Date of Award

4-1995

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. David Cowden

Second Advisor

Dr. Charles Warfield

Third Advisor

Dr. Gwen Raaberg

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide information, in the community college setting, about the boards of trustees who hire the leaders o f these institutions, and to provide information about the men and women who have been successful in obtaining these positions.

Four basic hypotheses underlie this research. They are: (1) there is a difference in the characteristics of male and female community college presidents; (2) there is a difference in the selection processes which lead to the hiring of male community college presidents compared to those processes which lead to the hiring of female presidents; (3) there is a difference in the characteristics of the boards which hire male community college presidents as compared to the boards which hire female presidents, and (4) there is a difference in the community and institutional demographics o f those community colleges that have male presidents as compared to those that have female presidents.

Two hundred and forty-eight midwestern community college presidents were surveyed about the characteristics of the boards who hired them, and other factors relating to their presidency. Data from these surveys were used to construct profiles of male and female community college presidents, and profiles of boards which had hired male presidents and those which had hired female presidents. T-tests, ANOVAs, and chi-square analysis were used to compare data grouped by the sex of the president.

Support was found for two of the four hypotheses. First, the study supported the hypothesis that, there is a difference in the characteristics of male and female community college presidents. Female presidents were found to have an average of less years in the position of president, and to have an average of less experience as a chief executive officer than their male counterparts. The study also showed that female presidents have a substantially lower average annual salaiy than their male counterparts. No variables, other than the sex of the president, correlated with these differences. Finally, female community college presidents were found to come from a more diverse ethnic background than their male counterparts.

The study also supported the hypothesis that there is a difference in the characteristics of the boards who hire male community college presidents and those hiring female presidents. Boards that hired female presidents were found to come from a more varied ethnic background, and be more often employed in a professional capacity than their male counterparts.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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