“THE CAVALRY ISN’T COMING”: EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCES OF FEMALE MIDDLE MANAGERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Date
2020
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Abstract
As of 2016, only 36% of community college presidents were women in contrast to the nearly 75% that held business and financial operation positions. This difference underscores the problem of the leaky pipeline that exists between middle management and more senior administrative positions as many women elect to forego more advanced roles. The purpose of this research was two-fold: to contribute to the fundamental knowledge of women’s experiences as mid-level administrators at a community college and to extend Dennis ‘s (2013) critical structural analysis model by employing two additional concepts that critically examine participant narratives: intersectional analysis and resistance analysis. This qualitative study explored a) the challenges that female administrators face and their coping strategies, b) the ways in which their institution has both supported and hindered their success and c) the factors that contribute to their decision to pursue more senior positions. The findings suggest that women in academia in middle-management positions face numerous structural and systemic barriers that prevent or hinder their career goals. These barriers include outside commitments and obligations (e.g. motherhood, elderly parent care) as well as a lack of mentorship. Findings also indicate that women of color in particular feel the need to suppress or mute parts of their identity in order to be successful in their jobs. Recommendations for further studies and implications for supporting female mid-level managers are discussed in the findings. Implications for extending Dennis’ (2013) critical structural narrative analysis are also discussed, and the benefits of including intersectionality and resistance analyses are highlighted.