<p> Women continue to be greatly underrepresented in the school superintendency. Today, only 24.1% of superintendent positions are held by women&mdash;a slight increase from 13.2% in 2000 (Kowalski, McCord, Petersen, Young, &amp; Ellerson, 2010). This study explored the barriers that women in California face when seeking and serving in the capacity of superintendent. Studying the barriers that women have encountered when aspiring to the superintendent position may better prepare other women for the top leadership position in public schools. </p><p> The research questions used to guide the study were: What barriers do women encounter while seeking and serving in the position of superintendent? How do women utilize support systems while aspiring to and serving in the position of superintendent? How do women perceive support systems' ability to enable women to overcome barriers? And, how do women use social networks while serving in the position of superintendent? </p><p> The methodology for this study was a mixed-method design. There were quantitative and qualitative data collected and analyzed. Surveys were sent to 26 female superintendents in California public school districts. From the surveys returned, purposeful sampling was used to select five female superintendents from Southern California public schools for one-on-one interviews.</p>

<p> The purpose of this paper is to conduct a qualitative phenomenological study with the intention to explain, explore, and determine the factors that lead to the emergence of women as leaders in Egypt. Accomplishing this investigation required the assessment of how participants perceive a condition through experience and consciousness and how events appear from a first-person point of view. The purposefully selected participants were women in leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. Ten women were interviewed two times each over six months. The study attempts to shed light on the factors that contribute to women in Egypt obtaining leadership positions. This study investigated the factors that contribute to the lack of women acquiring positions of management, guidance, and leadership -- positions usually dominated by men in Egypt by asking: (a) What are the perceived factors that contribute to the lack of women acquiring positions of management, guidance, and leadership? and (b) What are the perceived positions of leadership women occupy the most? Information was collected from the interviewee using the guide approach to provide a focus for the researcher and participants. This approach permitted a certain amount of autonomy and flexibility to acquire the appropriate information from the interviewee. The interviews consisted of presenting open-ended questions allowing women to reflect on how they were successful in obtaining these leadership positions. The study revealed four pertinent themes: (a) family influence, (b) leadership position, (c) family obligations, and (d) level of education. </p>

<p> Since the inception of Student Affairs, males have dominated senior level positions. While females are earning every degree type at a higher rate than their male counterparts, there are more women in entry and mid-level positions that often feel relegated to these roles as they seek advancement to a Senior Student Affairs Officer (SSAO) position. Whereas the gender gap has dramatically decreased over time at four-year private institutions, the largest gender gap within SSAO positions continues to exist at four-year public institutions. Using a phenomenological approach, this qualitative study explores the career trajectories of 15 current female SSAOs at four-year public institutions. The study examines factors that led to their success, challenges related to their gender, and advice given to females who aspire to obtain an SSAO position at a four-year public institution. Critical feminist theory was the theoretical framework used to undergird the study and to help examine gender inequalities. All women currently hold a Dean of Students, Assistant/Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, or Vice President of Student Affairs position at four-year public institutions within three states. Five themes arose from the data, culled from two series of semi-structured interviews and resume analysis: (a) educational and career trajectory patterns, (b) mentorship matters, (c) pathways to advancement, (d) roadblocks to the SSAO position, and (e) advice given. Findings related to why the largest gender gap persists at four-year public institutions were also discussed. Interpretations of the findings, limitations, and recommendations for future research and practice were shared.</p>

<p> The purpose of the study was to identify perceived effective leadership in higher education by examining the indicators of effective leadership in a holistic viewpoint from an executive female leaders approach. Theoretical studies have examined female leadership development; however few have statistical data to address the concept. In addition, leadership competencies in four year higher education institutions have not been clearly stated; therefore evaluations are not consistent and have no baseline by which to begin. The study addressed both leadership competencies in four year institutions as well as female leadership. The study utilized Q Methodology with a two tier approach to conceptualize the perception female leaders in higher education have on effective leadership. Participants received a concourse of 61 statements to sort according to their perception of effective leadership indicators which they have observed in others they have worked alongside with a ranking system of &ldquo;most effective leadership indicator&rdquo; (+5) through &ldquo;least effective leadership indicator&rdquo; (-5). Participants were also asked to sort the same statements, with the same ranking scale, based off the perception of their own leadership indicators. Participants included 18 (for Qsort1) and 15 (for Qsort2) female vice-presidents/chancellors from higher educational institutions in North Carolina and Maryland. In addition, participants completed post-sort questions for demographic purposes as well as to further explain their rankings of the top three and lowest three statements in each of their sorts. For both Qsort1 and Qsort2, two factors emerged from each as effective leadership indicators: Adaptive Leadership and Enabling Leadership. </p><p> The results of this study indicate that effective leadership in higher education needs to be both adaptive and enabling to the environment in which one is placed. A primary need for effective leadership is the ability to provide long-range planning through objective analysis, thinking ahead, and planning. In addition, using frameworks to analyze complex situations and understanding complexities as well as emerging trends in higher education are important for effective leadership in higher education. The overarching areas which the participants point toward in their rankings of the statements are the need for flexibility, adapting to circumstances, and helping others learn their roles to be self-sufficient. The area which did not appear as important for effective leadership was the theme of administrative leadership. These statements encompassed following procedure and process to complete tasks. </p><p> The insight provided by the female executive leaders in higher education regarding effective leadership indicators are relevant to several areas. Gaining a deeper understanding of what areas females can pursue in order to be effective leaders can only strengthen their positioning in the higher education career ladder. In addition, higher education institutions seeking to utilize more accurate performance standards for those in leadership positions could utilize the results to place a threshold for executive leaders to adhere to. The current study should be utilized as a springboard for future leadership studies in the areas of higher education and female leadership to further provide empirical information which could enhance the leadership skills of future female leaders. </p>

<p> Community college trustees are critical to the success of the organization and the students they serve because they provide the voice of local needs in alignment with the college mission. Community college trusteeship in California is vital given the changing student demographic, the growing number of Latinos enrolled, and their need for responsive institutions. The diversity of the board is therefore critical to ensuring that the diverse needs are being met. However, little is known about the lives of California's community college trustees and how they transform educational settings. </p><p> The purpose of this qualitative study is to shed light on the personal, educational, professional, and trusteeship journey of five Chicana/Latina trailblazers, the first Chicana/Latinas to be elected to their district. Using testimonio methodology to give voice to this group of women, this study is set in the Chicana Feminist Epistemological stance, which put these participants in the center of this study, providing the participants an opportunity to co-create knowledge, and allowed the researcher to apply the use of Chicana intuition, to guide the study design. The theoretical framework, Latino Critical Theory (LatCrit) was used as the analytical lens exposing raced, classed, and gendered experiences in the school setting. Through the use of a LatCrit lens, this study exposed the participant's experiential knowledge, critical to their successful navigation oftheir trusteeship, creating more responsive institutions. </p><p> The findings reveal that these participants, as a collective, felt the trauma of the race, class and gendered experiences in the educational setting. These experiences shaped their worldview. Nonetheless the women developed aspirations to become educators and these aspirations led them to college where they were able to move beyond internal oppression by developing a social consciousness and develop a Chicana identity. These experiences led them to social activism, which served as the path to community college trusteeship. They became the first Chicana/Latina community college trustees in their district, taking a seat at the dais and it is there that these trailblazers created a legacy of inclusion and transformed the educational setting.</p>