[AHE 584 – CAREY SCHROYER – FINAL PAPER March 10, 2018

A Women’s Leadership Development Program at Edmonds Community College (EdCC) will help
Bridge the Gender Gap within EdCC’s Senior Leadership Positions, More Accurately Reflect
Students Currently Attending EdCC, and Help Fill the Community College Leadership Void.

Written By: Carey Schroyer

(AHE 584 Final Assignment, Winter 2018)
[AHE 584 – CAREY SCHROYER – FINAL PAPER March 10, 2018

Introduction

The intentional preparation of future female leaders for community college leadership is a critical need that must be met because minimizing the
gender gap at the highest levels of Community College leadership and accurately reflecting the student population requires hiring more women
into leadership positions at the local and national level. When women perceive they have a place and a path to success in higher levels of
community college administration they are more likely to pursue the path, stay on the path, invest in their own success and invest in the success
of their peers. The need for a program that focuses on the intentional preparation of future female leaders at Edmonds Community College is
clearly indicated by the discrepancy between the number of women working at EdCC and the number of women in senior leadership positions.
This report contains a program proposal that allows EdCC to harness existing talent and actively engage women as they develop their leaderships
skills. The three phase development plan acknowledges current budget issues by minimizes up front expenses while providing a program that
helps the college further demonstrate it’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and student (as well as employee) success.

The EdCC Women’s Leadership Development program will help women develop the leadership skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to
pursue a leadership position at EdCC. The core program components, timeframe and funding sources needed to the develop the program at
Edmonds Community College are based on a review of established and emerging leadership development programs for women in higher
education. The two-year pilot program consists of three development phases that will allow EdCC to build a program model that can be scaled up
and shared with other community colleges in order to expand access and support women choosing to pursue leadership positions at EdCC and
within the community college system at large.

Organizational Information

Edmonds Community College is a public community college founded in 1967 in Lynnwood, Washington focused on teaching, learning and
community. The college offers one bachelor of applied science degree, 63 associate degrees, and 64 professional certificates in 25 areas of study.
More than 20000 students annually take courses for credit toward a certificate or degree at the college. The college is accredited by the
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and is governed by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The
average student age is 29 years old and the majority of students attending EDCC are women (53%).

The college employs more than 1,600 employees, including 138 full-time and 511 part-time instructors as well as 277 students. The average of
EdCC employees is 38 years old with 72% of the employees identifying as female, however, only 31% of the senior leadership team consists of
women. The discrepancy between the number of women working at the college and the number of women holding senior leadership positions
reflects current research indicating there is a gender gap in community college leadership throughout the nation. In fact, EdCC’s Executive
Leadership team is aware of discrepancy and they are currently reviewing strategies to minimize the gender gap, increase diversity and ensure
employee demographics more accurately reflect the student population as identified in the above. The development of a leadership program for
women has the potential to help minimize the gap and support women interested in leadership at EdCC.

Program Funding

Phase Funding Source Anticipated Cost

Phase I Internal:
EdCC Human Resources department and the
Workforce Vice President have agreed to support
the Phase I expenses described.
Phase II Internal:
EdCC Human Resources department and the
Workforce Vice President have agreed to support
the Phase II expenses described.
0 Facilities Cost – Meeting on campus
~$250 Snack Costs for update to 10 people
attending 6 meetings (one per quarter).
0 Facilities Cost – Meeting on campus
~$250 Snack Costs for update to 10 people
attending 6 meetings (one per quarter).

EdCC Foundation grant application will be

submitted during Fall 2018. The actual expenses
Additional Funding is needed for the offsite retreat and budget will depend on the number of
at the end of Phase II. participants and the location of the retreat.
Phase III Internal: 0 Facilities Cost – Meeting on campus
We hope the EdCC Human Resources department ~$250 Snack Costs for update to 10 people
and the Workforce Vice President have agreed to attending 6 meetings (one per quarter).
support the Phase II expenses described.
A list of possible grant funders and grants is
External: currently being developed, however, grant
We intend to use the data obtained from phase I submissions will depend on the specific grant
and II to support the submission of external grant requirements and the data collected and analyzed
applications which would allow broader from phase I and II.
curriculum development and participant
engagement in off site activities geared toward
further developing leadership ship skills and
abilities.
[AHE 584 – CAREY SCHROYER – FINAL PAPER March 10, 2018

Research: Understanding the Gender Gap in Community College Administrative Positions

As noted in a numerous educational publications throughout the last decade, leadership development has become critical for higher
education and the community college sector is no exception. As illustrated in the graph below, 56% of community college executive,
administrative, and managerial staff were women in 2011. In contrast, only 36% of the community college presidents were women. This statistic
begs the question, why are there so few women at the top organizational level if more than 50% of the college’s executive, administrative,
managerial staff are women?

Further research indicated that although women were roughly equally represented in lower administrative positions, representation gets
worse for increasingly senior positions — currently, women fill less than 30% of top executive positions (Simon, 2017). In fact, according to the
American Council on Education (ACE) only ~33% of community colleges were led by women in 2015 (ACE, 2015).

The nationally recognized community college leadership void is concerning and continues to be a subject of research and study. Breen
(2012) identified key issues associated with the current state of the leadership pipeline, including the lack of a plan for recruitment, selection,
preparation, placement, and professional development. The authors of the White House Project (2009) argued, “the presence – or absence – of
female academic leaders can have far-reaching influences not only on the institutions themselves, but … on the scope of research and knowledge
that affects us all” (p. 16). The report further noted the participation of female academics in research affects the nature of the questions as well as
the findings; provides opportunities for others to have positive experiences of women in leadership positions, and allows women to serve as
powerful role models and mentors to women starting on the leadership path themselves. Ebbers, Conover, and Samuels (2010, 59) concluded
that existing leaders need to identify, train, and “grow their own” to meet the increased need for new leadership. Much of the research that has
been done regarding the leadership pipeline has suggested there is a lack of qualified women within it. However, more recent research clearly
shows there are women in the pipeline. Women have earned over half of all baccalaureate degrees for the past 30 years and have earned over
half of all doctoral degrees for almost a decade (Johnson, 2016). Based on this information, it appears the pipeline is full; however, the higher
academic ranks and leadership positions predominantly go to men so we must challenge the status quo.

Minimizing the gender gap at the highest levels of community college leadership and accurately reflecting the student population requires
hiring more women into leadership positions, creating systems and programs that support women in leadership positions, and filling the
leadership pipeline with capable and talented women who are prepared to lead. Although established and emerging leadership development
programs for women in higher education have existed for decades, very few of these programs currently focus on women working in community
colleges (Madsen, 2012). Edmonds Community College has a reputation for academic excellence and innovation. The development of a
leadership development program that supports women and helps to better reflect the student body is well aligned with the college mission of
teaching, learning and community and vision of supporting the broader community. Established and emerging leadership development
programs for women in higher education were used as a framework in the development of the proposed women’s leadership program at
Edmonds Community College.

Research: Developing Intentional and Effective Leadership Program Curriculum

The recent evolution and resulting curricular changes that occurred within the Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) program
resulted in six implications (White, 2012) that provided a strong basis for the development of leadership programs and influenced the EdCC
women’s leadership program proposal as described below.

First, the focus on institutional leadership is critical. The updated HERs curriculum attempted to ground the participants in the culture of
their institutions through multiple campus related assignments. However, the off site programs offer off campus space and support for
[AHE 584 – CAREY SCHROYER – FINAL PAPER March 10, 2018

participants to develop a broader perspective and a more critical stance toward institutional practices, including those that currently may be
inhibiting women on their campus (White, 2012). The development of an effective leadership program at EdCC required thoughtful consideration
regarding where to best house the activities and discussions that fostered honest communication and allowed participants to navigate
institutional policies, identify and discuss existing barriers, and lead in ways that create more opportunities for women of all communities. The
twelve-month pilot program will begin with monthly on campus meetings, however, the site location will be assessed after the first 3 months.

Second, the time commitment needed to participate in a leadership program can be a barrier for many women. When developing the
EdCC program proposal, significant consideration was given to determining the length of time needed to maximize the individual interaction and
self-reflection needed to help women advance to senior level positions. Consideration was also given to what types of formats would best
provide the leadership development needed for women’s advancement at EdCC and other community colleges. Further analysis and campus
input suggested a 90 minute monthly meeting would be a good start for piloting the program with the intention of providing a 2-3 day retreat at
the end of the academic year.

Third, the focus on practitioner faculty and actively engaging participants in the learning process is an essential element of the new HERS
curriculum. We intent to begin piloting this program in Spring quarter with a small group of women from EdCC. The initial twelve month pilot
will begin with brown bag lunch discussions based on leadership topics and strategies (see assessment document) commonly encountered in
community college leadership positions through all areas of the college. Participants will actively engage in curriculum by identifying key areas
of interest from a list of leadership topics/themes previously identified as challenging. The discussion leaders and participants will use the input
to identify readings and other sources for study. Participants will be given access to an online management system that will house the resources
being studied. They will be asked to review the information before attending the brown bag activity where they will be encouraged to share
thoughts, experiences and reflections about the topics being studied. We do intend to apply for internal and external grant funding which will
provide the funds for more comprehensive curriculum development, off site learning experiences, funding for some type mentoring program, and
incorporates real life campus case studies that will require the development of protocols that support and protect individuals that participate in
the process (White, 2012).

Fourth, past studies suggest the creation of a multicultural leadership team requires diversity of personal and professional backgrounds
(White, 2012). Competent leadership development programs develop a full range of leadership skills and behaviors. A campus leadership
program that seeks to create a more diverse leadership team will need to recruit and support diverse participants as well as track whether the
program helps make a difference in the number of women of color seeking and securing senior leadership positions. The HERS program review
also concluded professional diversity was essential for making connections and modeling collaboration among different institutional areas.
Learning how to develop effective collaborations and broad networks further enable leaders to take a more active role in the decisions/initiatives
that women students, faculty, staff and alumnae; help guide professional develop programs that better meet women’s needs; and promote a
supportive campus culture for all women. The EdCC leadership development team will actively recruit women from all areas of the college and
from all socio-economic, racial sexual, etc orientations in order to promote equity at the systems level.

Fifth, the educational landscape is complex and constantly changing. The information gleaned from the HERs curriculum revision process
highlighted the need for development programs that evolve and meet the changing needs for women throughout all stages of their careers. The
EdCC leadership program will focus on leadership development activities that identify and help develop new skills as well as traditional skills
necessary to prepare women in all phases of their careers to successfully navigate and succeed as new institutional models emerge (White,
2012). The program will incorporate regular assessments, review, and tracking mechanisms to ensure the curriculum provides meaningful
development opportunities that actually prepare women for leadership positions.

Additional literature reviews suggested successful women’s leadership development programs such as the the Women’s Institute at the
University of Minnesota indicate it is important of acknowledge and address the role of external and internal bias against women in leadership.
Although discrimination in this era tends to be less overt, external bias does exist and it can result in negative stereotypes of gender ability, the
lack of influential mentors, and exclusion from social networks that facilitate career or leadership advancement for women (Lach, 1999; Steele,
1997). It is also necessary to confront internal bias. Previous research has shown the educational pipeline contains more women but internal bias
may prevent them from considering leadership positions. Both internal and external bias can contribute to generalizations and stereotypes of
women’s leadership and they limit people of all gender at all levels of the educational organization. As Bonebright et al. (2012) observed, the
collaborative model of leadership, once labeled as a women’s leadership style is becoming more common among all genders because a leader
must cultivate and coordinate the actions of other at all levels, not simply command and control. Acknowledging and understanding bias will be a
component of this curriculum as will celebrating the diverse leadership styles employed by different sexes and ethnicities in order to better
develop the leadership toolbox all individuals need to successfully lead.

Finally, it is crucial that women voice their opinions, help others understand obstacles, and show appreciation for each other by realizing
and supporting women’s resources, strengths, and skills (Haynes and Hayes (2004)). Existing literature suggests that mentoring and being
mentored are critical career development activities that help women advance up the academic administrative ladder (Brown et al., 2001) and
research shows that women faculty desire mentorship (Blood et al., 2012). A study of female college presidents indicated that most had a
primary mentor who assisted their move up the administrative ladder suggesting that mentorship plays a critical role up the administrative
ladder (Brown, 2005). The same study also indicated antecedent factors, particularly demographic factors such as age and gender, support
Young’s contention that demographic factors are likely to influence mentoring exchange between mentors and mentees (Brown, 2005). The
value and need for leadership development programs that include gender specific mentorship programs is clear and a mentorship program will
be developed and incorporated in Phase III of the pilot program.

Proposed Program Timeline

Phase Duration Dates

Phase I 6 Months April 2018 – June 2018
[AHE 584 – CAREY SCHROYER – FINAL PAPER
Phase II 6 Months
Phase III 12 Months
Program Goals/Curriculum/Assessment Summary
Phase Program Goals and Curriculum
Highlights
Phase I Active learning and cohort formation are
the primary goals of Phase I participates
actively engage in meaningful monthly
discussions that help develop the
leadership skills they need to be more
effective institutional leaders. The topics
identified will be discussed at the first
meeting and participants will be asked to
determine the 2-3 they would like to focus
on during phase 1. Each topic will be
studied for 2-3 months depending on the
number of topics chosen. Participants will
be asked to identify one article or website
that supports one of the topics chosen for
study. The articles will be posted on
CANVAS so they are accessible to all
members of the group. Articles will be
discussed at the monthly lunch meetings.
Phase II The overall goal of phase II is similar to
phase I in that it will continue to support
participation in meaningful monthly
discussions and the development of
leadership skills but it will also attempt to
engage participants in the curriculum
development process with the
introduction of a campus case study
requiring participants to work together to
solve an existing campus issue.
Participants will also participate in
program development to determine how
to best expand the program so more
women can participate during phase III.
Phase III The overall goal of phase III is similar to
phase I in that it is to create a strong
cohort of women who will continue to
participate in meaningful monthly
discussions and develop the leadership
skills needed to be more effective leaders.
However, the program hopes to provide off
campus opportunities for women to
develop the external networking skills.
Phase III will involve the same activities as
Phase I and II including curriculum review
and/or development as needed, the
introduction of 1-3 “field trips”, and
mentorship program supports that will be
determined in Phase II.
March 10, 2018
October 2018 – December 2018
Program will not be active during
summer quarter
January 2019 – June 2019
September 2019 – August 2020
Program Assessment
A mini-assessment will be
completed after the third month to
determine what is working and/or
what needs to be improved or
modified. Program performance at
the end of phase I will be measured
by survey, discussion, participation,
and attendance of individuals who
participate in the program.
Feedback will be sought from all
participants, especially those who
initially join but stop coming. Phase
I data will be analyzed, reviewed
and shared with participants as well
as the college leadership.
Again, performance will be
measured by survey, discussion,
participation, and attendance at the
monthly meetings as well as
willingness to develop and
participate in the mentorship
program beginning in phase III.
Phase I and II data will be analyzed,
reviewed and shared with
participants as well as the college
leadership. The data will also be
shared with the EdCC Grants Office
to help them identify potential
external funding sources that match
the program goals.
Again, performance will be
measured by survey, discussion,
participation, and attendance at the
monthly meetings as well as
willingness to develop and
participate in the mentorship
program beginning in phase III,
campus awareness and tracking of
participant careers. The anticipated
budget is attached for review.
Phase I, II, and III data will be
analyzed, reviewed and shared with
participants as well as the college
leadership. The data will again be
shared with the EdCC Grants Office
to help them identify potential
external funding in case internal
funding is not provided for program
continuation.
[AHE 584 – CAREY SCHROYER – FINAL PAPER March 10, 2018

Conclusion

The need to increase the number of women in leadership positions within the community colleges is clear. Minimizing the gender gap at the
highest levels of Community College leadership and accurately reflecting the student population requires hiring more women into leadership
positions, creating systems and programs that support women in leadership positions, and identifying and supporting women in the leadership
pipeline so they are prepared to lead. Attracting and supporting the development of women through gender specific leadership programs will
help fill the leadership void, minimize the gender gap at senior levels of community college administration, and more accurately reflect the
student population. When women perceive they have a place and a path to success in higher levels of community college administration they are
more likely to pursue the path and invest in their own success and the success of their peers. The discrepancy between the number of women
working at EdCC and the number of women in senior positions reinforces the need for this program on EdCc’s campus. The program proposal
described in this report harnesses existing talent and employee interest to support women who want to develop their own leadership skills and
perhaps pursue future leadership positions. The three phase development plan acknowledges current budget issues by minimizes up front
expenses while providing a needed service that helps the college further demonstrate it’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and student success.
[AHE 584 – CAREY SCHROYER – FINAL PAPER March 10, 2018

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