Recognize, support and sustain women as campus leaders.(IN HER OWN WORDS)

It took Harvard, founded in 1636, 371 years. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point accomplished the same feat 110 years after its founding in 1894.

Because the history of leadership has been traditionally and exclusively male for generations, many schools are just now hiring their first female presidents.

Why is it taking so long for women to become leaders in higher education? Not surprising, those who hire or appoint leaders often have a gendered view of what leadership "looks" like and how power should be "held."

Institutional or departmental leadership looks "male" to those who believe leaders need to be assertive and controlling rather than nurturing, telling more often than listening or questioning, and use "power over" approaches rather than "power to" or "power with."

Although today more women hold positions of leadership and power in our universities and colleges (female presidents increased from 9.5% in 1986 to 23% in 2006), we need strategies to recognize leadership potential, support women leaders and sustain them in their jobs. And women leaders must see themselves as both role models and mentors.

Recognizing potential leaders

A program at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point pairs tenure-track professors with more veteran professors to provide support to each other and observe and constructively critique each other's teaching.