Annual Presidents’ Survey Finds Optimism Amid Uncertainty

College leaders across the U.S. are confident about their institution's finances, worried about waning public confidence in higher education and the upcoming presidential election, and ambivalent about artificial intelligence, the latest Inside Higher Ed survey of College and University Presidents shows. Now in its 14th year, the survey has evolved in accordance with higher education trends. The 2024 edition marks the first time presidents were asked about artificial intelligence. Altogether, 380 presidents from 206 public and 174 private, nonprofit institutions participated. As is often the case, presidents generally viewed their own institutions more positively than higher education as a whole.