4 Presidential Attributes Most Likely to Influence Boards to Ante Up

Aniello A. Bianco, chairman of the Board of Trustees at Pace University, says the ability to set priorities, establish strategic objectives, and then get faculty members, students, and other administrators to back the plans can't be overrated. "If they can get somebody who is high quality and can bring national recognition to the college, [they] are willing to pay," says Narcisa A. Polonio, vice president for education, research, and board-leadership services at the Association of Community College Trustees. Boards of trustees, who crave assurances that a leader can perform at the high level promised, are in the market for time-tested experience when selecting a president with this credential.