California State Trustees named Michael Spagna as Sonoma State University’s new president effective Jan. 20 to stabilize the campus after a turbulent year of budget cuts, enrollment declines and the controversial exit of the previous leader. Spagna inherits a multi-million-dollar deficit, program eliminations and community protests as the campus executes a turnaround plan. At the University of Virginia, the presidential search proceeds amid political tension between outgoing and incoming governors, board disputes and a recent DOJ agreement tied to the university’s DEI policies. UVa’s search committee narrowed candidates and is in the late stages of vetting, but political fights over board membership and governance have heightened scrutiny around the selection process. Both cases illustrate how trusteeship, politics, and financial strain are reshaping searches for public-flagship and regional leaders—and how new presidents will be judged on enrollment recovery, compliance with federal conditions, and campus stability.