Clemson University announced the sudden retirement of president Jim Clements effective at month-end, ending a 12-year tenure cited for enrollment and research growth but shadowed by recent controversies over staff firings and the suspension of affinity groups. The board will meet to appoint an interim leader while launching a search for a permanent successor. Separately, Martin University in Indianapolis said it will 'pause operations' at the end of the semester amid steep enrollment declines and severe financial strain. The private institution—Indiana’s only predominantly Black university—reported no endowment and shrinking enrollment; trustees said they are exploring paths to viability while seeking to minimize disruption for remaining students. Both moves underline governance stress points for institutions: succession planning, financial resilience and the reputational fallout when leadership changes intersect with contentious campus decisions.