The Impact of COVID-19 on the Careers of Women in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2021) / Chapter Skim
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6 Academic Leadership and Decision-Making
6 Academic Leadership and Decision-Making
Pages 83-94
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From page 83... ...
. Various studies have explored and documented the reasons for women's historical underrepresentation in academic leadership positions.
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From page 84... ...
the gender earnings gap decreases in the years after a woman replaces a man as a department chair; and (3) when a woman replaces a man as department chair, the number of women incoming graduate students increased by 10 percent without affecting the number of men.
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From page 85... ...
. The history of gender underrepresentation in leadership, gender inequities in academic decision-making, Gig Academy context,2 the global recession, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic outside higher education suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic will likely exacerbate long-standing gender inequalities for women's advancement into leadership as well as decisions that shape gender inequalities.
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From page 86... ...
. Academic capitalism prioritizes the marketization, individualism, and privatization of institutional operations as organizing principles for higher education.
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From page 87... ...
Because shared governance has been compromised within higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, many campuses are experiencing a heightening of gender inequalities. 3 For example, in October 2020, Canisius College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Keuka College, Marian University, Medaille College, National University, and Wittenberg University were being investigated by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
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From page 88... ...
In addition, during 2020, faculty and academic affairs offices were asked to take the brunt of many budget reductions, and faculty leaders questioned why they have not seen equivalent proposals for downsizing administration and other cost centers (Flaherty, 2020f) .6 Moreover, full-time faculty faced reduced incomes resulting from furloughs and decreased contributions to retirement programs.
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From page 89... ...
Another effort to include the expertise of existing DEI leaders on campus is illustrated in the letter from chief diversity officers to academic leaders within the University of California system.8 Campus leaders can also benefit from advice offered by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education on addressing inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic.9 Creating New Structures Some institutions have underscored the need for new structures that can support better decision-making and leadership during this critical time. For example, Indiana University is investing in additional racial justice research and is creating a task force to address the negative impact COVID-19 has had on 7 ADVANCE is a program funded by the National Science Foundation to increase the number of and support for women faculty and Faculty of Color in STEM.
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From page 90... ...
Other suggestions build on this notion of developing processes for supporting existing institutional decision-making structures but altering these processes so they include different individuals who might be more sensitive to gender equity issues. For example, one group recommended that academic leaders establish inclusive communication, continued monitoring for equitable distribution of resources, and conscientious attention to differential impacts on the workplace climate (Goodwin and Mitchneck, 2020)
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From page 91... ...
While a growing body of research provides suggestions about how to create equitable changes in "normal" times, it is particularly important to also look at the literature on crisis leadership to help inform decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic and similar disruptions. Perhaps surprisingly, some key practices that work during normal times can also work during a crisis when implemented with intentionality.
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From page 92... ...
Shared Leadership Shared leadership is "the dynamic, interactive influence process among individuals in groups for which the objective is to lead one another to the achievement of group or organizational goals or both" (Pearce and Conger, 2003) .10 A review of literature on shared leadership found four key elements that characterize shared leadership (Kezar and Holcombe, 2017)
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From page 93... ...
. Reports in the academic trade press suggest that faculty and staff have been advocating for regular meetings with senior university leaders and for creating avenues for communication between decision makers and those affected by the decisions (Flaherty, 2020b, 2020c, 2020f)
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From page 94... ...
Leaders who are focused on addressing gender equity would benefit from working strategically to address the emerging gender inequalities of the COVID-19 pandemic observed during 2020. Many campuses may need more mechanisms for bringing faculty and administrators together around decision-making and leadership, particularly for non-tenure-track faculty that are often excluded from governance.
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