Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of women administrators in higher education, discusses the pros and cons of managing a career and family, offers strategies and advice for successfully managing work and family, and provides suggestions for creating a more “family-friendly” institution and profession. On college and university campuses, the representation of women in faculty and administration continues to increase. The rise in female membership in higher education professional associations likewise provides a proxy for the growing presence of women in the field. In spite of increased numbers of women in administration, little attention has been paid to how women manage the complexity of a career in higher education and a family. The issue of negotiating career and parenting is more pronounced for women than for men because women assume the majority of the “second shift” responsibilities including childcare, meal preparation, and other household duties.