 It has been a few days since the second of the two HBCU presidents in Missouri suddenly resigned from his post for seemingly no reason at all. Cory Bradford, with just over a year of experience in his first presidency at Harrisville State University, left the institution for an unnamed opportunity at a research school, according to a release from the university. He followed the departure of Lincoln University president Gerald Jones-Wulford, who last month mutually agreed to part ways with the institution after just two years. Two leadership transitions in less than a month had two institutions that had been significantly hurt by budget cuts in recent years, and who both had high hopes among alumni that these leaders would be long-term advocates for the school's surviving and potentially thriving in the midst of recovery from the global coronavirus pandemic. But there's a backdrop to these departures, an immediate future for both schools resulting from these changes. First, let's take a look at HSSU. No president, particularly one securing their very first presidency, would dare leave after just one year. Someone who entered a search, interviewed, and made plans to change living situations, a clear plan, and financial goals around a job that under normal circumstances, last just three to five years on average, doesn't just up and leave for a lower position, prestige and the mark of being a quitter. Bradford's essay suggests one or two things. Either he was asked to leave by the board for disagreement over his style or priorities in guiding the institution, or he up and left the board for similar reasons. Both scenarios suggest that the board wasn't happy, which could impact HSSU's capacity to recruit, select, and retain a high-quality presidential candidate when the word on the street is now that the last president felt out of step with the board. If it's another situation like board misconduct, legislative interference, or indeed another job opportunity, Bradford looks the better for it. If it was an arrogance or a mismatch in personalities, then the board looks better for it. But one of these two sides owes it to the institution and to the public to give a hint about what went wrong so that the next candidate has the advantage in knowing what to do to make and keep the lurking relationship right. Lincoln University is much different. It appears that Wolfe's resignation was tied to board activity surrounding the reboot of its relationship with a private foundation, which years ago was severed because the university and the non-profit couldn't agree on oversight and disbursement of funds raised on behalf of the school. Wolfe looked to be okay, and the board looked somewhat bad because of the seeming split over the money. But then the school made itself look worse by hiring LU Athletic Director Johns Mosley to serve as Interim President. Mosley, who was white, seems to be an unorthodox choice for the historical black institution because of his race and training. But so far, no one in the LU community has had any bad words to say about him or the appointment. But it's an interesting choice in Mosley, whom the board credited for fundraising and relationship acumen as part of his selection for the temporary CEO role. Mosley came to Lincoln as headman's basketball coach, was named athletic director just a year after his arrival, and five years later is named Interim President. Interestingly enough, his entire career in educational training has been in athletics dating back to his days in East Carolina until four years ago when he started his doctoral work at the University of Missouri in educational leadership, earning the PhD a year ago. A coincidence that a minority candidate with no executive experience beyond the athletic side of an institution who just earned a terminal degree one year ago gets vaulted into the leading position of one of the nation's most diverse HBCUs in a racially divided state could be. Chances are it isn't. Both institutions face the real potential of having their budgets cut by state lawmakers in the next few months and increased chances of diminished student enrollment as a result of the pandemic and its impact on families economic capacity. Both HBCUs are largely off the radar of advocates nationwide because they are outside of the Mid-Atlantic Southern orbit of institutional culture. But these two HBCUs deserve a lot more attention for how these presidents have turned over the impact of these boards on both departures and how their communities should have faith in leadership going forward.