“Finding a president is a very complicated process because everyone in the university’s constituency is interested in that choice, and making the right choice is important to everyone,” said John Isaacson, president of Isaacson, Miller, a firm that has assisted in searches for many top schools. “It’s a process that takes time.”
UCLA and Yale did not respond to questions about their presidential searches.
Some presidential candidates are as wary as the schools. Dr. Dirks, a former UC Berkeley chancellor, said he had heard of candidate pools shrinking as presidential candidates pondered the trappings of the jobs, despite mansion-like housing on campus and salaries that can reach seven figures.
“It doesn’t have the charm it used to,” said Dr. DiSalvo, the president of Endicott College, who runs a training program for aspiring presidents.
A persistent challenge is that presidents must deal with so many constituencies — students, parents, faculty members, other university employees, public officials, donors, alumni, athletic program sponsors — with competing interests.
“The position is becoming one where no matter what you do, someone is going to come after you,” said Michael M. Crow, president of the University of Arizona. (“Boy, your alums, if they don’t like something going on, especially in athletics, they do,” Richard B. Myers, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who later served as president of Kansas State University, said with a laugh.)
