American College President Study

About

​​​​​ACE's American College President Study (ACPS) has long served the higher education community as the most comprehensive, in-depth, and frequently cited source of information about the college presidency and the higher education leadership pipeline. Conducted approximately every five years since 1986, ACPS captures important data on presidential demographics, search and selection processes, career trajectories, duties and responsibilities, and many other important topics. Through generous support from the TIAA Institute, ACE published the 2017 edition, along with an accompanying interactive data explorer that can be used to view historical ACPS data back to 2001.

Related Publications
Publication
This brief offers recommendations to increase representation of women among college presidents, and argues that meaningful parity will only be achieved when women not only reach the presidency, but are set up to succeed and endure in the position.
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Leading the Way to Parity: Preparation, Persistence, and the Role of Women Presidents
Publication
Leading the Way to Parity: Preparation, Persistence, and the Role of Women Presidents
Publication
This brief shares examples of how innovative higher education leaders work collaboratively with campus stakeholders, build and strengthen networks, and turn their challenges into successes.
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Innovative Leadership: Insights from the American College President Study 2017
Publication
Innovative Leadership: Insights from the American College President Study 2017
Publication
This brief shares four interviews with women of color who are serving as presidents or chancellors of colleges and universities.
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Voices from the Field: Women of Color Presidents in Higher Education
Publication
Voices from the Field: Women of Color Presidents in Higher Education
Infographic
This infographic draws upon data from the American College President Study 2017 to highlight women presidents, and the leadership experience they bring to the college presidency.
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Ready to Lead: Women in the Presidency
Infographic
Ready to Lead: Women in the Presidency
Infographic
In the ACPS 2017, college presidents shared information on their means of preparation for the role. This infographic provides additional details on those who participated in formal leadership training prior to becoming a president.
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Path to the Presidency: The Role of Formal Leadership Training
Infographic
Path to the Presidency: The Role of Formal Leadership Training
Infographic
March 25, 2019
This infographic draws upon data from the American College President Study 2017 to highlight presidents of Minority Serving Institutions, their work, and their views of the college presidency.
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Presidents of Minority Serving Institutions
Infographic
March 25, 2019
Presidents of Minority Serving Institutions
Infographic
In the American College President Study 2017, college and university presidents shared information on their international experience. This infographic provides additional details on how college presidents are driving internationalization efforts on cam...
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Globally Minded Presidents: International Experience of College Presidents
Infographic
Globally Minded Presidents: International Experience of College Presidents
Blog Posts
Looking Ahead to Diversifying the College Presidency
The Evolving Nature of the College Presidency
The Hard Work of Innovative Presidents and Teams
ACE Engage Resources

ACE Engage®​, ACE's peer-to-peer online learning platform, offers higher education leaders the ability to solve their day-to-day challenges by connecting with other campus leaders, and includes on-demand access to a curated content library, microcourses, exclusive events, and more. Don't have an ACE Engage account? Learn more about joining or create your account​! ​​

Microcourse
This primer on self-care aims to help higher education administrators sustain their ability to effectively lead and develop or maintain their path toward healthier and happier lives.​ Only on ACE Engage—Create an account!
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Self-Care for Higher Education Administrators
Microcourse
Self-Care for Higher Education Administrators
Microcourse
This microcourse provides academic leaders with knowledge of economics, budgets, and financial management as a first step in understanding the complex fiscal environment of higher education. Only on ACE Engage—Create an account!
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Connecting Money to Mission
Microcourse
Connecting Money to Mission
Microcourse
This microcourse is an introduction to shared leadership in higher education. Only an ACE Engage—Create an account!
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Shared Leadership
Microcourse
Shared Leadership
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​More American College President Study

Visit the microsite to see data from key areas of the 2017 report and easily download charts, tables, and data points.

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Video
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and COVID-19: Implications and Strategies
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April 2, 2020
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and COVID-19: Implications and Strategies
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This group is designed for leaders who define and lead strategic student outreach, enrollment, retention, and completion. Only on ACE Engage—Create your account!
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Enrollment Management
Community
Enrollment Management
Community
This group is designed for higher education professionals to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and benefits of military-affiliated learners in Higher Education. Only on ACE Engage—Create your account!
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Military and Higher Education Group
Community
Military and Higher Education Group
News
March 30, 2020
ACE continues to provide timely webinars and resources for the higher education community on COVID-19 through the ACE Engage® online learning platform.
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ACE Webinars on Finances, Diversity and Equity Efforts in Response to Coronavirus
News
March 30, 2020
ACE Webinars on Finances, Diversity and Equity Efforts in Response to Coronavirus
Press Release
March 19, 2020
ACE has selected 38 emerging college and university leaders for the 2020-21 class of the ACE Fellows Program, the longest-running leadership development program in the United States.
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Thirty-Eight Emerging Higher Education Leaders Named to ACE Fellows Program
Press Release
March 19, 2020
Thirty-Eight Emerging Higher Education Leaders Named to ACE Fellows Program
Video
Northern Arizona University President Rita Cheng talks with ACE about gateway course redesign and building a culture of student success. Only an ACE Engage. Create an account!
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Reimagining Gateway Courses
Video
Reimagining Gateway Courses
Toolkit
This action plan template will help faculty identify barriers to student success, design solutions, detail the costs of those interventions, and explain how progress will be assessed. Only on ACE Engage. Create an account!
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Creating Action Plans for Faculty-Led Student Success Efforts
Toolkit
Creating Action Plans for Faculty-Led Student Success Efforts
Toolkit
This toolkit offers a brief definition of shared leadership and why it's relevant for higher education leaders, followed by actionable steps leaders can take to implement shared leadership on campus. Only on Engage. Create your account!
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Shared Leadership in Higher Ed: First Steps for Institutional Leaders
Toolkit
Shared Leadership in Higher Ed: First Steps for Institutional Leaders
Toolkit
These suggested resources help higher education administrators build self-care into their daily routine to sustain their ability to effectively lead and support an institution. Only on Engage. Create your account!
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Resources: Self-Care for Higher Ed Administrators
Toolkit
Resources: Self-Care for Higher Ed Administrators
Toolkit
This tool offers considerations to help you create your self-care vision that will then set you on the path toward developing your self-care plan. Only on Engage. Create your account!
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Creating a Self-Care Vision
Toolkit
Creating a Self-Care Vision
Video
Patricia Chute, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Dalton State College (GA), offers insight into working with and engaging faculty. Only on Engage. Create your account!
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A CAO on Working with Faculty
Video
A CAO on Working with Faculty
Toolkit
This item offers key actions that can guide leadership’s response during and after a crisis. Only on Engage. Create your account!
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Speaking and Acting with Integrity in Times of Crisis
Toolkit
Speaking and Acting with Integrity in Times of Crisis
Publication
This “blueprint for action” highlights institutional policies and programs found to support male students of color across member institutions of the Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color. Only on Engage. Create your account!
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Improving Outcomes for Male Students of Color
Publication
Improving Outcomes for Male Students of Color
Toolkit
This document and accompanying video clips offer recommendations from John J. DeGioia and Ruth J. Simmons on confronting the historical injustices of slavery on today's college campuses. Only on Engage. Create your account!
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Confronting Historical Injustices of Slavery
Toolkit
Confronting Historical Injustices of Slavery
Audio
Lorelle Espinosa, ACE’s Vice President for Research, shares the back story on how the Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education project came about and how it has flourished since launching in February 2019. Only on ACE Engage. Create your account!
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Audiocast: Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education
Audio
Audiocast: Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education
Toolkit
These activities help new academic leaders manage competing expectations and demands on their time as they begin a new CAO position. Only on Engage. Create an account!
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Activities: First 100 Days of a CAO
Toolkit
Activities: First 100 Days of a CAO
Toolkit
This item offers strategies for transforming from an in-the-moment decision-making culture to one that makes decisions based on an intentional set of values. Only on Engage. Create an account!
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A Values-Based Framework for Issues Management
Toolkit
A Values-Based Framework for Issues Management
Toolkit
This toolkit helps new academic leaders, as well as those aspiring to a CAO position, recognize the many competing expectations and demands on their time as they begin a new CAO position. Only on Engage. Create an account!
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Resources: First 100 Days of a CAO
Toolkit
Resources: First 100 Days of a CAO
Toolkit
This paper details how campus leaders can build capacity for responding to a racial incident before a crisis, respond authentically during a racial crisis, and be resilient after a racial crisis. Only on Engage. Create an account!
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Lessons From a Campus Racial Crisis
Toolkit
Lessons From a Campus Racial Crisis
Toolkit
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Resources: Race Relations on Campus
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Resources: Race Relations on Campus
Toolkit
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Conversations: Race Relations on Campus
Toolkit
Conversations: Race Relations on Campus