Leaders in the Labyrinth
College Presidents and the Battlegrounds of Creeds and Convictions
By (author) Stephen J. Nelson
Publication date:
30 June 2007Length of book:
256 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersDimensions:
245x154mm6x10"
ISBN-13: 9780275997922
Leaders in the Labyrinth sheds light on how presidents conduct the influence and power of their office, especially in the use of their pulpits, how they navigate issues of political correctness, and how they hold the center of the university together, in contentious times and against competing ideological forces. Nelson has formulated a comprehensive image of the tenor, talents, and temperaments essential for todayOs presidency, for those who aspire to assume leadership in the future and for those who select the leaders of our colleges and universities.
Stephen J. Nelson documents the challenges facing college and university presidents in the twenty-first century through comprehensive interviews with fifteen presidents of some of the nation's leading institutions. His analysis of the radical changes in the expectations placed on presidents by both the campus and community explains the delicate balancing act required of those who represent the academy. Nelson paints the contemporary college presidency in all of its complexity without excluding the deep sense of fulfillment this role continues to bring to those committed to the advancement of higher education.