ERIC ED427815: A Study of the Status of Women Senior Administrators within the North Carolina Community College System.

160 Pages·1998·1.2 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
JC 990 118
ED 427 815
Lesslie, James W.
AUTHOR
within
A Study of the Status of Women Senior Administrators
TITLE
the North Carolina Community College System.
1998-00-00
PUB DATE
160p.; Ph.D. Disseration, University of South Carolina. Some
NOTE
appendices contain very small type.
Doctoral Dissertations (041)
Dissertations/Theses
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Academic Rank (Professional); *Community Colleges;
DESCRIPTORS
Employment Practices; Promotion (Occupational); *Salaries;
Salary Wage Differentials; Sex Bias; *Sex Differences; Sex
Discrimination; Two Year Colleges; *Women Administrators
*North Carolina Community College System
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This study examines factors affecting the advancement of
Carolina Community College System
women senior administrators in the North
senior-level
(NCCCS) and determines if women have made progress insattaining
senior
positions since the last study, conducted 15 years ago. Fifteen women
interviewed.
administrators were selected from colleges within the NCCCS and
senior-level
Findings indicate that although more women are obtaining
lower-level
administrative positions, most of their gains continue to be in
college
positions. President and vice president are the least likely
data for the past
positions to be occupied by women. In addition, demographic
salary equity with men
10 years revealed that women still have not achieved
views of the
in similar positions. The study discusses respondents'
Comprehensive Plan for Administrative Leadership Through Diversity
that would
Enhancement (the Plan), adopted in 1993 to provide a climate
Respondents
enhance advancement opportunities for minorities and women.
in assisting women
reported chat the Plan has not been an effective mechanism
the time of this study (1995),
to achieve senior administrative positions. At
adopted the Plan but had
most community colleges in North Carolina had not
interview
developed diversity programs of their own. Appended are sample
data
questions, a map of NCCCS institution locations and addresses, and
than 70
tables regarding senior administrative positions. Contains more
references.
(AS)
********************************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
********************************************************************************
Administrators
A study of the Status of Women Senior
Within the North Carolina Community College System
00
CI)
by
James W. Lesslie
Bachelor Architecture
Clemson University, 1960
Master of Arts
Appalachian State University, 1989
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the
College of Education
U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
MideofEducationalResearchandlmrovment
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
The University of South Carolina
'S This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
0 Minor changes have been made to
1998
improve reproduction quality.
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED BY
o Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
J. Lesslie
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
Major Professor and
1
Chairman, Examining Committee
Committee Member
Committee Member
)gtXt.4,
ember
ittee
MST COPY AMMER
A study of the Status of Women Senior Administrators
Within the North Carolina Community College System
by
James W. Lesslie
Bachelor Architecture
Clemson University, 1960
Master of Arts
Appalachian State University, 1989
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the
College of Education
The University of South Carolina
1998
Major Professor and
Chairman, Examining Committee
Committee Member
Committee Member
Graduate School
mittee
ember
Contents
ii
Contents
Acknowledgments
vi
Abstract
Chapter 1. Statement of the problem
1
Status of Women in Higher Education
2
Status of Women in Community Colleges
5
Community Colleges in North Carolina
6
Development of the North Carolina Community
College System
7
Post-war public junior colleges in North Carolina
8
Advancement Opportunities in the NCCCS
14
Salary Equity in North Carolina Community Colleges
17
19
Purpose of the Study
20
Delimitations of the Study
22
Significance of the Study
23
Methodology
23
Summary
25
Chapter 2. Review of the literature
Theory and Research in Educational Administration
26
31
Pay Equity
32
Career Problems
Differences in Language Between Women and Men
33
35
Competence Issues
Factors Affecting Advancement in Higher Education
37
Nationally
Women Administrators in Four-Year Institutions
38
Nationally
Women Administrators in Community Colleges
41
Nationally
ii
4
47
Gender Equity
Factors Affecting Likelihood of Women Entering
48
Administrative Positions
52
Increases in Earned Ph.D.'s by Women
53
Tenure
Leadership Styles of Community College
54
Presidents (CEOs)
57
Support for Women Administrators
60
Summary
63
Chapter 3. Methodology
63
Statement of the Problem
63
Research Questions
66
Sample and Sampling Plan
68
Sources of Evidence
69
Interview Process
72
Processing Evidence
74
Demographic Data
75
Table 1, Comparison of Titles
75
Trustworthiness Criteria
77
Summary
78
Summary of Study Procedures
80
Chapter 4. Results
Research Questions
84
106
Demographic Data
107
Summary
Chapter 5. Findings, conclusions, and
111
recommendations
111
Findings
112
Research Questions
119
Conclusions
121
Recent developments
123
Implications of this study
124
Recommendations for Further Research
127
References
137
Appendices
iv
6
Acknowledgments
growing conviction
This dissertation was motivated by a
administrative positions who
that many women in lower level
responsible positions within the
wanted to move into more
system were not allowed to
North Carolina community college
of
These women were capable
do so for a variety of reasons.
confronted community
handling the many different tasks that
barriers
Reasons creating such
college administrators.
limiting
encouragement of superiors to
range from a lack of
boards of trustees.
actions of higher administrators and
undertaken without the
This dissertation could not have been
who participated in the
support and cooperation of those
information shedding light on
study and provided valuable
All shared freely their
problems women administrators face.
providing data necessary for the
time and their experiences by
study.
read many papers and
I am indebted to my wife who
She also
requirements.
guided me in following the APA
Both my
used.
helped keep track of the many references
tedious hours
daughter and sister-in-law spent many
helped move the project
transcribing interview material and
along through that stage.
suffered through the
Finally, my doctoral committee
that
reviewing and exchange of information
many hours of
They
comprehensive.
made this work readable and
valuable
unhesitatingly supplied me with not only
continue throughout the
suggestions, but encouragement to
entire process.
Abstract
and examine
The purpose of this study was to identify
senior administrators
factors affecting advancement of women
and to
in the North Carolina Community College System
attaining
determine if progress has been made by women in
the
senior administrative positions since the last study on
Further, since previous
same subject fifteen years ago.
studies used questionnaires, personal interviews were
employed to allow greater clarification and depth of
responses.
Fifteen women senior administrators were selected
Community College
from colleges within the North Carolina
interviewed for
System (hereinafter called the NCCCS), and
Five were selected from the Western Region,
this study.
five from the Piedmont Region and five from the Eastern
Attempts were made to select
Region of the state.
respondents from large, medium and small community colleges
Respondents answered
if they were present in each region.
eight questions related to five research question and these
similarities and
were tabulated and analyzed for
differences.
Demographic data for the past ten years were obtained
These data included frequencies and
from the NCCCS.
Personal
salaries of men and women administrators.
interview data and demographic data were studied to
determine the progress women have made in senior
administrative positions.
Findings indicated that although more women are
8
vi
obtaining senior level administrative positions within the
NCCCS, most of their gains have been made in lower level
The levels of president and vice president
positions.
are the least likely to be occupied by women.
Demographic data indicate that women still have not achieved
salary equity with men in similar positions.
Women senior administrators believe that the
Comprehensive Plan for Administrative Leadership Through
Diversity Enhancement (hereafter called the Plan) has not
been an effective mechanism in assisting women to achieve
The primary purpose of the
senior administrative positions.
Plan is to provide a climate that will enhance advancement
At the time of this
opportunities for minorities and women.
study, most community colleges in North Carolina have not
adopted the Plan but have developed diversity programs of
their own.
vii
.61
Chapter 1
Statement of the Problem
continue to lag
Even today, as in the past, women
level
behind men in attaining the highest management
in
Women have a similar problem
positions in business.
in colleges and
gaining the highest administrative levels
with men in
Nor have women made equal gains
universities.
the area of income ("Not so bad," 1996).
board seats in the
In 1993, women held only 6.2% of the
During that
list.
1,000 companies within the Fortune 500
directorships out of 11,715.
same year, women held only 721
board members out of
In North Carolina, there were 32 female
("F6w women", 1993).
796 at the 74 largest public companies
in the United
A new United Nations report found that women
industrialized
States are slipping behind women of other
The report states:
nations in gaining gender equity.
pacesetters, are
U.S. women, who once were the world's
slipping behind women in four other countries who are
with men, a
making even faster progress toward equality
Between 1970 and 1992, American
U.N. report says.
fifth, behind four Nordic
women slid from first to
countries, on a "gender-related development index,"
today by the U.N.
says the report to be issued
Development Program. (Mollison, 1995, p. 9A)
economic progress by
One reason given for the lack of
is that they have earned only 35%
women in the United States
The Gender Empowerment Measure
of the national income.
1 10