Career
Paths of Women Chief Academic Officers in Community Colleges
Edinfo
01-10
October 2001
ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges
The chief academic officer
(CAO) is generally recognized as the highest-ranking administrative position
of an institution, also the most commonly held position prior to assuming a
community college’s presidency. Women now comprise 39% of the CAOs in public
comprehensive colleges belonging to the American Association of Community Colleges
(AACC). Through a study that surveyed 628 administrators of both sexes, with
a response rate of 60% (38.5% of the respondents are women), the investigators
examined the career paths and patterns of women CAOs.
The typical female CAO’s
profile is:
- Caucasian (84%)
- 51 years old
- Has earned a Ph.D.
- Has held current position
for about 5 years
- Career path (entry port)
began as a faculty member
Female CAOs differ from
male CAOs in that they:
- Are on average one year
younger than her male peers
- Have served less time
in her current position than her male colleagues
- Have held more positions
in her career and fewer years in those positions
The most common three-position
career paths for women CAOs, which represents a total of 64% of the sample,
are:
- Facultyà
Department or Program Chair
à CAO
- Facultyà
Primary Academic Officer à
CAO
- Department or Program
Chairà Primary
Academic Officer à CAO
- Other Higher Education
Postà Primary
Academic Officerà CAO
- CAOà
Other Higher Education Postà
CAO
- CAOà
Primary Academic Officerà
CAO
- Department or Program
Chairà Other
Higher Education Postà CAO
- Facultyà
Other Higher Education Postà
CAO
This information was reported
in ED443465, "Women Chief Academic Officers of Public Community Colleges: Significant
Predictors for Their Career Paths" by Cynthia B. McKenney and Brent D. Cejda.
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Updated 12/03/01