Education Week’s Leadership Ledger flagged new and outgoing university presidents as public and private institutions manage transitions that can reshape strategy and governance. The roundup includes Notre Dame of Maryland University selecting Abagail Van Vlerah as president, with an emphasis on being mission-driven and nimble. It also reports that New Mexico Highlands University’s board fired President Neil Woolf after closed-session discussions. These moves highlight how quickly leadership instability can escalate at institutions—especially when board action coincides with enrollment pressures and cost constraints. For higher education executives, the developments reinforce that transition planning, board communications, and stakeholder trust management are central risk factors during leadership change windows.