Claudine Gay had a historic presidency at Harvard University. She was the first Black person, and the second woman, to lead the institution, and her tumultuous time at the top—roughly six months—marks the shortest presidency in Harvard’s 388-year history.

Now, in the aftermath of her exit, questions linger about how the Harvard Corporation handled matters.

Harvard University is looking for a new leader. So is the University of Pennsylvania. And Yale University. And Stanford University.

While plenty of college presidents retire or resign every year, it’s rare for so many prestigious research universities to be simultaneously hunting for replacements. And leading these schools is not the same job it was a generation ago. Bill Funk, founder of higher-education executive search firm R. William Funk & Associates, likens the position to being a professional fundraiser and public relations executive combined with the mayor of a city.

Idia Thurston came to Texas A&M University four years ago to work as an associate professor in health promotion and community health. She says a significant selling point for her recruitment was working in the Diversity Science Cluster. 

But within years, she felt like her work was no longer valued. A new state ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and programs at Texas public universities only fueled those concerns.