – 0.9 – – – 1.2 –
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
2.3 – 2.2 – 2.1 – 1.4 – 1.8 – – – 1.8 –
Postponed job search/
promotion
4.0 – 4.8 – 5.7 – 4.1 – 2.7 – – – 4.2 –
Other 0.6 – 0.9 – 2.1 – 2.2 – 0.9 – – – 1.5 –
I have not altered my career for
this reason
75.4 – 77.0 – 70.8 – 73.1 – 73.6 – – – 73.7 –
Career of a spouse/partner
Left my position 3.4 – 3.0 – 1.6 – 3.0 – 1.8 – – – 2.6 –
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
2.9 – 2.2 – 2.1 – 1.4 – 1.8 – – – 1.9 –
Postponed job search/
promotion
6.9 – 8.3 – 4.7 – 5.4 – 5.5 – – – 6.0 –
Other 1.1 – 2.6 – 3.1 – 1.9 – 2.7 – – – 2.3 –
I have not altered my career for
this reason
68.6 – 70.0 – 71.4 – 72.6 – 69.1
– – – 70.8 –
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 79
Doctoral Master's Baccalaureate Associate Special Focus Other Total
2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016 2022 2016
HAVE YOU ALTERED YOUR CAREER, AT ANY POINT, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS?
Career of another loved one
Left my position 1.7 – 0.4 – 1.0 – 0.3 – 0.0 – – – 0.6 –
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
2.3 – 0.9 – 0.5 – 0.8 – 0.0 – – – 0.8 –
Postponed job search/
promotion
3.4 – 2.2 – 2.6 – 3.0 – 0.9 – – – 2.4 –
Other 0.0 – 0.4 – 1.0 – 0.5 – 0.0 – – – 0.4 –
I have not altered my career for
this reason
74.9 – 78.3 – 75.5 – 77.7 – 79.1 – – – 77.3 –
Personal health issue(s)
Left my position 0.6 – 0.0 – 1.0 – 1.1 – 0.0 – – – 0.6 –
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
1.1 – 2.6 – 2.6 – 0.5 – 3.6 – – – 1.9 –
Postponed job search/
promotion
0.6 – 1.3 – 0.5 – 0.5 – 1.8 – – – 0.9 –
Other 0.6 – 0.0 – 0.0 – 0.3 – 1.8 – – – 0.5 –
I have not altered my career for
this reason
78.3 – 77.4 – 77.1 – 79.9 – 71.8 – – – 77.2 –
80 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Appendix D: Characteristics of Presidents,
by Gender and Race and Ethnicity, 2022 and
2016
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
TIME IN CURRENT POSITION, IN YEARS
Mean 6.3 5.4 5.5 6.3 10.2 4.8 10.5 5.3 6.2 8.2 5.0 5.9 -
Median 5.0 4.0 3.9 4.9 8.2 4.0 7.6 3.7 5.2 8.2 4.0 4.5 -
Note: Data in this table are unweighted.
CURRENT POSITION
Interim appointment 3.3 4.6 5.4 4.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 7.7 0.0 50.0 4.3 4.2 -
Single campus president/CEO 77.3 80.1 82.1 78.3 66.7 82.4 77.8 69.2 50.0 50.0 78.3 78.3 -
Dual role president/CEO (multi-
campus system and single campus)
12.0 9.7 3.6 11.4 33.3 9.9 11.1 15.4 16.7 0.0 13.0 10.6 -
Multicampus president/CEO 8.7 7.0 8.9 8.0 0.0 6.1 11.1 11.5 33.3 0.0 4.3 8.3 -
DO YOU HAVE A WRITTEN CONTRACT?
Yes 84.0 83.9 69.6 84.9 100.0 84.0 88.9 76.9 83.3 100.0 87.0 83.0 80.9
No 16.0 16.1 30.4 15.1 0.0 16.0 11.1 23.1 16.7 0.0 13.0 17.0 19.1
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 81
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ARE COMPONENTS OF YOUR AGREED-UPON CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT?
Ability to serve in paid corporate
directorships
23.5 20.4 16.1 20.7 16.7 38.9 0.0 19.2 50.0 0.0 13.0 20.0 21.8
Automobile (with or without a driver) 59.5 47.6 46.4 56.3 33.3 56.5 44.4 38.5 83.3 50.0 47.8 49.0 66.3
Childcare 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.7
Deferred compensation 35.0 31.7 25.0 34.9 33.3 40.5 0.0 19.2 16.7 0.0 21.7 31.5 36.7
Entertainment budget 26.8 22.0 17.9 25.9 0.0 24.4 0.0 26.9 0.0 0.0 39.1 23.3 37.1
Health and wellness 31.5 25.5 19.6 28.9 16.7 35.9 11.1 34.6 0.0 0.0 30.4 28.5 37.1
House manager 8.0 6.5 8.9 6.7 0.0 10.7 0.0 15.4 0.0 0.0 8.7 6.0 11.2
Incentive pay
*
13.7 8.3 10.7 11.3 33.3 14.5 11.1 11.5 0.0 0.0 8.7 10.8 -
Involuntary separation agreement 24.2 22.8 16.1 23.6 16.7 29.8 11.1 19.2 33.3 50.0 17.4 23.1 28.7
Life insurance 60.7 55.6 53.6 59.0 33.3 65.6 55.6 34.6 33.3 100.0 60.9 55.9 66.6
Long-term care insurance 22.7 19.9 25.0 21.4 0.0 27.5 11.1 7.7 16.7 50.0 21.7 20.5 23.9
Pension/retirement contributions 71.8 71.5 64.3 72.8 50.0 73.3 66.7 69.2 33.3 50.0 69.6 69.6 80.3
Performance-based bonuses 26.7 20.2 17.9 24.8 33.3 26.7 11.1 23.1 16.7 0.0 26.1 23.4 24.4
Permission to pursue paid consulting
opportunities
16.8 15.3 16.1 15.2 0.0 22.1 11.1 11.5 16.7 0.0 26.1 15.8 16.3
Presidential residence 39.0 28.0 23.2 36.9 0.0 32.1 33.3 23.1 50.0 0.0 30.4 30.3 39.1
Housing allowance 25.2 23.1 21.4 22.1 16.7 39.7 11.1 19.2 33.3 0.0 30.4 24.0 27.2
Professional association
membership(s)
40.3 40.6 39.3 40.7 33.3 45.0 0.0 26.9 66.7 0.0 52.2 39.2 42.2
Social club membership(s) 35.2 28.0 23.2 33.9 16.7 33.6 0.0 15.4 33.3 0.0 39.1 28.4 38.0
Executive coaching 14.5 23.4 12.5 16.7 0.0 26.7 11.1 23.1 0.0 0.0 30.4 17.2 8.9
Other professional development
(not listed)
11.3 17.5 16.1 13.4 33.3 12.2 22.2 19.2 33.3 0.0 13.0 14.6 28.8
Professional nancial planning
assistance
5.0 3.0 1.8 4.0 0.0 5.3 0.0 7.7 16.7 0.0 8.7 4.2 5.4
Professional retirement planning
assistance
5.8 4.8 10.7 4.7 0.0 7.6 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 8.7 5.5 5.0
Retention (time-based) bonuses 11.8 8.1 5.4 11.1 0.0 13.0 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 4.3 10.1 11.3
Retiree health insurance 10.2 13.2 10.7 10.4 16.7 16.0 0.0 19.2 0.0 0.0 8.7 10.5 14.4
Sabbatical(s) 15.2 12.4 12.5 13.8 33.3 16.8 11.1 19.2 16.7 0.0 8.7 13.1 15.9
Salary increase based on merit 28.2 21.2 25.0 24.8 33.3 26.7 11.1 30.8 33.3 50.0 47.8 25.2 35.5
Tenured faculty position
*
26.2 22.8 23.2 24.2 33.3 27.5 0.0 34.6 50.0 0.0 26.1 21.1 -
Spousal hire
*
3.3 1.6 5.4 3.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.6 -
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
WHO DO YOU REPORT TO AS THE PRESIDENT/CEO?
System head 21.3 27.0 35.7 20.3 0.0 34.4 0.0 42.3 16.7 50.0 17.4 21.8 21.6
Governing board 74.3 65.8 55.4 74.5 83.3 61.8 100.0 50.0 83.3 50.0 73.9 72.5 73.1
State commissioner/superintendent 0.8 1.6 1.8 1.1 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.7
Corporate/church board or leader 1.3 0.3 0.0 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 1.3 1.9
Other 2.2 5.4 7.1 3.0 16.7 3.1 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 4.3 3.4 2.7
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
82 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
DO YOU HAVE A FORMAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION?
Yes 92.8 91.9 85.7 92.0 100.0 96.2 88.9 96.2 100.0 100.0 91.3 91.7 90.9
No 7.2 8.1 14.3 8.0 0.0 3.8 11.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 8.7 8.3 9.1
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
WHO HAS THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW CONVERSATION WITH YOU?
Same as the person(s) I report to 91.0 89.6 89.6 89.3 83.3 96.8 87.5 92.0 80.0 100.0 90.5 89.3 -
Other 9.0 10.4 10.4 10.7 16.7 3.2 12.5 8.0 20.0 0.0 9.5 10.7 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
WHAT IS THE FREQUENCY OF YOUR FORMAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION?
Annual 87.5 88.5 91.7 87.7 100.0 86.5 100.0 88.0 80.0 100.0 85.7 87.8 88.4
Annual with periodic external
evaluation
*
6.2 3.8 2.1 5.5 0.0 7.9 0.0 0.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 5.3 -
Every two years 3.3 2.6 2.1 2.7 0.0 4.0 0.0 8.0 0.0 0.0 4.8 3.1 4.8
Every three years 2.5 3.8 2.1 3.4 0.0 1.6 0.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 4.8 2.9 4.3
Every four years or more 0.5 1.2 2.1 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.8 0.8 2.6
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Options of “every four years” and “every ve years” were combined on the 2022 instrument.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 83
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
IN WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS WOULD YOU LIKE MORE TRAINING AND/OR DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUR CURRENT
PRESIDENCY/CEO POST?
Academic issues (e.g., curriculum
changes)
9.8 5.9 10.7 6.8 16.7 10.7 44.4 23.1 0.0 0.0 8.7 8.0 -
Accreditation 7.2 6.2 10.7 6.6 16.7 5.3 22.2 11.5 0.0 0.0 4.3 7.3 -
Alumni as stakeholder group
(excluding fundraising)
10.3 8.3 3.6 9.7 0.0 11.5 22.2 7.7 16.7 0.0 13.0 10.5 -
Assessment of student learning 9.0 7.0 7.1 8.0 16.7 7.6 33.3 11.5 0.0 0.0 13.0 8.3 -
Athletics 10.2 7.3 5.4 8.4 16.7 9.2 33.3 11.5 16.7 50.0 4.3 8.1 -
Budget/nancial management 25.2 26.1 32.1 24.8 16.7 31.3 44.4 11.5 0.0 0.0 26.1 26.1 -
Campus internationalization (e.g.,
supporting international students,
global curriculum)
11.8 9.7 8.9 10.4 16.7 13.7 22.2 11.5 0.0 0.0 17.4 11.1 -
Capital improvement projects 21.7 24.2 30.4 19.5 33.3 32.8 55.6 26.9 0.0 0.0 30.4 22.9 -
Communication —external 18.5 22.0 12.5 20.9 33.3 11.5 33.3 38.5 33.3 0.0 26.1 20.4 -
Communication—internal 14.3 13.2 3.6 15.8 16.7 9.2 22.2 11.5 16.7 50.0 8.7 14.1 -
Community relations 8.2 8.9 5.4 8.7 16.7 6.1 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 13.0 8.9 -
Crisis management 18.7 25.0 28.6 20.4 50.0 21.4 11.1 23.1 33.3 50.0 13.0 19.8 -
Diversity or equity issues 20.8 24.2 12.5 26.2 33.3 11.5 0.0 15.4 16.7 0.0 0.0 21.5 -
Enrollment management 24.0 23.1 21.4 23.2 50.0 23.7 11.1 34.6 16.7 50.0 26.1 22.9 -
Entrepreneurial ventures 31.5 38.7 44.6 32.6 50.0 42.7 33.3 30.8 16.7 0.0 26.1 32.9 -
Faculty governance 9.7 9.9 7.1 8.8 0.0 13.7 11.1 11.5 16.7 50.0 17.4 9.6 -
Fundraising 29.2 31.2 41.1 27.6 33.3 30.5 66.7 34.6 33.3 50.0 47.8 31.1 -
Global engagement 16.2 15.9 16.1 15.2 0.0 18.3 11.1 23.1 16.7 0.0 34.8 16.1 -
Governing board relations 15.0 16.9 26.8 14.1 16.7 14.5 22.2 23.1 33.3 50.0 17.4 14.9 -
Government relations (federal) 12.3 13.7 16.1 12.0 16.7 17.6 11.1 23.1 0.0 0.0 4.3 12.7 -
Government relations (state-level) 13.8 13.4 14.3 13.8 16.7 15.3 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 13.0 13.1 -
Maintaining personal well-being 18.3 15.9 14.3 17.2 50.0 16.0 33.3 19.2 50.0 0.0 21.7 17.3 -
Managing a senior level team 15.2 17.7 14.3 15.4 16.7 14.5 33.3 30.8 33.3 50.0 21.7 16.3 -
Personnel issues (excluding faculty) 7.7 5.4 3.6 7.0 16.7 4.6 22.2 7.7 16.7 0.0 4.3 6.8 -
Risk management/legal issues 20.8 23.9 21.4 21.9 83.3 22.9 22.2 23.1 16.7 0.0 8.7 21.4 -
Shared governance 11.5 10.5 16.1 10.8 16.7 8.4 22.2 11.5 33.3 0.0 8.7 11.4 -
Spousal role 6.5 5.1 3.6 5.1 0.0 8.4 0.0 19.2
0.0 50.0 8.7 5.2 -
Strategic planning 16.5 14.2 10.7 16.1 16.7 10.7 44.4 15.4 0.0 0.0 26.1 16.6 -
Student life/conduct issues 4.7 3.5 1.8 4.6 0.0 2.3 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 4.3 4.3 -
Technology planning 20.3 23.9 16.1 20.9 50.0 25.2 44.4 15.4 50.0 0.0 21.7 21.3 -
Using institutional research
(evidence) to inform decision-making
19.8 20.7 21.4 20.2 16.7 16.8 55.6 19.2 16.7 0.0 17.4 20.6 -
Other 3.7 2.4 1.8 3.3 0.0 2.3 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 8.7 3.1 -
84 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
WHO RECRUITED YOU OR ENCOURAGED YOU TO PURSUE YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
Search consultant/search agency 52.5 48.7 44.6 50.7 33.3 59.5 11.1 46.2 100.0 0.0 47.8 46.9 -
Past president/CEO at my current
campus
18.7 19.4 19.6 20.2 33.3 11.5 33.3 15.4 0.0 0.0 17.4 18.8 -
Another president/CEO outside my
current campus
13.8 15.6 14.3 14.1 16.7 14.5 0.0 26.9 16.7 0.0 17.4 13.4 -
Current or previous supervisor 13.3 15.9 14.3 13.8 0.0 18.3 11.1 7.7 0.0 50.0 21.7 14.0 -
Sponsor who conrmed and
advocated for your candidacy in the
search process
2.3 3.5 1.8 2.6 0.0 3.8 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 4.3 2.8 -
Trusted friend or mentor 20.3 19.9 14.3 20.1 0.0 19.8 22.2 26.9 33.3 0.0 26.1 18.3 -
Peer or colleague 14.2 17.7 19.6 15.4 16.7 11.5 44.4 15.4 16.7 50.0 21.7 15.5 -
Partner or spouse 8.7 11.3 3.6 10.8 0.0 7.6 11.1 11.5 0.0 0.0 4.3 9.0 -
Family member(s) aside from my
partner or spouse
2.2 3.5 1.8 3.1 0.0 0.8 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 2.8 -
Member(s) of the board or governing
group
20.7 18.3 19.6 21.2 0.0 13.0 55.6 19.2 0.0 0.0 21.7 21.2 -
Other 5.2 5.9 3.6 6.0 16.7 3.8 22.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.6 -
BEFORE ACCEPTING THE POSITION, WHO DID YOU SEEK ADVICE FROM IN NEGOTIATING THE TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT?
Attorney 29.7 33.9 30.4 29.5 16.7 45.8 22.2 19.2 33.3 50.0 30.4 29.1 31.1
Peers
*
33.5 32.3 37.5 31.5 50.0 42.0 22.2 23.1 33.3 50.0 30.4 32.1 -
Financial planner/accountant 4.2 4.3 0.0 4.7 0.0 4.6 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 4.3 4.1 6.9
Predecessor
*
10.0 8.6 8.9 10.3 16.7 6.9 22.2 7.7 0.0 0.0 4.3 9.7 -
Governing board member at current
institution
*
10.3 5.9 3.6 10.1 0.0 4.6 11.1 7.7 0.0 0.0 4.3 9.7 -
Governing board member at other
institution
*
2.3 1.3 0.0 2.4 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.1 -
Colleagues at current institution
*
8.5 5.1 1.8 8.1 0.0 5.3 11.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 13.0 8.2 -
Colleagues in the eld 35.5 37.6 39.3 34.2 0.0 45.0 33.3 42.3 50.0 50.0 39.1 34.4 60.1
Colleagues outside of higher
education
7.0 7.5 5.4 7.8 0.0 6.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 17.4 7.6 14.2
Spouse/partner/family 37.7 40.9 33.9 39.6 50.0 35.9 55.6 23.1 50.0 50.0 60.9 38.5 56.7
Online research
*
16.3 15.6 14.3 14.5 33.3 22.1 0.0 19.2 33.3 0.0 30.4 15.2 -
Presidential associations
*
6.2 6.2 3.6 6.4 16.7 7.6 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 8.7 5.5 -
Search consultant/agency
*
12.7 15.3 8.9 14.1 16.7 12.2 0.0 11.5 16.7 0.0 26.1 12.7 -
Did not seek advice 20.8 18.5 21.4 20.9 16.7 13.0 33.3 19.2 0.0 0.0 21.7 19.6 19.8
Other 2.5 3.8 1.8 3.3 0.0 3.1 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 3.1 2.5
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 85
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
DO YOU FEEL THE DISCLOSURE PROCESS PROVIDED:
A realistic assessment of the current challenges facing the institution/system?
Yes 70.3 63.3 66.7 70.7 66.7 61.2 44.4 42.3 50.0 100.0 65.2 67.4 71.5
No 29.7 36.7 33.3 29.3 33.3 38.8 55.6 57.7 50.0 0.0 34.8 32.6 28.5
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
A full and accurate disclosure of the institution/system’s nancial condition?
Yes 67.3 67.3 75.0 69.2 40.0 62.0 55.6 50.0 66.7 100.0 60.9 67.0 70.7
No 32.7 32.7 25.0 30.8 60.0 38.0 44.4 50.0 33.3 0.0 39.1 33.0 29.3
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
A clear understanding of the board’s expectations?
Yes 76.4 68.7 66.0 76.0 80.0 69.8 55.6 50.0 50.0 50.0 73.9 72.4 78.8
No 23.6 31.3 34.0 24.0 20.0 30.2 44.4 50.0 50.0 50.0 26.1 27.6 21.2
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
A clear understanding of the institution/system’s expectations?
Yes 77.5 73.3 73.6 78.8 80.0 69.0 55.6 57.7 33.3 50.0 73.9 73.7 79.2
No 22.5 26.7 26.4 21.2 20.0 31.0 44.4 42.3 66.7 50.0 26.1 26.3 20.8
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ONBOARDING ACTIVITIES WERE HELD WHEN YOU ASSUMED YOUR CURRENT
PRESIDENCY/CEO POST?
Transition meeting(s) with the
predecessor
58.5 51.1 48.2 57.1 50.0 53.4 11.1 57.7 66.7 0.0 56.5 52.2 -
Onboarding meeting(s) with the
governing board
48.0 42.2 46.4 45.7 66.7 45.0 33.3 53.8 33.3 50.0 52.2 44.4 -
Introduction to key donors 46.5 42.7 39.3 48.7 66.7 34.4 0.0 46.2 66.7 0.0 21.7 40.5 -
Introduction to elected ofcials 42.8 39.5 46.4 42.2 50.0 44.3 0.0 46.2 33.3 0.0 13.0 36.2 -
Campus listening tour 53.2 52.7 48.2 52.7 66.7 62.6 22.2 50.0 33.3 0.0 47.8 47.5 -
Public affairs/media training 8.8 14.2 10.7 11.5 16.7 9.2 0.0 11.5 16.7 0.0 8.7 9.4 -
Institutional history overview 25.2 21.5 19.6 25.4 16.7 20.6 11.1 15.4 33.3 0.0 17.4 21.5 -
Dress code review 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 -
Campus tour 45.3 43.0 42.9 44.7 33.3 44.3 11.1 46.2 50.0 0.0 52.2 40.1 -
Meeting with faculty senate 42.0 44.1 44.6 43.6 33.3 44.3 11.1 46.2 16.7 0.0 34.8 37.4 -
Meeting with staff senate 28.7 29.6 25.0 29.9 33.3 29.8 11.1 30.8 16.7 0.0 21.7 25.0 -
Opportunities for physical, mental,
and emotional wellness
2.5 2.7 1.8 2.4 0.0 3.8 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 4.3 2.4 -
Presidential residence review 26.2 18.5 10.7 25.2 0.0 22.1 0.0 23.1 16.7 0.0 26.1 19.8 -
Other 8.3 10.8 0.0 9.8 16.7 7.6 44.4 3.8 16.7 50.0 4.3 10.1 -
86 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE FROM YOUR GOVERNING BOARD/AGENCY AT PRESENT?
Very supportive 76.6 72.2 73.2 77.1 83.3 69.5 100.0 50.0 66.7 50.0 77.3 76.0 -
Somewhat supportive 18.5 20.5 21.4 17.1 16.7 25.2 0.0 42.3 33.3 0.0 22.7 18.1 -
Somewhat unsupportive 3.8 5.1 5.4 4.3 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 4.4 -
Very unsupportive 1.0 2.2 0.0 1.4 0.0 1.5 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE FROM FACULTY AT YOUR INSTITUTION AT PRESENT?
Very supportive 51.2 50.9 41.8 51.7 50.0 55.0 55.6 42.3 33.3 50.0 61.9 52.1 -
Somewhat supportive 43.0 43.1 54.5 42.1 50.0 40.5 44.4 53.8 50.0 50.0 33.3 41.9 -
Somewhat unsupportive 4.9 4.3 3.6 4.7 0.0 3.8 0.0 3.8 16.7 0.0 4.8 4.7 -
Very unsupportive 1.0 1.6 0.0 1.4 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
HOW HAS THE CHANGING CONVERSATION AROUND RACIAL INJUSTICE AFFECTED YOU AS A PRESIDENT/CEO?
I am leading my institution to take
steps in addressing racial justice
issues.
68.7 73.1 66.1 71.7 50.0 68.7 22.2 76.9 83.3 50.0 56.5 65.7 -
I have faced challenges in publicly
addressing or recognizing racial
justice issues.
21.0 22.6 21.4 22.9 0.0 16.0 0.0 30.8 33.3 0.0 17.4 19.7 -
I have been criticized because of the
way I chose to address racial justice
issues.
20.3 21.5 21.4 21.4 16.7 18.3 0.0 19.2 16.7 0.0 26.1 18.7 -
I have received inquiries from
external stakeholders related to
critical race theory.
21.8 16.4 10.7 21.7 16.7 15.3 11.1 15.4 0.0 0.0 21.7 17.6 -
I feel equipped to lead the institution
in addressing racial justice issues.
54.0 41.7 57.1 45.2 50.0 61.8 77.8 53.8 100.0 100.0 56.5 46.8 -
I am continuously looking for
guidance from peers or others who
are addressing racial injustice on
campus.
49.8 47.0 46.4 53.8 50.0 25.2 44.4 42.3 83.3 50.0 39.1 46.0 -
FLOURISHING SCALE: AGGREGATE SCORE
Mean 51.1 51.1 51.8 50.9 51.8 51.9 50.3 51.2 50.0 54.0 51.5 51.1 -
Median 52.0 52.0 53.0 52.0 52.0 53.0 50.0 51.0 52.0 54.0 52.0 52.0 -
Minimum 21.0 25.0 43.0 21.0 48.0 34.0 44.0 44.0 35.0 53.0 38.0 21.0 -
Maximum 56.0 56.0 56.0 56.0 56.0 56.0 54.0 56.0 56.0 55.0 56.0 56.0 -
Note
s
: Data are unweighted. | These data represent aggregate scores of the Flourishing Scale, a validated instrument used to measure well-being. The scores can range from
21 to 56.
FLOURISHING SCALE: I LEAD A PURPOSEFUL AND MEANINGFUL LIFE.
Strongly agree 65.3 60.1 58.9 64.2 100.0 63.4 33.3 46.2 50.0 100.0 78.3 63.0 -
Agree 30.2 34.0 35.7 30.7 0.0 33.6 66.7 46.2 33.3 0.0 17.4 32.2 -
Slightly agree 3.3 3.5 5.4 3.3 0.0 2.3 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.3 -
Neither agree nor disagree 0.3 0.8 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 4.3 0.4 -
Slightly disagree 0.5 1.1 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 -
Disagree 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 -
Strongly disagree 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 87
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
FLOURISHING SCALE: MY SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE SUPPORTIVE AND REWARDING.
Strongly agree 36.8 34.2 42.9 33.7 66.7 43.5 22.2 34.6 66.7 100.0 34.8 37.0 -
Agree 40.7 45.3 39.3 42.5 33.3 41.2 66.7 50.0 16.7 0.0 52.2 42.4 -
Slightly agree 13.8 11.3 14.3 13.4 0.0 11.5 11.1 15.4 0.0 0.0 4.3 11.9 -
Neither agree nor disagree 3.7 3.5 1.8 4.3 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 4.3 3.3 -
Slightly disagree 3.3 3.5 1.8 4.0 0.0 2.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.7 -
Disagree 1.5 1.3 0.0 1.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 -
Strongly disagree 0.2 0.8 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 0.4 -
FLOURISHING SCALE: I AM ENGAGED AND INTERESTED IN MY DAILY ACTIVITIES.
Strongly agree 53.2 52.7 50.0 55.5 50.0 43.8 22.2 57.7 66.7 100.0 47.8 52.6 -
Agree 39.2 38.6 42.9 37.1 50.0 45.4 66.7 34.6 16.7 0.0 43.5 38.9 -
Slightly agree 6.2 5.9 7.1 5.4 0.0 9.2 11.1 3.8 16.7 0.0 4.3 6.5 -
Neither agree nor disagree 0.8 1.4 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.8 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 4.3 1.1 -
Slightly disagree 0.2 1.4 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 -
Disagree 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 -
Strongly disagree 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -
FLOURISHING SCALE: I ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE HAPPINESS AND WELL-BEING OF OTHERS.
Strongly agree 44.2 47.2 46.4 45.3 33.3 51.1 44.4 34.6 33.3 50.0 34.8 45.8 -
Agree 48.5 46.4 50.0 47.7 50.0 42.0 44.4 61.5 33.3 50.0 60.9 47.1 -
Slightly agree 5.2 4.6 3.6 4.9 16.7 4.6 11.1 3.8 16.7 0.0 4.3 5.2 -
Neither agree nor disagree 1.3 1.6 0.0 1.4 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 1.4 -
Slightly disagree 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 -
Disagree 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -
Strongly disagree 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -
FLOURISHING SCALE: I AM COMPETENT AND CAPABLE IN THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME.
Strongly agree 55.2 55.0 55.4 53.3 66.7 64.6 44.4 61.5 50.0 50.0 60.9 54.3 -
Agree 40.5 43.4 41.1 43.0 33.3 33.8 44.4 38.5 50.0 50.0 39.1 41.9 -
Slightly agree 3.5 0.8 3.6 2.7 0.0 1.5 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.9 -
Neither agree nor disagree 0.7 0.5 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 -
Slightly disagree 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 -
Disagree 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -
Strongly disagree 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -
FLOURISHING SCALE: I AM A GOOD PERSON AND LIVE A GOOD LIFE.
Strongly agree 58.0 62.0 73.2 56.3 66.7 68.7 55.6 53.8 66.7 50.0 82.6 59.8 -
Agree 37.3 35.3 25.0 39.2 33.3 29.0 44.4 46.2 16.7 50.0 17.4 36.1 -
Slightly agree 2.5 1.9 1.8 2.4 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 2.1 -
Neither agree nor disagree 1.7 0.5 0.0 1.4 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 -
Slightly disagree 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 -
Disagree 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 -
Strongly disagree 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -
88 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
FLOURISHING SCALE: I AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT MY FUTURE.
Strongly agree 53.8 53.6 66.1 51.9 33.3 64.6 33.3 42.3 50.0 100.0 56.5 53.1 -
Agree 36.3 36.4 28.6 37.9 50.0 30.8 66.7 42.3 33.3 0.0 21.7 37.1 -
Slightly agree 6.4 7.3 0.0 7.4 0.0 2.3 0.0 15.4 0.0 0.0 13.0 6.5 -
Neither agree nor disagree 2.2 1.6 3.6 1.6 16.7 1.5 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 4.3 2.0 -
Slightly disagree 1.2 0.8 1.8 1.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 1.1 -
Disagree 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 -
Strongly disagree 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -
FLOURISHING SCALE: PEOPLE RESPECT ME.
Strongly agree 42.7 42.3 51.8 39.2 50.0 54.2 33.3 50.0 50.0 50.0 52.2 42.5 -
Agree 50.5 51.8 39.3 54.2 33.3 42.7 55.6 46.2 33.3 50.0 47.8 51.3 -
Slightly agree 4.2 4.3 7.1 4.1 0.0 3.1 11.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 -
Neither agree nor disagree 2.3 1.1 1.8 2.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.8 -
Slightly disagree 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 0.4 -
Disagree 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -
Strongly disagree 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -
PLEASE INDICATE YOUR LEVEL OF AGREEMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS.
I have a support system with whom I share my feelings and stressors.
Agree 48.4 57.8 52.7 49.5 66.7 61.5 66.7 53.8 33.3 100.0 56.5 53.2 -
Somewhat agree 38.9 33.0 36.4 38.9 16.7 27.7 33.3 46.2 16.7 0.0 34.8 36.0 -
Somewhat disagree 9.7 8.6 9.1 9.6 16.7 10.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 0.0 4.3 8.6 -
Disagree 3.0 0.5 1.8 2.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 4.3 2.2 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
I use strategies that help me reenergize (e.g., exercise, meditation, yoga, nutrition).
Agree 51.9 53.2 38.2 53.9 33.3 55.4 55.6 50.0 33.3 50.0 43.5 53.1 -
Somewhat agree 32.6 36.8 54.5 32.8 66.7 30.0 44.4 34.6 50.0 50.0 34.8 34.2 -
Somewhat disagree 11.2 8.1 7.3 9.8 0.0 11.5 0.0 15.4 0.0 0.0 17.4 9.7 -
Disagree 4.3 1.9 0.0 3.4 0.0 3.1 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 4.3 3.1 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
I struggle to nd people who understand the experience of being a president/CEO.
Agree 28.5 26.2 27.3 28.5 16.7 23.8 11.1 23.1 33.3 0.0 26.1 28.5 -
Somewhat agree 38.4 42.7 47.3 41.4 50.0 31.5 55.6 42.3 50.0 0.0 26.1 39.6 -
Somewhat disagree 17.9 19.2 14.5 18.0 16.7 18.5 22.2 26.9
0.0 100.0 26.1 18.2 -
Disagree 15.2 11.9 10.9 12.1 16.7 26.2 11.1 7.7 16.7 0.0 21.7 13.7 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 89
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
WHICH OPTION MOST CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH YOUR CAREER PATHWAY?
Faculty/academic 52.4 59.7 53.6 56.1 66.7 48.9 33.3 73.1 50.0 50.0 47.8 53.8 -
Career administrative leader
(Student affairs, auxiliary services,
nance, etc.)
27.9 26.9 33.9 26.5 16.7 35.1 11.1 19.2 33.3 50.0 21.7 27.9 -
Public sector/government 4.7 2.4 1.8 3.7 0.0 4.6 22.2 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.7 -
Business executive 4.0 3.5 3.6 3.7 0.0 2.3 11.1 3.8 16.7 0.0 8.7 4.0 -
Nonprot executive 4.0 3.0 3.6 3.7 0.0 3.1 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.7 4.2 -
Not listed 7.0 4.6 3.6 6.3 16.7 6.1 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.0 6.3 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
AT WHAT AGE DID YOU FIRST ASPIRE TO SERVE IN A PRESIDENT/CEO ROLE AT A COLLEGE CAMPUS OR SYSTEM?
Mean 43.6 46.9 43.3 45.4 43.0 41.4 44.6 48.4 48.2 36.5 47.3 44.9 -
Median 45.0 48.0 45.0 46.0 44.0 40.0 48.0 52.0 47.5 36.5 49.0 45.0 -
Minimum 7.0 21.0 25.0 7.0 25.0 15.0 24.0 30.0 25.0 30.0 27.0 7.0 -
Maximum 71.0 99.0 63.0 73.0 55.0 99.0 53.0 62.0 70.0 43.0 59.0 99.0 -
Note: Data are unweighted.
AT WHAT AGE DID YOU FIRST APPLY TO SERVE IN A PRESIDENT/CEO ROLE AT A COLLEGE CAMPUS OR SYSTEM?
Mean 49.0 51.3 49.6 50.0 50.3 48.8 45.4 52.2 48.8 43.5 50.5 49.8 -
Median 49.0 51.0 48.5 50.0 49.5 49.0 48.5 53.0 48.5 43.5 50.5 50.0 -
Minimum 26.0 29.0 36.0 26.0 42.0 33.0 28.0 41.0 26.0 43.0 34.0 26.0 -
Maximum 71.0 73.0 65.0 73.0 60.0 67.0 56.0 63.0 70.0 44.0 62.0 73.0 -
Note: Data are unweighted.
AT WHAT AGE WERE YOU FIRST APPOINTED TO SERVE IN A PRESIDENT/CEO ROLE AT A COLLEGE CAMPUS OR SYSTEM?
*
Mean 51.0 52.8 50.4 51.9 51.5 50.7 46.4 53.8 51.2 43.5 51.9 51.7 -
Median 51.0 53.0 50.0 52.0 51.5 50.0 50.0 54.0 53.0 43.5 52.0 52.0 -
Minimum 26.0 29.0 37.0 26.0 45.0 33.0 29.0 41.0 28.0 43.0 34.0 26.0 -
Maximum 71.0 75.0 65.0 75.0 60.0 70.0 56.0 66.0 71.0 44.0 63.0 75.0 -
Note: Data are unweighted.
WHERE DID YOU HOLD YOUR IMMEDIATE PAST POSITION TO YOUR CURRENT PRESIDENCY/CEO POST?
Current institution 25.5 32.6 38.2 29.6 33.3 19.2 66.7 11.5 0.0 50.0 30.4 30.0 26.0
Another higher education institution
or system
65.4 61.5 56.4 62.8 50.0 73.1 22.2 80.8 83.3 50.0 52.2 61.0 74.0
Another employer other than a higher
education institution or system
*
9.0 5.9 5.5 7.5 16.7 7.7 11.1 7.7 16.7 0.0 17.4 9.0 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Notes: This question changed to select all that apply for the 2022 survey. | Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
90 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
PRIOR TO YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT AS A PRESIDENT/CEO, HOW MANY PRESIDENTIAL SEARCHES WERE YOU A PART OF
AS A CANDIDATE AND IN WHAT CAPACITY?
Total number of searches
†
None 34.1 42.7 35.2 37.6 16.7 36.1 100.0 25.0 33.3 0.0 47.8 40.3 -
1 16.0 18.4 25.9 16.5 16.7 18.9 0.0 8.3 16.7 50.0 8.7 16.6 -
2 10.3 10.1 9.3 9.5 16.7 10.7 0.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 21.7 9.7 -
3 11.0 9.2 9.3 10.2 16.7 12.3 0.0 12.5 33.3 0.0 4.3 9.9 -
4 to 5 12.0 10.3 11.1 10.7 16.7 12.3 0.0 25.0 0.0 50.0 13.0 10.7 -
6 to 7 5.5 2.5 1.9 4.7 0.0 1.6 0.0 12.5 16.7 0.0 4.3 4.2 -
Greater than 7 11.1 6.7 7.4 10.8 16.7 8.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.7 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Mean
*
2.9 2.6 2.7 2.8 4.2 2.7 1.0 3.3 3.6 4.0 2.2 3.7 -
Median
*
2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 3.0 4.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Data are unweighted
†
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
Searches in which you were a seminalist
None 36.2 41.5 35.4 39.0 0.0 35.9 100.0 21.7 20.0 0.0 45.5 41.2 57.9
1 21.6 23.9 29.2 22.2 20.0 25.6 0.0 8.7 20.0 50.0 18.2 21.6 15.5
2 13.6 13.9 10.4 13.1 40.0 13.7 0.0 21.6 0.0 0.0 18.2 13.0 9.5
3 10.1 8.2 14.6 7.8 20.0 13.7 0.0 21.7 40.0 0.0 9.1 9.2 6.3
4 to 5 11.4 6.1 4.2 10.5 0.0 5.1 0.0 17.4 0.0 50.0 9.1 8.6 6.1
6 to 7 2.5 3.9 2.1 3.4 0.0 1.7 0.0 4.3 20.0 0.0 0.0 2.7 1.7
Greater than 7 4.5 2.4 4.2 3.9 20.0 4.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.7 2.9
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Mean
*
2.9 2.6 2.7 2.8 4.2 2.7 1.0 3.3 3.6 4.0 2.2 2.8 1.2
Median
*
2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 3.0 4.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 0.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Data are unweighted
Searches in which you were a nalist
None 38.3 47.3 39.6 41.9 0.0 41.9 100.0 30.4 20.0 0.0 45.5 43.7 50.1
1 28.9 27.3 31.3 27.3 60.0 29.9 0.0 30.4 40.0 50.0 31.8 27.9 20.6
2 15.5 12.1 18.8 13.9 40.0 14.5 0.0 21.7 0.0 0.0 9.1 13.2 14.2
3 10.5 4.5 4.2 9.2 0.0 5.1 0.0 8.7 20.0 50.0 9.1 8.0 7.8
4 to 5 5.1 5.8 2.1 5.5 0.0 6.0 0.0 8.7 20.0 0.0 4.5 5.0 5.4
6 to 7 1.6 2.7 4.2 2.2 0.0 1.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 1.5
Greater than 7 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Mean
*
2.3 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.2 1.0 2.4 2.8 3.0 2.0 2.2 1.1
Median
*
2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 0.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Data are unweighted
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 91
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
BEFORE YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT AS A CAMPUS OR SYSTEM PRESIDENT/CEO, IN WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS DID YOU PARTICIPATE?
ACE Fellows Program 3.5 7.0 7.1 4.0 16.7 8.4 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 4.3 4.1 4.7
ACE Advancing the Presidency 5.8 7.0 3.6 5.8 16.7 9.2 0.0 15.4 0.0 0.0 4.3 5.4 5.4
ACE National Women’s Forum 0.0 8.6 8.9 2.4 16.7 3.8 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 8.7 2.8 2.7
ACE Spectrum Executive Leadership
Program
0.7 1.6 8.9 0.1 0.0 1.5 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 4.3 0.9 0.6
ACE Institute for New Chief
Academic Ofcers
1.7 4.3 1.8 3.0 0.0 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.2 2.6
AACC’s Future President Institute
(FPI)
4.8 7.5 7.1 5.3 16.7 9.2 0.0 3.8 0.0 50.0 4.3 5.1 6.3
AASCU’s Millennium Institute 2.5 4.0 8.9 0.9 0.0 9.9 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 8.7 2.8 2.5
Aspen Presidential Fellowship for
Community College Excellence
1.5 5.1 7.1 2.6 0.0 4.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.6 0.6
CIC’s Presidential Pathways
Programs (i.e., New Presidents
Program, Executive Leadership
Academy, Senior Leadership
Academy)
*
4.8 6.5 3.6 6.1 16.7 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.7 5.0 -
Hampton University’s Executive
Leadership Summit
*
0.7 1.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 5.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 -
Harvard’s Institute for Educational
Management (IEM)
11.0 12.1 8.9 11.3 0.0 13.0 0.0 26.9 16.7 0.0 8.7 10.0 18.0
Other ACE leadership program(s) 1.5 1.9 3.6 1.4 0.0 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 2.8
Other non-ACE leadership program(s) 17.5 25.8 17.9 19.5 16.7 27.5 22.2 26.9 0.0 0.0 26.1 18.8 34.1
None
*
50.0 36.3 39.3 47.4 16.7 29.0 55.6 50.0 83.3 50.0 47.8 41.0 -
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
HIGHEST DEGREE EARNED
Bachelor’s degree 0.3 0.8 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 -
Master’s degree (except MBA) 1.6 5.3 9.4 5.5 0.0 4.7 11.1 12.0 16.7 0.0 13.6 6.1 -
Master’s of business administration
(MBA)
6.4 0.8 0.0 1.2 0.0 0.0 11.1 4.0 16.7 0.0 4.5 1.4 -
Doctor of education (EdD) 19.8 29.5 24.5 22.5 16.7 28.3 44.3 28.0 16.7 50.0 18.2 23.4 -
Doctor of philosophy (PhD) 63.1 55.7 62.3 61.0 83.3 58.3 33.3 52.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 60.1 -
Doctor of medicine (MD) or similar 2.4 1.7 0.0 2.8 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.1 -
Doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -
Juris doctor (JD) 5.7 6.1 3.8 5.6 0.0 7.1 0.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 13.6 5.9 -
Other 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
92 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
MAJOR FIELD OF STUDY FOR HIGHEST DEGREE EARNED
Agriculture/natural resources 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1
Biological sciences 3.5 3.6 3.8 2.8 16.7 4.7 11.1 8.0 0.0 0.0 9.1 3.5 2.6
Business 5.5 4.7 1.9 5.6 16.7 3.1 11.1 8.0 16.7 0.0 4.5 5.3 6.7
Computer science 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3
Education or higher education 39.9 48.2 47.2 40.9 66.7 52.8 77.8 36.0 33.3 100.0 31.8 42.7 41.1
Engineering 4.5 0.3 0.0 2.7 0.0 2.4 0.0 16.0 33.3 0.0 0.0 2.8 3.0
Humanities/ne arts 11.1 11.7 11.3 12.6 0.0 7.9 0.0 4.0 16.7 0.0 4.5 11.6 11.3
Law 6.1 6.4 3.8 5.9 0.0 7.9 0.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 13.6 6.2 6.4
Mathematics 1.4 0.6 1.9 0.9 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 1.1 1.1
Health professions 0.7 1.9 1.9 1.3 0.0 0.8 0.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 2.6
Medicine 2.4 1.7 0.0 2.8 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.1 2.0
Physical/natural sciences 2.1 0.8 0.0 1.9 0.0 0.8 0.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.7 3.1
Religion/theology 4.5 1.1 3.8 3.4 0.0 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.1 3.2 4.6
Social sciences 17.7 18.1 22.6 18.2 0.0 16.5 0.0 16.0 0.0 0.0 22.7 17.8 14.2
Not provided
*
0.3 0.6 1.9 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only calculated on the 2022 instrument.
DOES YOUR BACKGROUND INCLUDE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE?
Born outside United States and its
territories (does not include U.S.
military bases)
†
- - - - - - - - - - - - 7.5
Postsecondary study outside the
United States
13.3 18.5 14.3 14.8 16.7 13.0 11.1 30.8 50.0 0.0 21.7 14.5 15.7
Obtained a postsecondary degree(s)
outside the United States
†
- - - - - - - - - - - - 6.3
Professional experience overseas
(outside the eld of higher education)
16.8 9.1 16.1 13.7 16.7 12.2 11.1 15.4 83.3 0.0 13.0 13.2 21.2
Employment at a higher education
institution outside the United States
7.0 5.9 7.1 6.3 16.7 6.9 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 13.0 5.9 7.2
International research or teaching
grant or fellowship (e.g., Fulbright)
10.5 6.5 10.7 9.5 16.7 6.1 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 13.0 7.9 12.2
Deployed overseas as U.S. personnel
(military or civilian)
*
7.8 1.9 7.1 5.7 0.0 5.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.7 5.3 -
None 52.5 54.6 50.0 53.8 33.3 56.5 66.7 34.6 16.7 100.0 39.1 47.1 55.4
Other
*
6.2 7.0 7.1 6.4 16.7 5.3 11.1 7.7 0.0 0.0 13.0 5.9 -
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
†
Only included in the 2016 instrument.
WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE STEPPING DOWN FROM YOUR CURRENT POSITION, RELATIVE TO THE CURRENT ACADEMIC
YEAR?
Within the next year or two 24.2 27.0 28.6 26.6 33.3 19.8 11.1 15.4 0.0 50.0 17.4 25.0 21.8
3–5 years from now 28.7 30.7 26.8 29.7 16.7 26.7 55.6 38.5 16.7 0.0 43.5 30.1 32.1
6–9 years from now 16.2 16.2 14.3 17.1 16.7 17.6 11.1 0.0 16.7 0.0 13.0 16.1 23.9
10 or more years from now 13.9 7.3 10.7 10.6 16.7 14.5 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 17.4 11.2 12.0
Don’t know 13.9 15.6 17.9 13.3 16.7 16.8 22.2 23.1 33.3 50.0 8.7 14.3 10.2
Prefer not to answer
*
3.2 3.2 1.8 2.7 0.0 4.6 0.0 11.5 33.3 0.0 0.0 3.3 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 93
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECTED THE TIMING OF WHEN YOU PLAN TO STEP DOWN FROM YOUR CURRENT
PRESIDENCY/CEO POST?
Yes, I am planning to stay longer
than previously anticipated
9.5 6.8 1.8 8.5 33.3 7.0 22.2 15.4 16.7 0.0 13.0 8.9 -
Yes, I am transitioning out earlier
than previously anticipated
8.8 10.6 16.1 9.4 0.0 8.6 22.2 11.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.3 -
No, I am still planning to transition at
the previously anticipated time
54.2 56.8 57.1 55.8 33.3 52.3 44.4 57.7 0.0 100.0 69.6 54.6 -
I do not have a plan for transitioning
out
27.5 25.8 25.0 26.3 33.3 32.0 11.1 15.4 83.3 0.0 17.4 27.1 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
PLEASE INDICATE IF YOUR INSTITUTION HAS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IN PLACE.
Detailed list of presidential
responsibilities
59.8 49.2 51.8 56.7 33.3 56.5 44.4 42.3 33.3 100.0 69.6 51.4 -
Temporary succession plan 25.0 19.6 12.5 25.5 33.3 17.6 22.2 15.4 0.0 0.0 21.7 21.5 -
Plans for increased efforts related
to diversity, equity, and inclusion for
current students, faculty, and staff
69.0 72.0 75.0 73.8 66.7 56.5 0.0 73.1 66.7 50.0 56.5 61.8 -
Plans for increased efforts related
to diversity, equity, and inclusion for
prospective students, faculty, and
staff
53.8 52.4 58.9 54.0 66.7 45.0 11.1 80.8 66.7 0.0 56.5 47.0 -
Plans/policies for a temporary
succession plan
14.5 14.8 17.9 15.0 16.7 9.9 44.4 11.5 0.0 50.0 13.0 14.3 -
Plans/policies for presidential
searches
33.3 35.8 42.9 36.2 16.7 26.7 11.1 30.8 16.7 100.0 21.7 30.2 -
ARE YOU PREPARING A SUCCESSOR FOR YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
Yes 29.3 30.5 26.8 30.4 66.7 24.4 55.6 34.6 16.7 0.0 26.1 30.0 -
No 61.0 55.5 58.9 59.9 16.7 59.5 44.4 34.6 66.7 100.0 65.2 58.9 -
Not applicable 9.7 14.0 14.3 9.7 16.7 16.0 0.0 30.8 16.7 0.0 8.7 11.1 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
IS YOUR SUCCESSOR:
At your current institution 79.1 83.9 93.3 78.0 100.0 93.8 100.0 77.8 0.0 0.0 83.3 81.5 -
At another higher education
institution
13.9 11.6 6.7 14.8 0.0 6.3 0.0 22.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.5 -
Outside of higher education 0.6 0.9 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 -
Other 6.4 3.6 0.0 6.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.7 5.5 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
94 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
WHAT NEXT STEPS ARE YOU CONSIDERING AFTER YOU LEAVE YOUR CURRENT POSITION?
Retire and hold no other position 38.2 36.3 35.7 41.6 16.7 17.6 33.3 38.5 33.3 0.0 39.1 33.1 37.4
Move to another presidency 28.0 23.9 32.1 23.9 33.3 38.9 0.0 26.9 33.3 50.0 21.7 24.1 24.4
Move to a senior position (non-
president)
6.0 8.1 14.3 7.3 0.0 1.5 11.1 3.8 16.7 0.0 8.7 6.4 4.7
Become a CEO of a higher education
eld
8.2 10.8 10.7 9.0 16.7 10.7 0.0 3.8 33.3 0.0 13.0 8.5 6.9
Become an honoric chancellor at
current institution
6.8 6.2 5.4 6.3 0.0 9.2 0.0 3.8 16.7 0.0 13.0 6.1 5.6
Move to the faculty at this or another
institution
15.5 11.3 17.9 13.7 0.0 13.7 22.2 7.7 16.7 0.0 21.7 13.0 17.5
Become employed outside of higher
education—nonprot, philanthropic
16.2 17.7 21.4 15.8 0.0 20.6 11.1 11.5 33.3 0.0 30.4 15.8 19.0
Become employed outside of higher
education—corporation, for prot
8.8 9.9 8.9 8.5 0.0 9.2 33.3 3.8 50.0 50.0 17.4 8.6 7.7
Become a consultant for a search
rm
17.5 19.1 25.0 16.5 50.0 21.4 11.1 23.1 33.3 50.0 8.7 16.3 11.8
Become a consultant—other 22.7 29.3 17.9 25.5 0.0 24.4 55.6 30.8 16.7 100.0 30.4 23.6 24.8
Unsure 10.7 15.1 8.9 11.7 16.7 13.7 11.1 15.4 16.7 0.0 17.4 10.9 14.2
Other 4.0 5.1 3.6 5.0 0.0 1.5 11.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 8.7 4.4 7.2
WHAT IS YOUR GENDER IDENTITY?
Man - - 48.2 63.6 66.7 60.3 44.4 42.3 100.0 50.0 56.5 60.9 69.8
Woman - - 51.8 36.4 33.3 39.7 55.6 57.7 0.0 50.0 43.5 39.0 30.1
Nonbinary
*
- - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Other - - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1
Total - - 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Notes: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding. | Totals for men and women are based on survey respondents and not the web scrape (see the methodology in
chapter one for more information).
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
WHAT IS YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATION?
Heterosexual or straight 90.1 89.7 85.7 90.1 100.0 89.3 100.0 92.3 100.0 100.0 95.7 89.7 95.5
Gay or lesbian 5.9 5.1 8.9 5.7 0.0 6.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.7 3.3
Bisexual 0.3 1.6 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.5
Prefer not to answer
*
3.7 3.2 5.4 3.0 0.0 3.1 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 4.3 3.4 -
Other 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.7
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
CURRENT AGE AS OF SURVEY CLOSE
31–40 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.5
41–50 11.0 10.2 16.3 8.4 25.0 18.6 25.0 9.5 20.0 100.0 11.1 11.6 8.2
51–60 37.9 41.2 44.2 37.9 0.0 43.1 25.0 38.1 20.0 0.0 50.0 38.4 33.1
61–70 41.3 39.5 25.6 44.7 50.0 25.5 50.0 42.9 40.0 0.0 38.9 40.3 47.3
71 or older 8.7 9.2 14.0 8.2 25.0 11.8 0.0 9.5 20.0 0.0 0.0 9.0 11.0
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Mean
*
59.8 60.3 59.0 60.5 61.3 57.7 57.1 61.4 60.8 45.0 58.3 60.0 61.7
Median
*
60.5 60.0 58.0 61.0 62.0 56.0 58.0 61.0 65.0 45.0 57.5 60.0 62.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Data are unweighted.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 95
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
WHAT IS YOUR CITIZENSHIP STATUS?
U.S. citizen (by birth) 89.7 92.5 73.2 95.7 33.3 88.5 88.9 26.9 33.3 100.0 100.0 90.7 -
U.S. citizen (naturalized) 8.7 6.2 25.0 3.3 66.7 9.2 0.0 69.2 66.7 0.0 0.0 7.6 -
U.S. permanent resident 0.7 0.8 1.8 0.4 0.0 1.5 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 -
U.S. visa holder 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 -
Prefer not to answer 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 -
Other 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHAT IS YOUR RACE AND ETHNICITY?
Hispanic or Latino 4.5 7.9 - - - - - - - - - 5.7 3.9
Caucasian, White, or White American 74.8 69.1 - - - - - - - - - 72.1 83.2
Middle Eastern or Arab American 0.7 0.5 - - - - - - - - - 0.7 0.6
Black or African American 13.3 14.1 - - - - - - - - - 13.2 7.9
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7 1.4 - - - - - - - - - 1.5 0.7
Asian or Asian American 1.9 4.1 - - - - - - - - - 2.8 2.3
Asian Indian
*
1.0 0.0 - - - - - - - - - 0.6 -
Native Hawaiian or Pacic Islander
*
0.2 0.3 - - - - - - - - - 0.2 -
Multiracial (excluding Hispanic or
Latino)
2.2 2.7 - - - - - - - - - 2.8 1.4
Not listed
*
0.8 0.0 - - - - - - - - - 0.5 -
Total 100.0 100.0 - - - - - - - - - 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
PLEASE SELECT YOUR RELIGIOUS PRACTICE OR AFFILIATION.
Atheist
*
3.7 2.5 3.6 3.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.7 0.0 50.0 9.5 3.3 -
Agnostic
*
4.7 6.3 7.3 6.2 0.0 0.8 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.2 -
Buddhist 0.2 2.5 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 9.5 1.2 0.7
Christian (Protestant) 48.9 38.4 21.8 42.4 0.0 74.6 25.0 34.6 33.3 0.0 38.1 43.9 48.1
Christian (Roman Catholic) 21.0 24.0 43.6 23.5 33.3 8.5 12.5 11.5 16.7 50.0 23.8 21.3 26.8
Church of Latter-day Saints
†
1.7 0.5 1.8 1.2 0.0 0.0 12.5 3.8 0.0 0.0 4.8 1.3 1.1
Hindu
*
0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.8 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 -
Jewish 4.6 3.0 1.8 5.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 4.7
Muslim 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3
Sikh
*
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -
None 4.9 9.3 1.8 7.3 33.3 3.8 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 4.8 6.4 13.7
Prefer not to answer
*
6.6 9.3 12.7 6.6 16.7 7.7 25.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 9.5 8.4 -
Other 2.9 4.4 5.5 3.3 16.7 3.8 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 4.6
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
†
Listed as ‘Mormon’ in the 2016 instrument.
96 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
WHAT IS YOUR MARITAL STATUS?
Never married
(member of religious order)
1.8 1.1 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 2.4
Never married 3.0 3.6 5.5 2.0 0.0 10.8 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.1 3.4
Married 87.1 74.9 70.9 84.1 100.0 76.2 66.7 84.6 100.0 100.0 81.8 81.9 85.2
Domestic partner 2.2 1.9 9.1 1.9 0.0 0.8 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.2 1.2
Separated 1.2 0.8 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.8 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 9.1 1.1 0.2
Divorced 4.0 11.5 10.9 6.6 0.0 7.7 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 7.1 6.0
Widower/widow 0.7 6.3 3.6 2.6 0.0 3.8 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 4.5 3.1 1.6
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
PLEASE DESCRIBE THE EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF YOUR SPOUSE OR PARTNER.
Employed full time 27.7 31.7 41.1 26.5 50.0 38.9 11.1 30.8 16.7 50.0 34.8 27.1 -
Employed part time 14.8 5.6 7.1 13.2 0.0 3.8 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 8.7 10.4 -
Unemployed 7.7 3.2 1.8 6.8 0.0 3.1 0.0 15.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.8 -
Student 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 -
Retired 18.0 28.0 8.9 23.5 33.3 19.1 33.3 23.1 0.0 50.0 17.4 19.2 -
Homemaker 18.0 0.8 10.7 12.0 16.7 7.6 0.0 7.7 33.3 50.0 17.4 9.8 -
Self-employed 7.3 10.5 14.3 7.8 0.0 7.6 33.3 0.0 50.0 50.0 8.7 8.0 -
Unable to work 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.3 16.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 -
Other 1.8 1.1 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 -
IN WHAT WAY(S) IS YOUR SPOUSE OR PARTNER AFFILIATED WITH THE INSTITUTION WHERE YOU SERVE AS PRESIDENT/CEO?
Compensated by your institution/
system
3.5 0.8 3.6 3.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.2 3.8
Employed at your institution/system 6.8 5.1 7.1 6.7 0.0 4.6 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.5 7.2
Unpaid participant in campus/
system
58.0 36.8 33.9 53.8 16.7 38.9 11.1 46.2 83.3 0.0 52.2 42.6 51.5
Employed outside of your institution/
system
†
- - - - - - - - - - - - 33.6
Not applicable 17.7 28.8 30.4 19.1 83.3 26.7 55.6 26.9 16.7 100.0 17.4 21.6 12.4
Other
*
1.8 2.4 3.6 1.9 0.0 2.3 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 4.3 2.1 -
Note: The phrasing of this question changed slightly from 2016 to 2022.
*
Only included in the 2022 instrument.
†
Only included in the 2016 instrument.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CHILDREN LIVING AT HOME WITH YOU, OR WHO YOU HAVE REGULAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR?
Yes 32.6 23.5 30.4 25.5 16.7 39.7 66.7 30.8 50.0 100.0 40.9 30.2 -
No 67.4 76.5 69.6 74.5 83.3 60.3 33.3 69.2 50.0 0.0 59.1 69.8 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 97
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
HOW MANY CHILDREN UNDER 18 DO YOU HAVE REGULAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR?
0 24.5 35.4 31.3 30.6 0.0 22.4 20.0 12.5 0.0 50.0 11.1 28.6 -
1 37.0 36.7 37.5 37.0 100.0 36.7 20.0 37.5 33.3 50.0 33.3 34.6 -
2 27.6 26.6 31.3 23.1 0.0 34.7 40.0 50.0 66.7 0.0 33.3 28.2 -
3 6.3 0.0 0.0 5.8 0.0 4.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.4 -
4 3.1 1.3 0.0 2.9 0.0 2.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.2 -
5 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.1 0.7 -
6 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.1 0.3 -
WHO IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING CHILDREN IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD IN A NORMAL WEEK?
I am a single parent. 0.8 1.3 1.8 0.6 0.0 3.1 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 -
I share responsibility of childcare
with a partner.
21.8 12.9 19.6 16.4 16.7 20.6 33.3 26.9 50.0 100.0 30.4 16.8 -
I co-parent with an ex-partner. 1.7 1.9 1.8 1.1 0.0 3.8 11.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 4.3 1.7 -
I share the responsibility of childcare
with a relative.
0.2 0.5 1.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 -
I share the responsibility of childcare
with a paid caregiver (e.g., nanny,
babysitter).
0.7 0.3 1.8 0.0 0.0 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 -
My child/children attend day care
or after-school care outside of the
home.
1.2 0.5 0.0 0.7 0.0 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 -
Other 2.5 1.6 0.0 2.1 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.9 -
ARE YOU A CARETAKER FOR AN AGING PARENT/LOVED ONE?
Yes 10.1 17.9 12.5 11.8 0.0 20.6 33.3 0.0 0.0 50.0 9.1 12.9 -
No 89.9 82.1 87.5 88.2 100.0 79.4 66.7 100.0 100.0 50.0 90.9 87.1 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
WHO PROVIDES A MAJORITY OF THE AGING PARENT/LOVED ONE CARE IN A NORMAL WEEK?
I provide the majority of care. 12.1 26.2 14.3 17.7 0.0 18.5 66.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 21.3 -
My spouse provides the majority of
care.
39.7 12.3 42.9 30.4 0.0 7.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 24.2 -
Another family member provides the
majority of care.
15.5 26.2 0.0 22.8 0.0 29.6 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 22.2 -
Paid caregiver(s) (outside of the
family) provide the majority of care.
27.6 24.6 28.6 24.1 0.0 29.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.6 -
Other 5.2 10.8 14.3 5.1 0.0 14.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 7.7 -
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -
Note: Totals may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
98 THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PRESIDENT: 2023 EDITION
Men
Women
Hispanic or
Latino
White
Middle Eastern
or Arab
American
Black or African
American
American Indian
or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian
American
Asian Indian
Native Hawaiian
or Pacic
Islander
Multiracial
2022 Total
2016 Total
HAVE YOU ALTERED YOUR CAREER, AT ANY POINT, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS?
Care of minor dependent(s)
Left my position 1.5 5.4 7.1 2.1 16.7 3.8 11.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 8.7 2.9 -
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
2.5 12.6 5.4 6.7 0.0 4.6 0.0 7.7 0.0 0.0 21.7 5.9 -
Postponed job search/promotion 10.8 22.0 17.9 15.1 0.0 12.2 0.0 26.9 16.7 50.0 17.4 13.5 -
Other 0.8 1.3 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 -
I have not altered my career for
this reason
75.7 58.6 67.9 68.8 83.3 72.5 88.9 57.7 83.3 50.0 69.6 62.6 -
Care of adult dependent(s)
Left my position 1.5 1.1 5.4 1.1 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 -
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
0.8 4.0 0.0 2.4 0.0 0.8 11.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.8 -
Postponed job search/promotion 3.7 6.5 3.6 4.6 0.0 7.6 0.0 3.8 16.7 0.0 0.0 4.2 -
Other 0.8 2.7 0.0 1.6 0.0 0.8 0.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 8.7 1.5 -
I have not altered my career for
this reason
84.5 76.9 83.9 81.8 100.0 78.6 88.9 84.6 83.3 100.0 78.3 73.7 -
Career of a spouse/partner
Left my position 1.8 4.8 1.8 2.7 0.0 3.1 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 8.7 2.6 -
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
1.7 3.0 0.0 2.1 0.0 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.7 1.9 -
Postponed job search/promotion 6.2 7.8 5.4 6.8 0.0 6.1 0.0 11.5 0.0 0.0 13.0 6.0 -
Other 1.5 3.8 0.0 2.6 0.0 1.5 0.0 3.8 16.7 0.0 4.3 2.3 -
I have not altered my career for
this reason
80.5 73.9 85.7 77.9 100.0 76.3 88.9 69.2 83.3 100.0 73.9 70.8 -
Career of another loved one
Left my position 0.5 1.1 1.8 0.4 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 0.6 -
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
0.7 1.6 1.8 1.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 -
Postponed job search/promotion 2.7 3.0 5.4 2.4 0.0 2.3 0.0 11.5 16.7 0.0 0.0 2.4 -
Other 0.3 0.8 1.8 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 -
I have not altered my career for
this reason
86.5 82.5 80.4 86.0 100.0 82.4 88.9 80.8 83.3 100.0 87.0 77.3 -
Personal health issue(s)
Left my position 0.8 0.5 1.8 0.6 16.7 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 -
Worked part time/reduced
schedule
1.3 3.0 3.6 1.9 0.0 2.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 1.9 -
Postponed job search/promotion 0.8 1.1 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 0.9 -
Other 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 11.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 -
I have not altered my career for
this reason
86.5 84.1 89.3 85.8 83.3 84.0 77.8 92.3 100.0 100.0 82.6 77.2 -
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION 99
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