Women University Presidents and Turnover at Public Research Universities

• In Event: Breaking Ceilings and Dismantling Barriers: Leadership Journeys in Higher Education

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of presidential turnover on women presidents at public doctoral granting universities. Using categories generated from the Carnegie Classification of Institutes of Higher Education (2015), a list of 155 public doctoral research universities were identified. The list was then hand coded to create a historical data set with the name, years in office, and gender of every president at each institution. Findings show that eighty seven out of 155 institutions in the data set (56.13%) had hired at least one female president. Women were also more likely to serve as an interim president than men but less likely than men to be hired at the same institution once interim status ended.

Authors

• Tania Reis, Gannon University

• Marilyn L. Grady, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Adam Nogaj, Gannon University