Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum '00 Has a New Book on College Leadership in Turbulent Times

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum ‘00, who will officially join HIU’s Board of Trustees in January, has a new book out titled Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times. Dr. Tatum is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race.

Higher education is going through turbulent times, from scandals, protests, and leadership crises; the pressure has intensified to the point that the average tenure of a university president is now under six years. In her book, Peril and Promise, Dr. Tatum contends that despite these challenges, American universities are uniquely positioned to address the societal divisions and ignorance that plague the nation — only if courageous leaders emerge. 

Combining her social science background with her extensive experience leading Spelman and Mount Holyoke Colleges, Dr. Tatum offers lessons for navigating this tumultuous landscape. She presents a clear-eyed examination of the financial, political, and social pressures affecting campuses, alongside inspiring examples of institutions that have overcome overwhelming odds to achieve meaningful transformation in their student bodies, ideas, and the wider world. Both thoughtful and direct, the book grapples with the complexities of the modern university while issuing a powerful call to action for a new generation of leaders to forge a better path forward.

Dr. Tatum holds a B.A. degree in psychology from Wesleyan University, and M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan as well as an M.A. in Religious Studies from Hartford International University (formerly Hartford Seminary). In 2014 she was elected to membership in the American Philosophical Society and was also the recipient of the American Psychological Association Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology.  

Congratulations, Dr. Tatum!

Upcoming scheduled book talks that are open to the public:

• September 26 & 9/27 – Bookmarks Festival, Winston-Salem, NC
• November 3 —University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
• December 10 — NECHE Annual Meeting, Boston, MA