A new UNCF report finds presidents at historically Black colleges and universities serve significantly shorter tenures than peers at other institutions—averaging just over four years. The UNCF argues that leadership instability undermines long‑term strategy, fundraising, accreditation and campus morale and calls for board training, improved search practices and enhanced onboarding and mentorship for incoming presidents. For HBCU boards and funders, the report is a policy brief: invest in governance capacity, succession planning and sustained support structures to lengthen presidential tenures. Long‑term institutional recovery and growth at many HBCUs will hinge on board professionalism and targeted leadership retention efforts.