The search for a new Luther College president might be coming at a fortunate time

According to a survey of 1,500 American colleges and universities, 56 percent of all college presidents are older than 60.

The 2017 American College President Study concluded that the typical U.S. college or university president is a white male in his early 60s with a doctoral degree.  The survey findings could have a bearing on Luther College because it's expected that the number of openings for college president positions could be booming—in two or three years when many current presidents announced their plans to retire.

It's a different picture of college presidents than it was in 1986, the first year of ACE's college president study.  Back then the typical campus leader was in their 50s.

The 2017 profile of college presidents shows the average college president has been in their current position for seven years.

Members of the Luther College presidential search committee have said they are wide open in the candidates they will consider.  That will be important because the 2017 ACE study discovered women held the top job at colleges and universities in 30 percent of all schools, while minorities held the top job at 17 percent of all schools.

The 2017 survey of over 1,500 college and university presidents can be found at: https://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/American-College-President-Study.aspx