The Unfinished Agenda: Women in Higher Education Administration

and work have changed substantially in recent years and that women have in some profound way affected the leadership and direction of higher education. We are, however, skeptical about the rate of change and about the depth of current commitment to change. On one level, we have seen some revolutionary changes in the situation of women in higher education. After being in the minority since the colonial era, female college students have outnumbered males since 1979 and by a wide margin; in 1987, the nation's total college enrollment of about 12.3 million consisted of 6.5 million women and 5.8 million men. There are more of us in colleges and universities, in graduate schools, in professional schoolsall poised to leap into positions of power in the work force. Aside from being the majority in higher education, the number of women in the paid work force has vastly increased. Women are present to some degree in every occupational field. We are an important electoral force and we are powerful consumers. We have introduced new vocabulary and concepts into daily life, and we have caused society to question traditional notions about sex roles and cultural expectations. Even as these changes have been made, however, women still share little responsibility for charting the future of our country and shaping foreign policy. We do not serve in significant numbers in top federal, state, and local policy-making roles, nor do we head major corporations. And single mothers are the fastest growing poverty group in the country. Although major changes have been made, we certainly have a long way to go, and the field of higher education administration is no exception. Depending upon whether one is an optimist or a pessimist, the status of women in higher education administration is either getting better or it is dismal. There are approximately 3,000 higher education institutions in the United States and of these, women serve as chief executive officers of approximately three hundred, or 10 percent. Ten percent is not a particularly impressive figure under any circumstances, but it must also be remembered that this number includes women who serve as presidents of women's colleges or of church-related institutions. Approximately 450 publicly supported state colleges and universities in the country are often characterized as American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) institutions. Within this sector, twenty-six womena mere 6 percentare presidents or chancellors of AASCU institutions. The good news for the optimists is that this number, although low, has doubled in the last decade. And the other piece of good news is that, at the current rate, women will be chief executive officers of about one-half of the colleges and universities in the country by the year 2056. Pessimists, however, will note the fact that the growth in the number of female presidents has slowed considerably, with the total rising by only ten between 1984 and 1987. Thus, it may take us until the year 2100 to reach a position of equality. If we look to women in senior administrative positions below that of president or chancellorthat is, women who serve as vice presidents or vice chancellors, deans or directorswe again can see that some progress has been made. Recent studies indicate that approximately 1.1 women senior officers may be found at the level of dean or above at each college and university in the country. Some institutions will bust the average by having two or more. They, of course, give license to other institutions who have none at all. Here again, the numbers have increased in the last several years, but no study has predicted in what year, given the current rate of change, we can expect to see women holding 50 percent of senior officer positions. Higher education administration has a pyramidal structure and women are clustered at the bottom of the pyramid. Women are far more likely to be assistants or associates than they are to be directors, deans, vice presidents, or provosts. Women are more likely to be staff than line. In college and university administration, the three positions most often held by women and by minorities are registrar, librarian, and director of financial aid. Research also shows us that most women administrators do "women's work" in higher education administration. Women hold the positions in conSheila Kaplan is chancellor, University of Wisconsin, Parkside. Adrian Tinsley is executive vice president and provost of Glassboro State College.