The National Lab for the Study of the College President, based at the U of A, has published its eighth volume of the annual Journal of Research on the College President. Future editions, however, are uncertain.

The 2024 edition includes three research articles from scholars around the country, based at Texas A&M University-Commerce, University of Memphis, University of Montana and Governors State University in Illinois.

The articles include:

• "Leading Through Language: Understanding How Presidential Leaders at Faith-Based Institutions Issue Sense-giving Statements Within a Social Justice Context"

• "Black Like Me: Black College Student Perceptions of Racially Similar College Presidents"

• "Leadership Lessons for Aspiring College Presidents: Essential Tools, Skills, and Strategies for Success"

"These studies help provide an even stronger understanding of what has been described as one of the hardest jobs in not only in higher education, but in the country," said the journal's editor, Michael T. Miller, Ed.D., dean of the University of Memphis College of Education. Miller was dean of the U of A College of Education and Health Professions from 2016-2019. His present position, in Memphis, began this past July.

The journal first was published in 2017. It was founded by Chancellor Emeritus G. David Gearhart after he left that office and returned to faculty as a professor in COEHP's Higher Education degree program.

U of A alumnus David Tolliver III is the lead author for the second article, "Black Like Me," with Miller and Jennifer Miles, a former U of A assistant professor, as co-authors.

Due to staffing changes at the U of A, Miller said, the journal will be taking a year off from publication. "The future of the journal is currently uncertain and will not be published in 2025," he said. "Our hope is that with a one-year hiatus, we will be able to reconceptualize the journal and assure that important scholarship related to the college presidency continues."

Questions regarding the journal in 2026 may be emailed to Miller at mtmller6@memphis.edu. Questions concerning the College President Lab should be sent to Michael Hevel, Ph.D., COEHP associate dean for research, strategy and outreach, at hevel@uark.edu.