When Titles Rise but Authority Doesn’t: A Growing Structural Disconnect in Higher‑Ed HR Leadership
Higher education is experiencing significant workforce and organizational pressures — and HR leaders are often at the center of that complexity. In many public‑sector and higher‑ed environments, titles are rising faster than the structural authority, reporting lines, and compensation models behind them. This newsletter explores why that pattern is emerging, why it matters, and what institutions must align if they want HR to function as a true strategic partner. Drawing on real‑world observations from across higher education and state‑regulated systems, this piece examines the growing disconnect between expectations and empowerment, the impact of wage compression, the constraints of public‑sector compensation models, and the cultural conditions that shape HR’s ability to lead. It offers a clear, practical look at the structural factors influencing HR effectiveness — and outlines what needs to change for institutions to fully leverage their HR leadership.
Carl L. Chambers
2/25/20263 min read
When Titles Rise, but Authority Doesn’t: A Growing Structural Disconnect in Higher‑Ed HR Leadership
Across higher education and many public‑sector environments, HR leaders are increasingly reporting a structural disconnect: titles are rising, but the authority, reporting lines, and compensation models behind them often remain unchanged.
This is not universal across all industries or institutions.
But in many public‑sector and higher‑education settings — especially those governed by state systems, collective bargaining, or rigid classification structures — this pattern is becoming more visible and more consequential.
Symbolic Elevation Without Structural Empowerment
In numerous colleges, universities, and public agencies, HR leaders are being asked to address some of the most complex workforce challenges:
• enrollment pressures
• workforce shortages
• multi‑union labor environments
• compensation compression
• culture and morale issues
• compliance complexity
• technology modernization
• equity, diversity, and anti‑racism commitments
These responsibilities are enterprise‑level in scope. Yet in many institutions, HR leaders receive elevated titles without the structural empowerment — or direct executive access — required to lead at that level.
A title may say “executive,” but the reporting line may still say “administrative.”
Reporting Lines Still Matter
While practices vary across institutions, many higher‑education and public‑sector HR leaders continue to report through multiple layers rather than directly to the President or Chancellor. This matters because HR is central to:
• institutional risk
• workforce strategy
• labor relations
• culture transformation
• compliance
• long‑term sustainability
When HR is structurally positioned below the executive tier, its ability to influence institutional direction is limited — even when the title suggests otherwise.
Compensation Models Must Reflect Market Reality
Compensation structures differ widely across industries. But in many public‑sector and higher‑education environments, HR leaders operate under state‑regulated systems that:
• prohibit bonuses and incentive pay
• restrict market‑based adjustments
• tie raises to legislative appropriations
• provide only nominal annual increases (often 1–2%)
Meanwhile, private‑sector HR executives are compensated through a mix of salary, incentives, and performance‑based rewards.
Public‑sector HR leaders are expected to:
• manage multi‑campus operations
• lead complex labor relations
• modernize HRIS and business processes
• drive culture and engagement initiatives
• oversee compliance in highly regulated environments
• respond to federal and state mandates
• support institutional strategy
— all within compensation structures that often cannot flex with market demand.
Wage Compression: A Documented Challenge in Public Higher Education
Wage compression is not universal, but it is widely reported in public higher education and state systems. When long‑serving employees receive only nominal increases, their salaries stagnate relative to new hires entering at higher market‑adjusted rates.
This leads to:
• senior leaders earning only marginally more than their direct reports
• diminished retention incentives
• morale and equity concerns
• difficulty attracting experienced HR executives
The expectations are executive.
The compensation model often is not.
Culture Determines Whether HR Can Lead
Culture varies significantly across institutions. But in many environments where HR leaders report structural misalignment, they also describe cultural conditions that limit HR’s ability to lead:
• fear‑based decision‑making
• limited transparency
• low psychological safety
• perceived risk of retaliation
HR’s effectiveness depends on trust.
No title can compensate for a culture that undermines the very function HR is meant to serve.
The Path Forward: Alignment Over Optics
If higher education wants HR to be a true strategic partner, institutions must align:
• title
• authority
• reporting structure
• compensation
• culture
Elevating a title without elevating the role is not transformation — it’s optics.
Real transformation requires:
• direct reporting to the chief executive
• decision‑making authority
• competitive compensation
• investment in HR modernization
• a culture of trust and psychological safety
• alignment between expectations and empowerment
Higher education is at a crossroads. Workforce challenges, enrollment pressures, and rising expectations for equity and inclusion demand HR leadership that is empowered, not symbolic. Institutions that want HR to shape the future must provide the authority, resources, and trust required to lead.
About the Author
Carl L. Chambers is a senior human resources executive with extensive experience leading HR modernization across higher education, statewide public agencies, and complex unionized environments. A former Chief Human Resources Officer at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, he has directed enterprise‑level HR operations, strengthened labor relations, and advanced institutional culture transformation. Carl is the founder of Human Value Initiative, LLC, an executive consulting practice focused on workforce strategy, organizational effectiveness, and leadership development.