Toward a More Responsible and Effective Presidency: Action plan 

In October 2023, the Miller Center convened nearly 60 leading experts on the American presidency—senior officials of Democratic and Republican administrations, top presidency scholars, and journalists—for a two-day conference to discuss challenges facing America's highest office. The discussions were informed by scholarship spanning the last six years, from a range of practitioners and Miller Center and outside scholars.   

At a time when American citizens are increasingly questioning key institutions in government and society, participants of good will from across society committed to working together to address common challenges.  

Like many Americans, conference participants expressed deep concern about the state of American institutions and the polarization that divides the country, as well as fears that the presidency itself, as currently designed and managed, is contributing to that division. 

You can watch all nine hours of the conversations and read the essays that informed their discussions.

Based on these conversations, the Miller Center has identified five areas for further research and engagement with a wider group of committed citizens and organizations during 2024: 

• Sharing Powers: The Presidency and Congress 
• Democracy and Bureaucracy: Executive Branch Reform
• Holding Presidents Accountable 
• Selecting Responsible and Effective Presidents 
• Presidents as National Unifiers 

In each area, we are convening a series of follow-up meetings with practitioners and experts. We will work to refine questions, host public events, and identify opportunities for reform, including how to achieve public impact.   

We look forward to citizen participation in this undertaking. If you have ideas you would like to share, please address them to Miller Center Director and CEO William Antholis at millercenter@virginia.edu.