College and university presidents hold some of the loftiest positions in academia, with lofty salaries to match. While many were previously employed as scholars and professors, in their role as leader of a university they are more akin to a CEO overseeing a company than to academics pursuing scholarly research or lecturing. A big part of the job often includes networking and fundraising, in addition to setting academic policies and defining the curriculum. In addition to demonstrated leadership, financial and business acumen are often cited as required characteristics of a college president. Former Harvard University President Claudine Gay, who announced...