Editor’s Remarks
Dear Colleagues:
Dr. Miller and I are most pleased to share with you the fourth volume of the Journal of Research on the College President from the National Lab for the Study of the College President at the University of Arkansas. While this year has been a great challenge for everyone given the Covid Pandemic the Lab continues to work on a wide variety of issues about the contemporary college president.
Last year the Lab hosted Dr. Stephen Nelson on campus. Unfortunately this year, due to Covid, plans for a speaker on campus had to be cancelled. We did however publish a new book, Case Studies on College Leadership, released by New Forums Press. (https://newforums.com). These 15 case studies focus on the college president, and all of them have a real-life foundation based on actual events. This is a resource for graduate level courses on the college presidency, and will also be helpful to those studying and teaching leadership in general. This is our second Case Studies book with the first published in 2018 entitled Case Studies in Higher Education Fundraising.
This spring, we are also publishing the Handbook on College and University Leadership. This resource will contain 26 chapters from authors from throughout the US on different aspects of the college presidency. Chapters cover such topics as enhancing diversity, fundraising, developing an institutional niche, and working with student governments. The book will be published through IGI-Global publishers (www.igi-global.com).
In this issue of the Journal we offer several articles written by subject matter experts from around the country. These short, information-driven articles provide some good insights into some of the ‘blind spots’ college presidents might have, especially as they ascend into their positions.
Presidents and chancellors continue to face dire challenges on their campuses that require extraordinary leadership. In fact, this may be the most difficult period for our institutions in modern times. The Pandemic has caused a huge upheaval in normal operations not to mention severe financial crisis, faculty and staff layoffs and decline in enrollments that impact higher education and the entire nation. It now looks as though it may be next summer before the pandemic is under control and vaccines available to all. We want to offer sincere thanks and praise to faculty, staff, administrators and above all, students for their perseverance and amazing dedication to the academy.
We would also like to thank Dr. Daniel P. Nadler for his role as a Senior Research Fellow with the Lab this academic year. His assistance assembling the Journal this fall is greatly appreciated. With his assistance, we received 15 submissions, accepting and publishing 5 of them for a 33% acceptance rate.
Finally, I am most pleased and very happy to announce that Professor Miller has joined me as co-editor and co-director of the National Lab as I move closer to retirement.
From all of us at the National Lab, please accept our warmest wishes for the end of the semester and the holiday season!
Sincerely,
G. David Gearhart
Co-Editor, Journal of Research on the College President
Co-Director, National Lab for the Study of the College President
Chancellor Emeritus
Professor of Higher Education
Michael T. Miller
Co-Editor, Journal of Research on the College President
Co-Director, National Lab for the Study of the College President
Dean Emeritus
Professor of Higher Education