Why Do Interims Want to be Interims?

Dr. Jim Martin and Galen Hench
Originally published in HigherEdJobs
June 29, 2020

[Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in HigherEdJobs on March 10, 2021]

Interim leadership in American higher education is on the rise as evidenced by established interim firms expanding their business models and associated firms exploring the interim market as a new strategy. In a continuing series of articles on these issues, we ask in this one, simply: ‘Why does a president, provost, or dean want to be an interim?’

In our experience, viewing the interim role as simply a rehearsal or try-out for the permanent position limits the value and influence of the experience. Thus, we are not focusing on internal promotions of associate deans or vice presidents to vacant positions for time-limited periods, nor are we considering “acting” administrators or temporary employees. Rather, we define here the choice to serve as an interim more precisely following conversations with at least 200 of them over the past several years.

Before offering four frequent reasons provided by interims themselves, we begin with an overview from a higher education leader who has both written about this career choice and served as an interim herself. Currently an Interim Associate Provost, Cynthia Forrest co-authored the article, “The Lived Transitions of Senior Student Affairs Leaders,” and shares this perspective on why some higher education administrators seek interim placements:

“For senior professionals, serving as a regular interim draws on their accumulated expertise, their multiple institutional leadership experiences, and their personal creativity. On a practical level, serving in this type of role continually allows them to collaborate in transforming students’ lives and to make lasting differences at each institution they join.”

The following four reasons emerge regularly in our conversations with interim presidents, vice presidents, and deans:

1. To Remain Professionally Engaged

While many interims could pursue an additional, permanent position, they have made an affirmative decision that shorter, time-limited assignments encourage them to continue to grow as professionals. Yet, the stereotype persists at some institutions that interims are failed ‘permanent’ employees or administrators who have passed a certain age to receive serious consideration for non-interim positions.

Presently serving as an Interim Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dorothy Ige Campbell, explains, in contrast, how interim service expands opportunities to remain engaged in significant decision-making:

“I am still excited to come in to work each day because there is so much to accomplish. I believe that it is key, professionally, to stay relevant. One can become a dinosaur so quickly, and interim leadership opportunities challenge me to stay engaged and working for change.”

2. To Address Leadership Needs in Multiple Settings

A core element of the professional life of an interim is to work on multiple campuses. Interims arrive prepared to make a difference yet knowing that their arrival is accompanied by a departure date. While that date can be extended, an interim begins each placement having accepted the challenge of achieving goals on a pre-defined timeline.

Christine Bell has served as an interim at seven colleges and universities over the past two decades and recently as an interim vice president for enrollment management. She explains how working, intentionally, at a sequence of institutions has sharpened her ability to diagnose difficulties and offer solutions from two, three, or four prior experiences:

“Few know better than an interim leader that ‘one size does not fit all,’ and thus, an experienced interim’s tool kit becomes very deep. Whatever challenges I have faced in recent years, there has almost always been a similar experience I had previously navigated, even for widespread health crises. A seasoned interim, while a respectful partner, can also act as a powerful change agent. I have seen results sometimes achieved in 6-12 months that might normally have taken 3-5 years.”

Put differently, as our colleague, Bryan Carlson, has observed, an interim begins with credibility and a full reservoir of leadership capital to be utilized in every new engagement.

3. To Continue to Contribute to Professional Associations and Networks

Janet Waldron, presently an interim vice president for finance and administration, exemplifies an administrator who contributes to, and draws from, the resources of national professional associations while an interim. In her words,

“Interims have more and more become true change agents, and as such, it is critical for us to stay current and pave the way with new and improved professional practices. Having chaired the Audit Committee for NACUBO, their information and networks continue to be very helpful. Also, the Association of Financial Professionals provides quality materials on accounting and business/risk changes. With all that has been going on with the pandemic, these connections have been critical.”

We have also worked with interims who remain current in other associations, such as NASPA, NADOHE, and AACRAO, as they continue to shape career networks in interim roles.

4. To Share Wisdom with a New Generation of Colleagues

Experienced interims often bring to each assignment a personal commitment to share hard choices and lessons learned with a younger generation of leaders as one form of giving back wisdom they have gathered. Daniel Tramuta, presently an interim executive director of financial aid, believes that his experiences, positive and negative, over more than thirty years, help him mentor the younger professionals with whom he works. In his words,

“Interims don’t need to sugarcoat a thing. They have no baggage or ulterior motives, and, if it is their assignment, they can work quickly to help change procedures, policies, and, in collaboration, the culture of a college or university. In working with younger colleagues, an interim may also identify multiple opportunities for professional development based on prior experiences.”

Perhaps accelerated by the pandemic, various traditional approaches to leading colleges and universities are being exposed as less effective. Virtual management and Zoom decision-making are helping current and future administrators see that some older strategies may be discarded. Our view is that within this mix of challenges and opportunities, those choosing to serve as interims can bring guaranteed flexibility, proven experience, and fresh perspectives.