Michigan deans provide helpful hints for wannabes.

Do you want to become a dean? Five Michigan women--four deans and one full-time chair of a large department--offered tips at the ACE Michigan women's network conference in East Lansing MI in June 2002.

Women pursue careers differently from men, according to Dr. Marietta Baba, dean of social sciences at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Men move straight toward their goal like lasers. Women pursue more varied opportunities while they work around children, husbands/partners and glass ceilings.

That's good and bad. The upside is that women develop diverse skills; they're flexible, adaptive and creative. The downside is that they take longer to get there, earn less and get more easily sidetracked or discouraged.

Strategic opportunism

"While you have a goal and a way to get there, you have to be ready to go with the flow and take opportunities that move you toward your goal," Baba said. Such strategic opportunism carried her from anthropology professor at Wayne State University to dean at Michigan State in summer 2001. Her experience suggested:

* Gain administrative experience somewhere. After being assistant director of curriculum development and an administrative intern, she took a position as community college liaison, which reported directly to the president.

* Maintain an active academic career. She continued to teach, publish and work with graduate students, keeping academic credibility by rising to full professor.