Who Should Lead Academia Today? Rethinking Leadership Across Career Stages

Leadership in academic institutions and professional societies plays a critical role in shaping the future of scholarship, governance, and educational equity. However, a persistent trend, particularly in long-established organizations, reveals that retired faculty, such as professors emeriti, often fill executive leadership roles. While emeriti may continue to offer valuable mentorship and institutional memory, their appointment to decision-making positions raises significant structural and ethical concerns. This commentary critiques the reliance on retired academics for active leadership, highlighting key risks including diminished accountability, generational disconnection, ethical incongruence, and leadership bottlenecks that impede the advancement of early- and mid-career scholars. Drawing on governance literature and demographic data, the article calls for structural reforms that promote active, inclusive, and forward-looking leadership models. Practical recommendations include revising governance bylaws, establishing advisory roles for emeriti, and fostering intergenerational partnerships to ensure sustainable academic leadership. The future of academia cannot be led solely by the past. It must be shared by those actively engaged in its present with the assistance of those who have experience in such roles before retirement.