PERIL AND PROMISE

Who wants to be a college president today?

After the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the increasing suspicions about higher education in America, the assertions of student protest, and the oversight (or overreach) of politicians into university management—after all of this, who wants the job? Tatum thinks you should. The former president of Spelman College and Mount Holyoke, she is the author of a classic study of race relations on campus, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Her new book, part memoir, part manifesto, and part memorandum, makes the case for leadership in higher education as a matter of interactive listening and shared governance. Tatum offers a series of case studies of conflict resolution to come up with some ways of balancing free speech and personal respect, community participation and executive decision-making, and faculty academic freedom and scholarly standards. What is her answer? Listen to as many voices as you can. Never make a decision that comes as an absolute surprise. And don’t call the police. Tatum translates DEI into ABC: affirm the identity of all students; build a shared sense of community; nurture the leadership capacity of the students. This recipe may not work for everyone. The author acknowledges that leadership in any institution is not so much a matter of following a script as cultivating character. “Institutions must rely on the quality and character of leadership to think clearly, communicate effectively, and make hard decisions in a timely manner, providing calm and reassurance amid communal anxiety.” Tatum is someone with great judgment and sagacity, patience and persistence. It will be left to the next generation of college leaders to see if her example can translate into their own success.

An eloquent, personal case for college leadership based on building communal governance and institutional trust.