Washington, DC, Jan. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNCF today released a report examining presidential tenure at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), a critical topic in the shifting educational landscape.
The report, Stable Leadership: The Foundation of HBCU Success, from UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building (ICB), explores why presidential tenure at HBCUs is far more than a staff concern—it is central for institutional resilience, transformation and growth. The report concludes that if HBCUs are to sustain their mission, they must also sustain their leaders.
According to the American Council on Education’s 2023 American College President report, the average college president serves 5.9 years—a figure that has slowly declined since 2006.
ICB’s analysis of two- and four-year public and private HBCUs shows that HBCU presidents serve fewer years on average than predominantly White institutions (PWIs)—an average of 4.22 years (50.6 months). Private HBCU presidents serve an average of 4.42 years (53 months), while public HBCU presidents’ tenure averages 4 years (48 months).
Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough, executive vice president, research and member engagement, UNCF, described the situation as “a perilous place in terms of leadership” for HBCUs. “[The report is] more than an analysis. It is a call to action,” he said. “To thrive, HBCUs need enduring, consistent presidential leadership. Achieving this requires reimagining selection processes, rethinking support systems and recommitting to the retention of visionary and innovative leaders.”
More than a decade ago, Dr. Kimbrough, then a college president at UNCF-member institutions Dillard University and Philander Smith University as well as interim president at Talladega College, raised the alarm in a 2014 report. Today, the trend persists.
“If we want HBCUs to not only survive but thrive, we must treat leadership sustainability as a strategic necessity,” said Aja Johnson, senior program manager, executive leadership, ICB, UNCF, and author of the report. “HBCUs continue to be symbols of longstanding hope and resilience. Sustained support for their leadership is essential to these institutions’ success and to preserving their legacy.”
The report provides four strategic areas of focus as the path forward to strengthen leadership stability and effectiveness at HBCUs, including supporting presidents, cabinets and boards through collaborative development.
The report recommends four areas of focus for HBCU leadership:
- Improve presidential searches by providing HBCU boards with a better understanding of the search process and training in both the selection of search committees and presidents.
- Strengthen onboarding, mentorship and succession to position new HBCU presidents for long-term success and build capacity in financial management, institutional expectations and strategic planning.
- Reimagine and strengthen board governance with empowered and informed board chairs to achieve stronger collaboration between presidents, board members and support organizations including UNCF, Higher Education Leadership Foundation (H.E.L.F.) at UNCF-member institution Wiley University, Thurgood Marshall College Fund and HBCU Executive Leadership Institute (HBCU ELI) at UNCF-member institution Clark Atlanta University.
- Advance research on HBCU leadership and presidential tenure to provide a historical perspective on leadership shifts to shed light on patterns of stability, turnover and their long-term impact on institutional growth and stability.
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About UNCF
UNCF is one of the nation’s largest and most effective supporters of higher education and serves as a leading advocate for college-bound students. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion to support students' access to higher education, provide scholarships and strengthen historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Each year, UNCF awards more than 11,000 scholarships totaling more than $62 million. The scholarships support students attending more than 600 US-based colleges and universities including 37 UNCF-member HBCUs. Through its efforts, UNCF has helped generations of students to get to and through college. We believe a college education plays a vital role in fortifying the pipeline of leaders and professionals who contribute to the advancement of our society. Our logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and our widely recognized trademark is, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Instagram.
Roy Betts UNCF 240.703.3384 roy.betts@uncf.org
