This is damaging to me!" Female Faculty Voices, Student Behavior, and Emotional Labor in Higher Education

• In Event: Women in Educational Leadership: Understanding Stress, Emotional Labor, and Resilience in Unique Contexts

Abstract

This study examines the emotional labor experienced by faculty in higher education, with a particular focus on the voices of female faculty dealing with problematic student behavior. Through in-depth interviews, the research highlights significant gender disparities in how male and female faculty experience and respond to student incivility, harassment, and challenges to authority. The findings reveal that female faculty engage in more frequent and intense emotional labor, driven by gendered expectations and stereotypes, which significantly impact their well-being and professional responsibilities. The study also explores the strategies faculty use to manage their emotional responses and the additional challenges female faculty face in maintaining classroom discipline and authority. By bringing these experiences to the forefront, the research advocates for greater institutional recognition and support for the emotional labor performed by faculty, particularly female faculty, to foster a more equitable and supportive academic environment.

This symposium gathers researchers from a variety of experiences to share recent research related to women in educational leadership in unique contexts. Contributors explore a variety of roles including teacher leaders, superintendents and state educational agencies. This session offers insights into the specific challenges associated with women in educational leadership roles, strategies for overcoming challenges and recommendations for additional supports. Research shared offers multifaceted considerations leveraging case studies, qualitative and quantitative research. The discussant will highlight specific themes across the research and engage researchers in guided discussion highlighting distinctions.

Author

• Sarah Grace, University of Arizona