Changing the Demographics of
the Leadership Pipeline:
One Woman, One State at a Time
Presented by Diana Cordova, Ph.D.
Vice President, Leadership Programs
American Council on Education (ACE)
TWHE Conference – April 2013
The American Council on Education
• ACE represents the presidents of all types of U.S.
accredited degree-granting institutions, which include twoand four-year colleges, private and public universities, and
non-profit and for-profit entities.
• Over 1,800 member institutions, 75 percent of which have
been with ACE for more than 10 years.
• Together, ACE member institutions serve 80 percent of
today’s college students.
Strategic Priority for Leadership
Provide leadership programs to meet
the need for diverse, skilled, and ample
leadership for higher education.
ACE Leadership
Focuses on programs, research, and
resources for presidents and CAOs
Focuses on programs and resources
for rising administrators (dept. chairs
and above)
Helps foster greater diversity and
inclusion in leadership ranks
Focuses on programs and research
that help senior leaders improve
institutional capacity and effectiveness
ACE Leadership at-a-Glance
•25+ program convenings held in 2012-2013
•Over 600 total participants
•Launched 4 new programs and initiatives during
2012-2013:
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ACE Institute for New Presidents (INP)
ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs
Spectrum Executive Leadership Program
Diversity Matters in U.S. Higher Education Issue Brief
Series
•And the best is yet to come…
ACE’s Commitment to Advancing
Women Leaders
• 1977 - National Women’s Leadership Forums
• 1977 - ACE Women’s Network established
– Now in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and DC
– Over 5,000+ women leaders take part in programs
sponsored by state networks every year
– Network Executive Council provides guidance to state
networks
• 2003 - Regional Leadership Forums
• 2012 - Moving the Needle Initiative
• 2013 - Launch of Spectrum Program
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• National Women’s Leadership Forums
– December 2012, Arlington, VA
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Record participation – 46 women leaders
Next offering: June 19-21, 2013,
Arlington, VA
• Regional Women’s Leadership Forums
– February 13-15, 2013, Southern California (Univ. of La Verne)
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May 20-22,2013; New York (Mercy College)
September 16-18, 2013, North Dakota (Univ. of North Dakota)
 Director: Kim Bobby
• National Women’s Leadership Forum
– 3-day program for senior women administrators
– Held twice per year (June and December) in Washington,
DC
– Curricular topics:
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Fundraising, Leading in Times of Crisis, Media Training
Developing an Effective Search Strategy
Mock Video-taped Interviews and CV/Cover Letter Review
Contract Negotiation
Financial Empowerment for Women Leaders
Transitioning to the Presidency (advice from experienced women
presidents)
• Regional Women’s Leadership Forum
– 3-day program for mid-level women administrators
(Department Chairs and above)
– Held two or three times per year in locations across the
country.
– Curricular topics:
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Career Mapping
Crisis and Emergency Management
Managing Diversity and Inclusivity on Campus
Becoming an Effective Fundraiser in Challenging Times
Lessons from the Lives of Presidents
Developing an Effective Search Strategy
CV and Cover Letter Review
• Spectrum Executive Leadership Program
– 8-month program for diverse senior-level administrators
from underrepresented groups who are interested in
seeking a presidency in near term.
– Two face-to-face convenings (March & October), virtual
meetings and webinars in intervening months
– Assessment Phase consisting of 360 evaluation plus
Strengths Finder; feedback provided by expert consultant
– Participants will work with presidential mentors to
develop a professional development plan
– 32 participants in inaugural cohort; first convening held
March 28-29 in DC
• ACE Fellows Program
– 54 in 2013 class; 50 in 2014 class
– Leadership Academy for Department Chairs (LADC)
– Year-long engagement, 2-day workshop, webinar series
and Blackboard-based support
– August, Miami University of Ohio (116 participants)
– October, Chicago (closed at 104)
– January, Long Beach (closed at 102)
– July 2013, Colorado
 Interim Director: Margarita Benitez
Advancing to the Presidency
• Next program to be held October 2013. Apply now.
• Alumni base of 265+ since program was launched in
2005. Approximately 40 percent of participants from the
first four classes are currently presidents.
• Focus:
o Day 1: Developing an effective presidential search
strategy. Work with search consultants.
o Day 2: Transitioning to a presidency. Seven sitting
presidents served as facilitators in last workshop.
ACE Institute for New Presidents
• Focus—practical executive leadership development
for presidents in their first 2 years of service
• 9 months (July – March)
– Three face-to-face convenings
• July, December, and March
– Webinar series
• 20 participants in inaugural class
• Currently soliciting applications
for 2013-2014 class
ACE Institute for New Presidents
•Major topics addressed:
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Governance: Working effectively with Boards
Building a high-performing executive team
Leading in times of crisis
Developing a sound communications
strategy and building relationships with the media
Avoiding presidential traps and landmines and
staying true to values
Embarking on a capital campaign
Making smart decisions about technology
The brand advantage: Branding the institution
Effective use of legal counsel – developing the legal “radar”
The Statistics: Corporate America
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8% of corporate leadership is female
3% of Fortune 500 CEOs are female
16% of boards and corporate officers are female
1.9% of corporate officers are minority females
1.9% of board directors are minority women
12% of Fortune 500 companies have no women
on the board
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Source: The Face of Corporate Leadership by Toni Wolfman in the New England Journal of Public Policy, Spring 2007
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Gender Composition of Higher Ed Public and Independent
Governing Boards, 1969-2010
30%
2010
28%
28%
29%
2004
Public
26%
1997
Independent
30%
20%
1985
23%
12%
12%
1969
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Source: Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and Universities (AGB)
35%
Women in Law
• In 2010 women comprised:
– 47% of law students
– 31% of attorneys
– 20% of partners at law firms
• Womens’ salaries were 77% of men’s
salaries.
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Women in Politics
• 17% of Senate and House of
Representatives
• 9% of the mayors of 100 largest US cities
• 24% of state legislatures
• 12% of governors
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How are We Doing in Higher Ed?
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The American College President 2012
• Only study that provides a comprehensive, in-depth look
at presidents from all sectors of American higher
education.
• This is the 7th report since 1986 providing a great source
of longitudinal data.
• 1,662 respondents – 50% response rate for 2012 edition.
• ACE is grateful to TIAA-CREF Institute for their support
of this report.
ACPS 2012: Women and the Presidency
• Share of women presidents has increased
from 23 percent to 26 percent since 2006
(13 percent in 1986).
• Most of the recent growth among White
women. Only 4 percent of presidents are
women of color.
Women Presidents by Institution Type: 1986 to 2011
Doctorate-Granting
Master's
Baccalaureate
Associate's
40%
33%
30%
29%
23%
20%
22%
16%
10%
23%
23%
22%
14%
10%
8%
0%
4%
1986
1990
1995
1998
2001
2006
2011
Length of Service: 1986-2011
9
8
8.5
7
7
7.3
6
5
6.3
6.7
1986
1990
6.9
6.6
4
3
2
1
0
1995
1998
2001
2006
2011
Marital Status of Presidents: 2012
100%
4
1
6
12
80%
Never MarriedReligious
Divorced or
Separated
60%
40%
Never Married
Widowed
90
72
20%
Domestic Partner
Married
0%
Men
Women
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ACPS 2012: Racial/Ethnic Diversity of
Presidents
• Share of racial/ethnic minority presidents
decreased from 14 percent in 2006 to 13
percent in 2011.
• The decline in minority presidents appears
to occur within HSI’s.
Minority Presidents: 1986, 2006, and 2011
8%
Total Minority
14%
13%
5%
African American
1986
6%
6%
2006
2011
1%
1%
1%
American Indian
0%
1%
2%
Asian American
2%
Hispanic
5%
4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
Minority Presidents III: 2006 and 2011
White
African American
Hispanic
Other
4% 3%
3%
91%
Non-MSI (2011)
4% 3%
3%
91%
Non-MSI (2007)
MSI (2011)
46%
28%
41%
MSI (2007)
0%
20%
27%
40%
60%
15%
23%
80%
9%
9%
100%
ACPS 2012: Aging of Presidents
• Average age of presidents in 2011 is 61, up from
60 in 2006.
• 58 percent of presidents are over the age of 61
(up from 49 percent in 2006).
• Between 1986 and 2011 the majority of
presidents have shifted from 50 or younger to 61
or older
The Aging of Presidents: 1986, 2006, and 2011
100%
90%
13.9
80%
49.3
70%
60%
61 or older
58
44.4
51 to 60
50%
31 to 50
40%
30%
20%
42.6
31.8
41.6
10%
0%
1986
8.1
10.1
2006
2011
ACPS 2012: Career Paths of Presidents
• Twenty percent of presidents’ most recent
prior position was outside of higher
education, up from 13 percent in 2006.
• Presidents coming from outside higher
education no more racially diverse.
Most Recent Position: 2011
Outside Higher
Education, 20%
President/CEO,
20%
Chair/Faculty, 4%
Sr. Exec Student
Affairs, 5%
Sr. Exec
Business/Admin,
7%
Other Sr. Exec
Academic Affairs,
11%
CAO/Provost,
34%
Long-Standing Presidents’ Time Demands:
Areas Most Likely to Occupy More Time
Areas Insufficiently Prepared for First Presidency
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Fundraising
Governance Issues/Board Relations
Risk Management
Capital Improvements
Entrepreneurial Ventures
Athletics
On the Pathway to the Presidency
• Follow-up study to The American College President:
2012 Edition.
• Describes characteristics of senior leaders other
than presidents (previous report in 2005).
• Partnership with College and University Professional
Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
• Sponsored by TIAA-CREF Institute.
Methods and Data
• Surveyed HR directors at 2,300 regionally accredited,
degree-granting institutions.
• Used CUPA-HR position taxonomy and ACPS results
to identify 35 positions “on the pathway.”
• Asked for information in HR databases.
• 308 institutions responded with info about 3,900
positions (13% response rate).
• Due to low response rate among 2 year institutions
findings focus on 4 year institutions.
On the Pathway to the Presidency
• What is the age profile of senior leaders?
• Are those in position to be the next
generation of presidents more diverse than
the current group?
• To what extent have current
leaders benefitted from succession
planning?
Senior Administrators at Four Year
institutions are Younger than Presidents
Sources: The American College President: 2012 Edition; On the Pathway to Presidency 2013:
Characteristics of Higher Education’s Senior Leadership.
Women Less Likely
to Hold Key “Line” Positions
Source: On the Pathway to Presidency 2013: Characteristics of Higher Education’s Senior Leadership.
Gender Diversity Among
Senior Administrators by Institutional Type,
2007
Associate's
Baccalaureate
Master's
Doctorate
52%
42%
38%
34%
48%
58%
62%
Female
Male
66%
Source: ACE. 2008. On the Pathway to Presidency: Characteristics of Higher Education ’s Senior Leadership.
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Senior Administrators No More
Likely to be People of Color
Sources: The American College President: 2012 Edition.; On the Pathway to Presidency: 2013 Characteristics of
Higher Education’s Senior Leadership.
Minorities Most Likely to Hold
Diversity and Student Affairs Positions
Source: On the Pathway to Presidency 2013: Characteristics of Higher Education’s Senior Leadership.
Racial/Ethnic Diversity Among
Senior Administrators by Institutional Type,
2007
Source: ACE. 2008. On the Pathway to Presidency: Characteristics of Higher Education ’s Senior Leadership.
Senior Administrators
More Likely to be Internal Hires
Source: On the Pathway to Presidency 2013: Characteristics of Higher Education’s Senior Leadership.
CAOs’ Presidential Aspirations, by
Gender and Race/Ethnicity, 2008
25%
33%
28%
35%
34%
48%
28%
23%
24%
Intend to
seek a
presidency
Undecided
33%
30%
27%
47%
44%
47%
25%
Women
Men
White
African
American
33%
36%
Asian
American
Hispanic
Source: ACE.2009. The CAO Census: A National Profile of Chief Academic Officers.
With generous support from TIAA-CREF institute.
Do not
intend to
seek a
presidency
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Putting it all in Perspective
• Sobering news regarding gender/racial diversity in
presidential ranks. Women continue to increase their
representation, but at a slow pace.
• The high number of projected presidential retirements
may present a challenge or even a perceived temporary
shortage of leadership. But it also presents an
opportunity to diversify the leadership of higher
education.
• Need for institutions to focus intentionally on succession
planning.
• Increasing Board diversity will be key if we are to make
progress in diversifying senior leadership ranks.
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For Discussion
– What are some of the continuing barriers that are
preventing more women from reaching top leadership
positions in higher education?
– What are the key levers for change? What needs to
change in order for more women to reach the top?
For Discussion
– How can we more effectively sustain women leaders
once they reach the top? What type of resources and
support mechanisms ought to be in place? What can
the associations do to support these efforts?
Thoughts and Questions