By many accounts, it is harder than ever to be a university president in the US. Facing declining enrollments and spiraling costs, presidents are expected to solve for larger societal trends. Students and politicians alike perceive presidents as political actors who should adopt controversial stances, even as their actual authority remains limited. Meanwhile, institutional traditions can create barriers to change. The 2024 campus protests heightened many of these tensions, leading to no-confidence votes and prominent resignations. How are campus leaders navigating the current climate, and how do these challenges compare to those in Swiss higher education?
Swissnex and swissuniversities will host a virtual conversation with Professor Brian Rosenberg, former president of Macalester College and author of the recent cover article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, “The Impossible College Presidency.” The online event will feature a talk by Professor Rosenberg and an input from Professor Luciana Vaccaro, President of swissuniversities and Rector of HES-SO, followed by an audience-driven discussion.
The event is by invitation only.
Program
Boston Time
- 10:00am – Welcome remarks
- 10:05am – Talk by Professor Rosenberg
- 10:20am – Input by Professor Vaccaro
- 10:25am – Moderated discussion
- 11:05am – Closing remarks
- 11:15am – End of event
Swiss Time
- 4:00pm – Welcome remarks
- 4:05pm – Talk by Professor Rosenberg
- 4:20pm – Input by Professor Vaccaro
- 4:25pm – Moderated discussion
- 5:05pm – Closing remarks
- 5:15pm – End of event
iCal / Outlook
Event start time
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Boston
10:00AM -
Switzerland
4:00PM
Speakers
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Bio
Brian Rosenberg
President Emeritus, Macalaster College, Visiting Professor, Harvard Graduate School of EducationBrian Rosenberg is currently visiting professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. From 2003 until 2020, he served as the 16th President of Macalester College. He is the author of “Whatever It Is, I’m Against It: Resistance to Change in Higher Education,” published in 2023 by Harvard Education Press. His articles on higher education appear regularly in The Chronicle of Higher Education and have also appeared in publications including The New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. He serves as senior advisor and director at the African Leadership University and as a member of the board of the Teagle Foundation.
Professor Rosenberg received his B.A. from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in English from Columbia University. Prior to arriving at Macalester, he served as dean of the faculty at Lawrence University and as professor and chair of the English Department at Allegheny College.
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Bio
Luciana Vaccaro
President of swissuniversities, Rector of University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Northwestern Switzerland (HES-SO)Professor Luciana Vaccaro has served since February 2023 as President of swissuniversities, the umbrella organization for Swiss universities and colleges. She is Rector of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), the third largest university in Switzerland with around 21,000 students and 28 institutions active in six fields of teaching and applied research. Professor Vaccaro holds a Master Degree in Physics from Federio II Naples and a PhD in Microtechnolgy from EPFL Lausanne.
Partners
This event is in partnership with swissuniversities, the Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities that represents the interests of Swiss higher education at the national and international levels.
