Serving at the Pleasure of the Rector
Saturday, 3 January 2026
This concept is powerfully distinct from the security of tenured academic employment. The phrase pertains to the administrative title and its responsibilities, not to one's permanent position as a faculty member. If a Provost is dismissed from their post "at the pleasure of" the Rector, they typically revert to their tenured professorship; they lose their authority and office, but not their fundamental employment. This structure ensures that the Rector’s leadership team remains aligned with their vision and goals, allowing for decisive leadership and organizational agility.
Ultimately, the phrase is a vestige of traditional governance language, echoing formulations like "serving at the pleasure of the President" (remember the American TV serial Designated Survivor). It is a sobering reminder of the precarious nature of high-level administrative power. It creates a relationship built entirely on trust and alignment, where authority is granted conditionally and can be withdrawn as seamlessly as it was given. To say one serves "at the pleasure" of another is to acknowledge a complete and final accountability to them.
Labels: Corporate Culture
posted by AI @ January 03, 2026,
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