To Whom Does a President Turn?

By Thomas C. Meredith
Trusteeship, May/June 2010

Does the board have a responsibility to stand up for the institution’s president in difficult times and to make sure the president is doing well personally?

It seems to be generally acknowledged that being a college or university president is one of the most difficult jobs around. While it can be extraordinarily gratifying, the job’s multiple—and growing—responsibilities require talents and relationship skills beyond most other leadership positions.

The pure volume of constituents with whom a president must deal can be overwhelming. They include alumni of all kinds and ages, foundation board members with a personal interest in the success of the institution, governing board  members who feel responsibility for the institution but who also may have personal agendas, administrative staff members who are looking for leadership and direction, faculty and staff who have dedicated their careers to the institution, and students who have a new interest in how their institution is run since tuition has risen so much. Throw in federal agencies, which give away money and demand attention and accountability, and you can see the task is huge.

Presidents on the public side have additional constituents who require attention and handholding. Local government officials and state legislators require year-round acknowledgement. The president’s senators and representatives in Washington expect regular visits. The larger the institution, the more likely the president will have to spend time with other “friends” of the university.

Besides constituents, presidents must deal with unprecedented budget cuts, academic issues, personnel problems, athletics, recruitment of faculty and students, building maintenance and construction, being on the public stage 24/7, and feeling guilty for not spending more time with their families.

So, in whom can presidents confide when they are faced with tough decisions? Who can they talk to when they have personal concerns or feel like the load is becoming unbearable? Who will lift them up when the inevitable criticism comes? Who keeps an eye on their personal health and can tell when they should get away for a few days? To whom can presidents turn to let their guard down and vent?

Since presidents are always supposed to be “up” and not let anyone see a chink in the armor, they must internalize many of their thoughts and emotions. Rare is the president who expresses significant fears and concerns to the administrative team.

If the president has a spouse, pillow talk goes a long way. However, there is some limit to the emotional load one should put on one’s partner, because of the toll this is likely to take on the spouse over time.

Yet it also is not realistic to expect a president to bear his or her soul to the full board.

In lieu of the full board serving as trusted confidants, a board may want to consider setting up a “presidential care committee.” The membership, probably no more than three people, should be comprised of individuals with whom the president has developed a close personal relationship. Or, following the corporate model, one person could serve in this role, much like that of a corporate board’s lead director. Whoever is chosen should meet regularly with the president, no less than every quarter, and be on call to meet as needed. The president should be able to candidly bring important personal concerns to this committee, and the committee can provide advice and share any developing concerns with the president. The meetings should be casual and informal, but such communication can solve many problems.

Trust is the major factor in making this relationship work. The president must feel the board member or members involved genuinely care, that the board is sincere in wanting to have a more open relationship, and that the conversations will remain confidential.

Any president worth hiring is worth making every effort to help be successful and feel supported and cared for. The loss of a good president, when it could have been prevented, is a loss for everyone.

Thomas C. Meredith has been chancellor or commissioner of higher-education boards in three states and is a former university president.