A new study shows slight increases in the age and gender diversity of senior administrators in positions that often lead to the presidency.

On the Pathway to the Presidency 2013 examines key demographics of the most likely replacements of today's college presidents of whom nearly 60 percent are age 61 or older and nearing retirement.

Among a sample of nearly 150 four-year institutions that answered the survey in both 2008 and 2013, the following trends emerged:

• The share of senior leaders 61 or older increased from 21 percent to 26 percent between 2008 and 2013.
• The percentage of women in senior administrative leadership positions increased from 40 to 43 percent, overall. Today, women make up 49 percent of chief diversity officers, 72 percent of chiefs of staff and 36 percent of executive vice presidents.
• Overall, racial/ethnic characteristics of senior leaders remained the same.
• Among all senior administrative positions, colleges and universities were just as likely now to hire senior leaders from within as they were in 2008.

The study was a collaboration between the American Council on Education and the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

This article is from the March 2013 issue of BriefCASE.
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