Boston University’s Questrom School of Business announced Dean Susan Fournier will step down on June 30, 2026, and retire at year-end after an eight-year deanship that drove curriculum and career-service upgrades, Provost Gloria Waters said. Fournier framed the move as a planned transition after steady gains in rankings and research visibility. BU will begin a search while the school continues execution on its redesigned undergraduate and graduate portfolio. Across state systems and private flagships, several universities filled their top slots this cycle. Institutions named new presidents — including hires at flagship and regional campuses — signaling trustee boards are prioritizing leaders with fundraising, government relations, and student-success chops as financial and political pressures mount. The appointments arrive amid heightened scrutiny of presidential leadership and governance models.