Book Review: Higher Education, Leadership and Women Vice Chancellors

Abstract

The paucity of women leaders in higher education continues despite advancement by women in other fronts of the educational pipeline. Today, more women are attending and graduating from college in the United States, but something occurs en route to the top-level leadership positions in these same college settings. The portrait of college leaders continues to consist of White men, as it has since the initial founding of universities. Paula Burkinshaw analyzes the situation of the missing women leaders in the United Kingdom, specifically in the position of Vice Chancellor. Burkinshaw’s long career in leadership development in university settings initially provided her with an awareness of the underrepresentation of women in top leadership positions. As she began her doctoral studies, she had an opportunity to ask “where are the women?” Her book builds on her dissertation research, which involved one-on-one interviews with 18 women who were vice chancellors.