HBCU-UP RAPID: HBCU Leadership Crisis on STEM Broadening Participation and Research Capacity Building - Impact and Implications

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) supports RAPID projects when there is an urgency concerning the availability of, or access to, data, facilities, or specialized equipment, including quick-response research on natural or anthropogenic disasters and similar unanticipated events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, several higher education institutions experienced changes in the president and chancellor positions. For Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), in 2022 alone, there were 23 leadership changes announced, and in 2023, 41 changes were announced, almost double within one year. Essentially, one in four HBCUs experienced a resignation or termination at the highest administrative level. These leadership changes have been an added challenge to the ongoing recovery efforts of many HBCUs that were also disproportionately impacted by the global pandemic. HBCUs are critical for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development and for their contributions to STEM research. HBCUs are critical players in helping the nation stay competitive globally and are a national asset, considering the large numbers of diverse students earning degrees in STEM from HBCUs. Unfortunately, excessive executive leadership turnover could negatively impact those efforts.

This research study will explore the institutional impact of turnover at the President/Chancellor and executive cabinet levels at HBCUs. By using pilot data collected at one of the largest annual convenings of HBCU executives related to the impact and implications of HBCU leadership turnover, our proposed convening to collect rich qualitative data, and their feedback on the pilot survey results, will dynamically and strategically gain insight on this unprecedented challenge. This project will contribute to better understanding the impacts of leadership turnover and create recommendations for best practices. Ultimately, the results from this study are intended to increase stability at HBCUs experiencing leadership transitions so HBCUs can continue to play their important role in broadening participation in STEM, undertaking important STEM research, and providing excellent STEM educational programs.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Award Number: 2534132
Principal Investigator: Trina Fletcher
Funds Obligated: $78,439
State: AR