From Rachel Toor
Yesterday was the anniversary of the Dec. 6 congressional hearings. The sister presidents are still suffering, and many others, including male presidents, are still getting credible threats of violence. One former president said, “It’s a life-shortening job.”
As we ready ourselves for the new shitshow administration, let’s remember that even in the relatively tolerant space of U.S. higher ed, we still have a long way to go in terms of how we treat those in leadership roles.
Though they may pale in comparison to attacks from outside, the aggression and slights that come from people within our campus walls aren’t helping extend the life expectancy of presidencies.
Let us know what more we can do to support those willing to step into the role or email me if you just need to vent. What follows is one president’s list poem of a career’s worth of slings and arrows.