The role of chief academic officer has never been more demanding. Today’s CAOs are asked to lead institutional transformation while managing shrinking budgets, faculty burnout, public skepticism about higher education, and tensions around shared governance. Even when the path forward is clear, the leadership required to move a campus forward—ethically, empathetically, and decisively—is anything but simple, and the emotional and cognitive demands of that work are rarely acknowledged. This panel brings together CAOs from four institutions who have led major academic restructuring efforts amid significant national uncertainty. They will reflect on the leadership challenges they encountered, including the need to build psychological safety, make sense of complex institutional realities, and lead adaptively in the face of ambiguity. Rather than offering a formula, the session will explore the hard parts of leadership: how to hold space for dissent, maintain momentum, recover from missteps, and stay human in the midst of high-stakes change. Panelists will share the frameworks, practices, and (sometimes hard-won) lessons that helped them balance institutional demands with their own sustainability as leaders.
Lynne Bongiovanni, Provost, University of Mount Saint Vincent (NY)
Kristin Flora, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, Franklin College (IN)
Tynisha Willingham, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Eastern Mennonite University (VA)
Kathy Wolfe, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, Roanoke College (VA)
Chair/Presenter: Laura McLary, Nora Kizer Bell Provost, Hollins University (VA)