The Prospects for Women
Patrick F. Bassett, NAIS President
bassett@nais.org
2012 Google Science Fair
Clean Sweep in all Age Categories
• 10,000 Entries world-wide
• 1st Place for 17-18 year old:
Ovarian cancer chemotherapy
research
• 1st Place for 15-16 year old:
Effects of air quality on asthmatics
• 1st Place for 13-14 year old:
Marinades carcinogenic impact on
grilling foods
(lemon juice + brown sugar reduced; risk soy sauce
increased risk)
• Girls & STEM Programming:
New York Times – Science Section
Girls & Girls Schools Rock
The College to Career Pipeline
Are Women Better Educated then Men?
 Women first surpassed men in earning Bachelor's
degrees in 1996. In 2011, they surpassed men in
advanced degrees (master's or higher). CBS News
04/26/11
 "The New Math on Campus": Women have been at
least 57% of the class since 2000. NYT
 51% of new entrants into the workplace between 1994
and 2005 were minorities and 62% were
female. (ASAE “Check your Diversity Blindspots“
 Study of the Effect of Women on Men (Men’s Health
Magazine January, 2011)
The College to Career Pipeline
Are Women Better Educated then Men?
 Women while in college express higher levels of engagement,
graduate in higher percentages, and indicate higher levels of
satisfaction with their college experience (Washington Post, August 18, 2011
citing Pew Study on American Life)
 Half of the women graduates surveyed rated college as “excellent” or
“good” in terms of value vs. 37 percent of men
 Women were also more likely to report that the college experience had
fostered their personal and intellectual growth.
 Schizophrenic response: Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that it
was a good thing that more women than men are graduating from
college…until the question was reversed and they were asked whether
it’s a good thing that fewer men than women are graduating:
Decidedly, and emphatically, not.
Why Women Aren’t Moving Up the Ladder: Ted Talk
Run
Messages to our Female
Colleagues & Daughters
1. Sit at the table
(confidence & sacrifice)
Former COO of Google, appointed in
2008 as CEO of Facebook
Percentage of Women as NAIS
heads of school:
35%
2. Make your partner a real
partner
(equality in shared work/life
balance)
3. Don’t leave before you leave
(stay ambitious & engaged &
moving upward until the day you
leave)
NAIS Still Aspiring Study - 2010
Factors for Under-Representation of Women in Headship Appointments
 Women in the Fellowship program do share some of the
characteristics of successful candidates for heads’
positions: older; many years of experience. But…
 Less likely than the men to have risen to the rank of
assistant head - that important precursor to getting the job
as a head.
 Less confidence in their connections and interviewing
skills, the reputation of schools where they have worked,
and their ability to fit into a school’s culture.
 Demonstrate less urgency about finding a position,
looking at a desired timeframe of five years or longer.
Factors for Under-Representation of Women in Headship Appointments
 Less likely than men to pursue headships vigorously, foregoing
such efforts as registering with multiple search firms and applying
for multiple positions.
 Express more doubts about undertaking the position as a head and
sacrificing their home or personal life.
 More likely than men to say that the time commitment associated
with the head of school position is unappealing.
 More apt than men to say that staying in their local area is an
important factor, often due to children and working spouses.
 When asked how their gender has impacted their job search, those
women who are interested in single-sex schools say their gender has
been an advantage, but others say that it is a disadvantage.
So what to conclude?
Prospects for Women
Long-term: Excellent prospects…
 Since women dominate the educational pathways to
success at all levels.
 Since the entry bar to leadership is higher, women tend
to be exceptional leaders, paving the way for others.
(“Diversity and Leadership in a Changing World,” Eagly & Chin)
Short-term:
 Problematic as decision-makers making top leadership
choices in virtually all industries, including ours, are male
(and white).
So what to conclude?
Prospects for Women
Transitional period, current women leaders focus on :
 Mentoring on the sacrifice/achievement spectrum
 Coaching that research shows women must guard
against “stereotype threat” (subtle raising issues of
gender and competence) since it makes women less
confident and less positive about seeking leadership
(“Diversity and Leadership in a Changing World,” Eagly & Chin)
 Appointing women to a variety of internal senior posts
that provide varied experience & serve as traditional
stepping stones
 Choosing & advocating to populate search committees
at all levels fairly, wisely, & purposively.
The Endgame is in Sight
Patrick F. Bassett, NAIS President
bassett@nais.org
New Math on Campus
Herman Trend Alert
Women---Expanding their Sphere of Influence
February 8, 2012
Women in the workplace more than ever
describe themselves as…
• Ambitious…
• Decisive… and
• Stressed
Return
January Men’s Health Report on effect of women on men’s intelligence
• 70 college males administered critical
thinking test to establish baseline IQ
• Then told a woman was watching them
behind a one-way mirror and given a
comparable test.
• Scores plummeted, proving, women make
men stupid.
Return