Author Portfolio
Governance Reconsidered: How Boards, Presidents, Administrators, and Faculty Can Help Their Colleges Thrive
By Susan Resneck Pierce, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, May 2014. ISBN: 978-1-118-73849-8 As pressures mount in the academic world, more …
On Being Presidential: A Guide for College and University Leaders
By Susan Resneck Pierce, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, November 2011. ISBN 978-1-118-02776-9 Adequate training is hard to come by and …
Ellison’s Invisible Man (Approaches to Teaching World Literature)
By Susan Resneck Pierce (Parr), Modern Language Association of America; 1 edition (January 1, 1989). ISBN: 978-0873525060 …
The Moral of the Story: Literature, Values and American Education
By Susan Resneck Parr, Teachers College Pr (September 1982). ISBN: 978-0807727164 …
Why Mergers are (Quietly) Increasing Among Colleges and Universities: A Review of the Pros and Cons
"Why Mergers are (Quietly) Increasing Among Colleges and Universities: A Review of the Pros and Cons", by Susan Resneck Pierce, a chapter in "Consolidating Colleges and Merging—Universities New Strategies for Higher Education", James Martin and James E. Samels, Johns...
A New Partnership
Originally published: "A New Partnership," Inside Higher Ed, May 5, 2014 Although to my knowledge no one has tracked in a given year much less over time the number of faculty votes of no confidence in their presidents, readers of Inside Higher Ed will observe that...
Lessons from Virginia
Originally published: "Lessons from Virginia" Inside Higher Ed, June 18, 2012 Only University of Virginia Rector (a.k.a. board chair) Helen E. Dragas and Vice Rector Mark J. Kington and perhaps the four other members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors...
Setting an Agenda: How Presidents Succeed or Fail in Promoting Change
Originally published: "Setting an Agenda: How Presidents Succeed or Fail in Promoting Change," Inside Higher Ed, May 2, 2012 Most new college presidents today are confronted with what their institutions deem insufficient resources (although what seems insufficient at...
Presidents and Mission
Originally published: "Presidents and Mission," Inside Higher Ed , September 21, 2011 Several years ago, as I began the process of learning about a faith-based college in my role as the institution’s presidential search consultant, a member of the campus community...
Producing Academic Leaders
Originally published: "Producing Academic Leaders," Inside Higher Ed, January 26, 2011 There has recently been increasing attention in higher education circles to what some fear is a looming crisis for the college presidency: the large number of anticipated...
Advice for the New Administrator
Originally published: "Advice for the New Administrator," Inside Higher Ed, November 4, 2009 When I became an academic vice president and then a president, I was fortunate. A good friend and former president agreed to be my sounding board. In the beginning, I am...
What Search Consultants Do
Originally published: "What Search Consultants Do," Inside Higher Ed, August 5, 2009 Curious, a commenter on my IHE piece, “How Candidates Can Stand Out (in a Good Way),” wrote, “It is hard not to think that when search consultants are involved, the search process is...
How Candidates Can Stand Out (in a Good Way)
Originally published: "How Candidates Can Stand Out (in a Good Way)," Inside Higher Ed, May 13, 2009 Candidates in all searches, administrative and faculty alike, are inevitably confronted with variables that they cannot control, most notably the strength of their...
On Being Presidential
Originally published: "On Being Presidential," Inside Higher Ed, March 23, 2009 In several years as a search consultant, I have been struck by how quickly and easily presidential search committees agree on which semi-finalists they can envision as their next...
Boards and Presidents — After the Hire
Originally published: "Boards and Presidents -- After the Hire," Inside Higher Ed, March 6, 2009 The world of higher education is replete with stories of new presidents who have floundered in their first several years. (Fortunately, there are many more examples of...
Toward a Smooth Presidential Transition
Originally published: "Toward a Smooth Presidential Transition," Trusteeship (AGB), September-October 2003 Trusteeship, v11 n5 p13-17 Sep-Oct 2003 Discusses the role of the board of trustees and the incumbent president in managing the transition to a new college...