A foot in the revolving door? Women academics in lower-middle management

This article looks at a small group of women in Canadian faculties of education who hold what I call ‘lower-middle management’ positions and considers whether they are on the ladder to recognized academic leadership or are in a revolving-door situation that will take them back to the ranks from whence they came. These nine women are associate chairs, associate deans or coordinators. After a review of selected literature on women and academic leadership and a discussion of method, I analyze aspects of the participants' entry into the position, their experience while doing it and (where relevant) their exit. For most, the positions were stressful and did not attract them to leadership careers. The universities are losing out, too, by not preparing, helping or mentoring these dedicated and hard-working individuals.