Obstacles and Successes of Male University Presidents of Color: A Qualitative Study of Leaders at Public Universities

As the nation grows increasingly diverse, our higher education system has seen an explosion of diversity, with further increases on the horizon. But structural diversity is still not reflected in university presidencies. With further constrictions on this presidential pipeline occurring at every juncture, there is a need to understand the pathways, obstacles, and successes of university presidents. This qualitative study will examine six male presidents of color in the public universities of the West Coast State University (WCSU) system in order to explore and examine trends across their respective paths, with the research question: What are the pathways that have facilitated and/or complicated the ascension of men of color to the presidency within the WCSU system? The findings yielded four pathway facilitations and three pathway complications. The pathway facilitations consisted of (1) mentorship and strategic networking, (2) ambition and excellence, (3) altruism and transformational leadership, and (4) serendipity. The pathway complications were (1) racial discrimination, (2) community and cultural expectations, and (3) alienation and sacrifice. The research concluded with recommendations for substantive mentorship programs throughout the educational and professional pipeline, as well as programs aimed at exposing aspiring leaders of color to potential pathways to senior level administrative positions.