"Provosts remain committed to their institutions' academic mission but face growing pressures that make the job more reactive than strategic, according to Inside Higher Ed's 2025 Survey of College and University Chief Academic Officers with Hanover Research, out today. While 91 percent of respondents say they're glad to have pursued administrative work, only 29 percent report consistently having the resources to implement initiatives."
"Other findings further reveal how leaders are responding to a shifting landscape within and outside higher education: Nearly a third of institutions represented have begun updating curricula to prepare students for artificial intelligence in the workplace, and more than half of provosts report declines in federal funding under the second Trump administration. Some 47 percent cite a "strategic compliance" approach to this new policy environment and 41 percent a "wait and see" approach. Many institutions are also trying out new ways to support research funding."
"Even amid these challenges, provosts' confidence in academic quality remains high. Seventy-nine percent rate their institution's academic health as good or excellent, and 87 percent say their college's innovative programs are serving students well. Yet, a majority of provosts note uneven support across disciplines and limited resources for certain student populations, namely those with disabilities. Some doubts about scaling online education for quality are also present."
Provosts remain committed to their institutions' academic missions but increasingly find their roles reactive rather than strategic due to growing pressures. Ninety-one percent express satisfaction with pursuing administrative work, yet only 29 percent consistently have resources to implement initiatives. Nearly a third of institutions are updating curricula to prepare students for workplace artificial intelligence. More than half report declines in federal funding under the second Trump administration, prompting strategic compliance or wait-and-see responses from many provosts. Institutions are experimenting with new approaches to support research funding. Confidence in academic quality stays high, though support is uneven across disciplines and for students with disabilities.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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