2004 DIVISION 35 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: GENDER AND LEADERSHIP IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Literature on gender, higher education administration, and leadership is reviewed using the framework of five principles derived from feminist psychology ( Worell & Johnson, 1997 ): (a) sociocultural context influences leadership situations, (b) power dynamics impact sociocultural structures, (c) people are active agents of coping and environmental change, (d) multiple perspectives are useful, and (e) collaboration is an important technique for changing organizations. Within this framework are discussions of the effects of historical context, gender discrimination and stereotyping, hierarchical organization, masculinized context, the interconnection between gender and status, and leadership as empowerment. Examples of administrative strategies that may promote feminist leadership behavior by college administrators are given, such as understanding behavior in context, promoting structural change, using active survival strategies, changing behavioral incentives, striving for activism and social justice, fostering interdisciplinary perspectives, and encouraging collaboration. Difficulties encountered by women attempting to change the higher education context and assume feminist leadership styles are discussed.