How do women presidents balance career and family?

Attempting to balance work and life is always tricky. But when you're part of a dual career family and also a college or university president, it's critical to success.

As part of her dissertation, Dr. Jodi Cahalan studied five women university presidents who are members of dual career families. Cahalan, dean of health sciences at Des Moines University IA, sought to identify factors that contribute to a successful balance between work and home and barriers that prevent achieving balance. She reported at the University of Nebraska's Women in Educational Leadership conference held in Lincoln in October.

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Cahalan began with a list of 120 women presidents. Eliminating members of religious orders narrowed the number to 53. Further winnowing resulted in a list of 22, to whom she sent letters inviting participation. Five women agreed to be part of her study, all renamed here to preserve their privacy.

* Dr. Barbara Landry, PhD -- President since 2004 of a 10,000-student, private college, Landry has been married to a pastor for 38 years. They have a daughter and a son. She started as an adjunct at her current school and her first full-time job was in administration.

* Dr. Kathleen Noll, PhD -- President since 2002 of a public doctoral university with enrollment of 15,000, Noll has been married for 38 years to an attorney. They have four daughters.

* Dr. Linda Wilder, PhD -- President for 15 years of a public doctoral university with an enrollment of 25,000, Wilder has been married for 40 years to a professor. They have two daughters and a son.