In the Classroom: "The College and University President"

Course Title: “The College and University Presidency”

Taught By: Professor of Practice Julie Wollman

Description: 
The presidency in higher education is an increasingly complex role that has broad impact on a wide range of constituents and also on how higher education is viewed outside of the academy. Yet the responsibilities of the role, the daily work of the president, and the leadership qualities necessary to be successful, are not well-understood, even by many who work in colleges and universities. A study of the presidency provides a window on all aspects of how colleges and universities are structured; how they function; how decisions are made and implemented; how stakeholders from faculty and students to local community members formally influence or attempt to influence those decisions; and the institutional impact of presidential leadership.

This course for master’s and doctoral students explores the role of the most senior campus leader, with attention to the various types of nonprofit colleges and universities in the U.S. We examine and demystify how presidents are selected, how they successfully navigate the nuances of their multi-faceted roles, their decision-making processes, the weighty challenges of their position, and how to work effectively with a president while serving in any campus role.

Says Wollman:
Honestly, this was not a course I sought to teach when I came to Penn GSE, but my senior colleagues encouraged me to develop this new course and I’m glad they did! Having had experience as a tenured full professor, a dean, a provost, and a president of two institutions, I was well-positioned to develop the course, which is grounded in research and theory but also enhanced by practical knowledge.

I have found it to be a really fun course to teach because it allows us to delve into and unpack all aspects of universities as organizations, is a window into understanding what’s happening in institutions at any given time, including all the pressures bearing on them internally and externally, and allows us to pull back the curtain on a generally not-well-understood but very important role. It serves as a broad look at higher education issues through the lens of the presidency. As well, the study of senior leadership has implications for leadership at all levels, which is very practical for students who work in or will soon work in higher education.  

Student reaction: 
“Dr. Wollman truly brought an extraordinary depth of real-world experience to the classroom,” said Natalie Kauffman, program coordinator for the McNulty Leadership Program at Wharton who is currently enrolled in the class. “The course was truly unique in how she blended the theory we were reading with her lived experience as a [former] college president. We didn’t just read about shared governance and search processes, but we discussed the human tension behind institutional decisions.”

“I was struck,” Kauffman continued, “by how emotionally demanding the president’s role has become. The reading and guest speakers have all emphasized empathy, listening, and integrity as core competencies for future leaders, while also underscoring how thin the margins for error are. This made me reflect on the sustainability of leadership and the importance of structures that actually support leaders in their roles.”