A new wave of college and university leadership changes is under way, driven by scheduled retirements, board action, and abrupt departures. Syracuse University’s board named J. Michael Haynie as president, with current President Kent Syverud set to leave earlier than planned, following program eliminations at the private institution. Utah Valley University is also entering a transition after the Utah Board of Higher Education selected Wayne Vaught as acting president while President Astrid Tuminez planned retirement. Separate reporting notes Columbia College Chicago installed Shantay Bolton as president after she previously served in a chief business role at Georgia Tech. Across the sector, other governance flashpoints continue to amplify the pressure on presidents and boards. The leadership picture is increasingly intertwined with budget constraints, program restructuring, and the political scrutiny trustees and state bodies are applying to institutional priorities. For campus leaders and boards, the near-term consequence is operational: onboarding timelines, program-review decisions, and faculty governance processes often run concurrently with leadership handoffs—raising the likelihood of friction during the 2026–27 academic year.