Abstract
This “statistical” study of Canadian university presidents was prompted by the discovery that there is no systematic demographic information available on university administrators in Canada. The vitae of 98 current Canadian university presidents and their immediate predecessors were collected and statistics such as age and length of tenure were compared with those of American counterparts. The Canadian university presidents assumed office at about 49 years of age and held office for about eight years. They tend to be born in geographical proximity to the institution they will head and to “circle” it geographically during their careers. A former association with the University of Toronto, either as a student or teacher, was common. There appears to be a career ladder which includes a decanal and/or vice-presidential position, particularly in central Canada; few presidents move to a second presidency, although several move into what might be termed an “academic superstructure.” Few Canadian presidents majored in the field of Education as a student or teacher and there is generally poor representation from the Arts as compared to the U.S.; on the other hand, the “hard sciences” are well represented. The implications of these tendencies are discussed.
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Muzzin, L.J., Tracz, G.S. Characteristics and careers of Canadian university presidents. High Educ 10, 335–351 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00139565
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00139565