the evolving role of the female sio: challenges & lessons learned
DESCRIPTION
The Evolving Role of the Female SIO: Challenges & Lessons Learned. PRESENTERS Tanith Fowler CorsiPia Wood Penelope Pynes Assistant Vice President,Associate Provost, Associate Provost, Global EducationInternational Education International Programs - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
The Evolving Role of the Female SIO: Challenges & Lessons
Learned
PRESENTERS
Tanith Fowler Corsi Pia Wood Penelope PynesAssistant Vice President, Associate Provost, Associate Provost,Global Education International Education International ProgramsCatholic University of America University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of North
Carolina at Greensboro
02/21/2012
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Major Themes Explored
• Evolving profile, role and definition of the female SIO
• Female SIO Follow up Survey Results
• Challenges Facing Female SIOs
• Lessons Learned
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Evolving Role of the Female SIO
• More women are getting into leadership positions in international education
• Women have to define their role and influence in relation to evolving field and SIO male counterparts
• Woman have unique experiences and challenges which can add to the field and create opportunities for networking and mentorship
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Follow up Survey Questions• What is your present title?• What is the name of your institution or organization?• What are/were the two biggest challenges you faced in moving up the
ranks and into your present position?• Which if any of the two challenges you identified above, do you think
are/were based on gender at least to some extent?• What educational pathway did you follow?• If you have a Ph.D., was it necessary for your present position?• What experience/career path did you follow? What were the
steps/positions taken to reach your present position?• What do you want your next career step to be?• Did you have one or more mentors? If yes were they male or female?• What was the most useful way your mentor(s) helped you?• Salary: do you make less than $100,000 or more than $100,000? (or
leave this question blank if you are not comfortable answering).
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Survey Questions – 2• Are you the chief international officer?• Do you report directly to the Chief Academic Officer? Chief Student
Affairs Officer? President or Chancellor? • If not to one of the above, who do you report to? How many layers are
between you and the Chief Academic Officer, Chief Student Affairs Officer, or President/Chancellor?
• Are you part of the “inner circle/cabinet” of Chief Academic Officer, Chief Student Affairs Officer, or President/Chancellor?
• What units report to you? (list them)• For the international units that exist at your university but do not report
to you, who do they report to?• Are you responsible for any major activities/units that are not part of
international education? If yes, please list them.• In your work outside the United States/Canada, have you experienced any
gender bias? If yes, how often and can you give examples? • Do you think you (or any SIO) could move to the position of Chief
Academic Officer, Academic Dean or President/Chancellor? If no, why not? If yes, what (experience, academic credentials, etc.) would allow you to make such a move?
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Survey Numbers
Questionnaires Male Female
Questionnaires sent 99 40 59
Total responses 74 (74.7%) 34 (85%) 40 (68%)
Total responses of SIOs 56 (73.7%) 29 (52%) 27 (48%)
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Schools in Survey
School type Male FemalePublic 21 (72.4%) 15 (55.6%)Private 8 (27.6%) 11 (40.7%)No response 1 (3.7%)
School Size Male FemaleLess than 15,000 9 (31%) 12 (44.4%)
More than 15,000 20 (69%) 11 (51.9%)
No response 1 (3.7%)
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Reporting StructureWho SIO reports to Male FemaleCAO 24 (82.8%) 19 (70.4%)President or Chancellor 1 (3.4%) 0Other Academic Affairs 4 (13.8%) 7 (25.9%)Other Student Affairs 0 1 (3.7%)None of the above 0 0
SIO in Inner Circle (e.g., Deans Council) Male FemaleYes 17 (58.6%) 13 (48.1%)No 11 (37.9%) 14 (51.9%)No response 1 (3.4%) 0
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Salary & QualificationSIO Salary Male FemaleMore than $100,000 24 (82.8%) 12 (41.4%)Less than $100,000 2 (6.9%) 10 (34.5%)No response 3 (10.3%) 5 (17.2%)
Ph.D. Required of SIO Male FemaleYes 22 (75.8%) 14 (51.8%)Strongly Encouraged 5 (17.2%) 7 (25.9%)No 2 (6.8%) 3 (11.1%)No Answer 0 3 (11.1%)
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Areas of ResponsibilityAreas of SIO Responsibility Male FemaleNo Answer 0 3 (11.1%)ESL 10 (34.3%) 8 (29.6%)International Admissions (Graduate) 5 (17.2%) 1 (3.7%)International Admissions (Undergraduate) 11 (37.9%) 4 (14.8%)International/Global campus programming 24 (82.7%) 15 (55.5%)International risk management 13 (44.8%) 12 (44.4%)International Student & Scholar Services 23 (79.3%) 18 (66.6%)Intl Student Recruitment 13 (44.8%) 10 (37.0%)Internationalizing the Curriculum 18 (62.0%) 11 (40.7%)Languages across the Curriculum 5 (17.2%) 1 (3.7%)Managing Branch Campuses 7 (24.1%) 2 (7.4%)Study Abroad & Exchanges 29 (100.0%) 22 (81.4%)Other 8 (27.5%) 11 (40.7%)
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Educational/Career Path 54 Responses (28 M and 26 F)
BA/MA/JD to Int. Education Administration
Female
3 (6% of T. & 13% of F)
Male
2 (4% of T & 7% of M)
BA/MA/JD to lecturer/ adjunct to Int. Ed. Admin.
0 1 (2% of T & 4% of M)
BA/MA/PHD to Int. Education Administration
6 (11% of T & 23% of F) 7 (13% of T & 25% of M)
BA/MA/PHD to Lecturer/ adjunct to Int. Ed. Admin
2 (4% of T & 3% of F) 1 (2% of T & 4% of M)
BA/MA/PHD to tenure-track/tenure to Int. Education Administration
11 (20% of T & 42% of F) 16 (30% of T & 57% of M)
Unclear/Unknown 4 (7% of T & 15% of F) 1 (2% of T & 4% of M)
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Next Career Step 54 Reponses (28 M & 26 F)
Next Career Step Male Female
Move to another institution/organization
6 4
Stay at present institution 6 7
President/Provost 2 1
Retire 7 5
Back to Faculty 3 0
Dean 1 0
Unsure 2 3
Other: Misc 0 3
No Answer 1 3
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Can SIO move to Chief Academic Officer or President?
Can SIO Move Male Female
NO 7 7
YES 21 19
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
NO cannot move: why not?
No cannot move
Must be an academic dean first
Not enough preparation and academic experiences
No faculty reporting to SIO
No Academic experience
SIO seen as “staff” and not “line” management
Not same skill set
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Yes can move: IF….Yes: IF….
If Internationalization is a priority
If you have PHD and teaching/research experience
If you are full professor with tenure
If you have senior faculty rank and publications
If you have tenure
If you have academic experience
If you have broad administrative experience
If you are a known scholar
If you have fundraising experience, you could move to president
Hypothetically yes but better first to be dean (must have academic credentials)
Easier to move to president than chief academic officer
Could move to dean but not to Provost/President
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Did you have one or more Mentors?
Mentors Male Female
Yes 19 20
No 9 4
No Answer 0 2
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
If yes, were they male, female or both?
Yes to Mentors Male (Total 19 said yes) Female (Total 20 said yes)
Male Mentor 2 4
Female Mentor 3 3
Both Male and Female 14 13
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
What was the most useful way your mentor helped you?
Most useful way Male Female
Listening/advice 0 6
Trust (both directions) 0 3
Helping me understand how I impacted others
1 0
Built my confidence 0 1
Character development 1 0
Teaching/research skills 1 0
Serve as example/guide 2 3
Gave me responsibility/authority/Autonomy/freedom
1 1
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
What was the most useful way your mentor helped you? (page 2)
Most useful way Male Female
Encouragement/Believed in me
2 7
Information/Knowledge1.How to prioritize2. How to write grants3. How to manage personnel4. Politics of higher education5. Information about institutional culture6. Information about Administration
11 6
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
What were/are your two biggest challenges in moving up the ranks
to present position?Challenges Male Female
Adapting to Institutional culture
1 0
Taking on too many things 1 0
Navigating organizational politics
0 1
Age (youth) 1 0
Effective Communication with many units
1 0
Lower pay than male counterparts
0 1
Lack of mentoring 0 1
Balance: Faculty/Admin. 0 1
Lack of financial resources 2 2
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
What were/are your two biggest challenges in moving up the ranks
to present position? (page 2)Challenges Male Female
Adapting to US Culture 1 0
Woman supervising men/no high ranking women
0 1
Transition faculty to admin 1 1
Exclusion from Decision-Making
0 3
Not as personally aggressive as men
0 1
Non-native English speaker/non American
2 0
Lack of acceptance of importance of Internationalization
2 1
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
What were/are your two biggest challenges in moving up the ranks
to present position? (page 3)Challenges Male Female
Lack of support (university) 4 3
Resistance from administrative units/deans
6 1
Lack of understanding of need for SIO position
1 0
Decreased time for teaching/research
3 0
Lack of time for family 3 0
Lack of faculty acceptance/lack of credibility with faculty
3 0
Lack of specific knowledge/experience
5 2
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
What were/are your two biggest challenges in moving up the ranks
to present position? (page 4)Challenges Male Female
Moving up 2 9
Lack of tenure-track, tenure, faculty experience, Ph.D.
4 5
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Which if either of two challenges were based on gender to some extent?
Challenge(s) based on Gender
Male Female
Neither 24 7
One 4 10
Both 0 5
No Answer 0 4
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
For 4 men, how was the challenge based on gender?
1. Females seen more quickly as facilitator and not dictator
2. Not personal experience but speculates that women may have less authority across schools/units at university
3. Raising children: he traveled for job and his wife remained at home.
4. Not personal experience but all male department - very difficult to change
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
For 15 women, how were challenge(s) based on gender?
Challenge(s) based on gender Female
Moving UPPay
102
Family Children: Female not on tenure track/husband on tenure track
11
Exclusion from Decision-making 3
More Service & slower promotion 1
Internationalization would have been taken more seriously if male
1
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
In your work outside the US/Canada, have you experienced any gender bias?
Gender Bias in work outside the US/Canada
Male Female
Yes 3 7
No 23 17
No Answer 2
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
3 Males: yes to gender bias in work outside US, give example.
1. He witnessed scandalous male behavior towards local female staff
2. Foreign partners in China were less respectful of women
3. Female leaders at his university were suspicious that he would try to take credit from them
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
7 Females: yes to gender bias in work outside US, give example.
1. When traveling abroad, assumption that men had higher positions
2. Preference by men in foreign countries to deal with/talk to men
3. In China, she was assumed to be the “present carrier”4. Male at partner institution refused to communicate with
women5. Public ceremonies, signing ceremonies at foreign
universities, preference for males to be in charge6. When traveling abroad, her university male colleagues
banded together and excluded her.7. Yes gender bias but not relevant
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Biggest ChallengesWomen in senior leadership positions can experience a varietyof challenges.
The position itself. Oftentimes it is a newly created position Title and scope of the position (varies between institutions) Lines of reporting (varies between institutions) Recognition from fellow senior administrators on campus Lack of a professional network of women in leadership
positions Difficulty in striking life/work balance Educational credentials can override professional experience Earning less than colleagues in senior administration positions
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Female SIO HeadwayDespite existing challenges, women in leadership positions in international
education can make great headway in their position.
– Being considered for leadership position– Considered for professional & personal
background– Blazing a brand new trail for the institution– Helping to internationalize the institution as a
whole– Fostering collaboration between institutional units– Increasing funding for international education– Growing beyond faculty or mid-level
administrative positions
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Female SIO MentoringWomen in leadership positions bring various mentoring styles to their
position.
Accommodating needs of colleagues new to the field Sharing professional experience with younger/newer colleagues Making time for informational interviews and professional
references Learning to work with Millennials and learning new technologies
Women in leadership positions also seek mentoring for themselves.
Working with other SIOs at institutions of similar size/structures Opportunity to tap into a female SIO network for sharing of info &
ideas Opportunity to collaborate on joint projects with fellow SIOs Opportunity to learn from seasoned SIOs
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Female SIO Leadership Styles• Women in leadership positions bring a variety of management styles to
their position and institution.
DEMOCRATIC (listening to various ideas and voices) TEAMWORK (motivate staff to pool their knowledge) TRANSFORMATIVE (working with staff to affect change) GRASSROOTS (working from bottom up approach) CONSENSUS-BUILDING (uniting staff towards common goal) PERMISSIVE (involving staff in decision-making) DIRECTING (setting direct standards and expectations) COACHING (setting staff long-term career goals and strategies) SHARING (sharing of information for wider knowledge and
understanding) WORKING (sharing in the daily work of staff to stay in touch with
issues)
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Lessons Learned•Safe to say women are rising in International Education
•Challenges of work balance will continue to plague us all
•We need to continue building our networks and mentor others
•Take time to reflect on our strengths—leading from the side
2012 Conference
Building a Secure World Through International Education
Questions to Consider What type of leader are you?
What type of mentorship do you need?
What challenges do you experience in your position?
What headway have you made in your position?
What would you like to see happen for female SIOs?