Universities Weblog

It's no secret that today's university president is more fund raiser than philosopher king, more businessman (or woman) than academician, more lobbyist than teacher. At the same time, presidents at some institutions operate under a public microscope, with their views often dissected by the many groups they represent. And if you're the president of Harvard, the spotlight shines brightly wherever you go, as we've seen recently in the news.

With that in mind, the Christian Science Monitor offers a brief look at the evolving role of university presidents. It's nothing new, of course, but worth considering in light of the Summers flap. Yet the Summers case is an extreme example—again, because of Harvard's influence, though also because of his existing baggage. Without question, people listen to what the president of Yale or Stanford or Michigan or Berkeley says, and outrageous or politically-charged statements will always get the media's attention. But most college presidents go about their duties garnering no interest beyond their campus borders.

Sometimes no publicity is good publicity.

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