Clemson, Northwestern and other universities welcome new presidents

May brought several high-profile leadership changes for colleges across the higher ed sector — some expected or rumored, and some that came without warning.

The presidents of Michigan State and Purdue universities departed to take the top role at different colleges. At some other institutions, presidents exited against a backdrop of scandal, financial difficulties or infighting among leaders.

Below, we’re rounding up some of last month’s biggest leadership changes.

President: Leon Botstein Institution: Bard CollegeComing or going? Going

Leon Botstein, the longtime leader of Bard College, will step down as president at the end of the academic year. In a May 1 statement, Botstein framed the move as his decision to retire. But The Guardian reported that Bard’s board voted to oust Botstein following an independent investigation that found he had downplayed his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to Bard’s board and the campus community.

The New York liberal arts institution said in early May that it would announce an interim leader soon. It also plans to launch a national search for its next permanent president that incorporates “a wide range of stakeholder input,” it said at the time.

President: Susan BallabinaInstitution: Texas A&M UniversityComing or going? Coming

The Texas A&M University System’s board on May 6 selected Susan Ballabina as its flagship’s next president. Ballabina, whose first day was May 11, was previously the system’s executive vice chancellor. 

Texas A&M University’s last permanent leader, Mark Welsh, stepped down in September amid conservative opprobrium over the content of one of the institution’s classes. That month, a Republican state lawmaker called for a Texas A&M professor to be fired after sharing a video of her teaching about gender identity. Welsh quickly complied but didn’t weather the political storm, as the lawmaker then began calling for him to be fired as well.

Since then, Texas A&M has adopted a policy restricting instruction related to race, sexual orientation and gender. The public university system is also facing a lawsuit from the fired professor.

President: Adrien BenningsInstitution: Portland Community CollegeComing or going? Going

Portland Community College President Adrien Bennings and the college’s board entered into “a mutual separation agreement” on May 14, according to the board. Under the deal, Bennings will remain employed by the college and be on leave through June 30. PPC did not give a reason for the president’s departure in its announcement.

The board transferred all of Bennings’ powers and duties to the college’s executive vice president, Katy Ho, who became acting president the same day.

The leadership shakeup came about two months after unionized faculty and staff at Portland Community College went on strike for better wages and health insurance benefits.

The striking staff reached a deal with the college after two weeks. The faculty union reached its own deal with the college a week later. The strikes, announced in tandem, were the first at a community college in Oregon’s history.

President: Mung ChiangInstitution: Northwestern UniversityComing or going? Coming

Mung Chiang will be the next president of Northwestern University, the Illinois institution announced May 18. Chiang will step down as president of Purdue University, in Indiana, to take the job, which begins July 1.

Northwestern has been without a permanent leader since September, when Michael Schill left the role. Former Northwestern President Henry Bienen returned to the private university to serve as interim president, a position he will hold until Chiang assumes office next month.

Purdue’s board named former President Mitch Daniels as its interim leader on May 25. In a statement, Chiang endorsed Daniels as “exactly the right choice to lead Purdue during this transition.”

President: Kevin GuskiewiczInstitution: Clemson UniversityComing or going? Coming

Clemson University’s board on May 27 named Kevin Guskiewicz as its next president, the institution said. Clemson’s last permanent leader, James Clements, announced in December that he would resign that month, a little over a year after trustees approved his five-year contract extension.

Guskiewicz will depart Michigan State University, a little more than two years after taking the job. The news came a week after Michigan State’s board approved a nearly $1 million raise for Guskiewicz and extended his contract through 2031 amid rumors he was being courted by other universities. Instead of accepting, Guskiewicz opted to take a pay cut and move to Clemson for a base $1.2 million salary.

In a letter to the campus community, Guskiewicz spoke highly of his time at Michigan State but said there was “discouraging behavior by a few trustees.”

“At times, too much energy has been spent revisiting past conflicts and internal disagreements rather than focusing collectively on the opportunities and aspirations ahead of us,” he wrote.

Michigan State has struggled with leadership turnover since 2017, when university doctor Larry Nassar pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct following reports and complaints that he sexually abused hundreds of college athletes under the guise of medical treatment. Since then, the university has had six presidents — three permanent and three temporary.

In an interview with The Detroit News, John Engler, former Michigan governor and one of the university’s short-lived interim leaders, blasted three unnamed Michigan State trustees for what he described as their “stunning” efforts to undermine Guskiewicz’s leadership during his tenure. 

President: Jonathan AlgerInstitution: American UniversityComing or going? Going

Jonathan Alger will depart as American University’s president to take a fellowship role under the American Council on Education and the American Association of Colleges and Universities, the private nonprofit university said on May 27. 

ACE and AAC&U selected Alger as their inaugural America 250 Fellow, a position created “to advance the role of colleges and universities in strengthening democratic institutions, civic learning, and informed citizenship,” the organizations said in a news release. 

Alger will remain president at American until June 30. He will serve as a senior fellow for civic leadership at the Washington, D.C., university going forward.

American’s board selected David Marchick, dean of the university’s business school, to serve as interim president while it launches a national search for Alger’s permanent replacement.

Other leadership transitions and announcements this month