The Interim: A Guide to Transition Leadership in Higher Education

Daniel J. Bernardo faced a tumultuous first month as Washington State University’s interim president. The institution had just received approval to start a medical school, FBI staff advised him of a campus phishing crisis, regional forest fires compromised air quality, and a FOX News report about three “Comparative Ethnic Studies” syllabi initiated a firestorm of complaints.

Transitions are inevitable in every organization. Deans, vice presidents, provosts, and other executives are often thrust into positions for which they have little preparation, at the most inopportune times. Bernardo interviewed more than forty former and current acting administrators, and wrote The Interim for those in or considering a temporary leadership role. Using real-life examples, he provides a step-by-step guide for navigating transition stages and deriving the greatest benefit from the experience. He also addresses key administrative functions, building functional support networks, self care, and more.

Daniel J. Bernardo is currently a professor and provost emeritus for Washington State University. He has held academic administrative positions at WSU since 2005, initially as the dean for the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, and then as provost. He served as interim president from 2015 to 2016, and continued as a senior advisor to the president from 2018 to 2020. He received his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Washington State University.