When Substance Abuse Hits the C-Suite

The newspaper’s investigation, published on Monday, shines a light on seldom-discussed problems of alcohol and substance abuse in higher-education administration. It is a taboo topic that, if mentioned at all, confines itself to mostly private conversations among academic leaders and trustees. Every so often, however, these cases spill out into public view, bringing with them individual and institutional embarrassment, and raising tough questions about how to balance compassion and accountability for the people involved.