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Mothering Academics: Women’s Perception of the Intersectionality of Academic Leading and Rearing Underage Children in a Midwestern Urban Community College

Clark, Crystal R.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8002-8817
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1513309636205349

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, Higher Education.
In 2011, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) acknowledged the absence of trend data to predict the representation of women in future academic leadership. This gap in the literature coupled with non-representative female leadership numbers and imminent shortages in leadership in the community college sector predicated the importance of this study and its contributions to literature and practice. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of women serving in community college leadership while rearing underage children. Through 13 semi-structured, one-on-one interviews, the study procured an understanding of the participants’ perceptions of the influence of their mothering role on their leadership role, providing insight about (a) the non-representative numbers of females in community college leadership, (b) the leadership crisis predicted to soon impact community colleges, and (c) the factors contributing to both. The study found that women living the phenomenon (a) similarly applied practices across their roles of mothering and leading, (b) experienced changes in their perceptions of self because of the intersectionality of mothering and leading, (c) endured limited access to professional development, and (d) found professional advancement not readily accessible. Further, the study provided a means of interpreting the findings based on the nascent Kaleidoscope Theory of Mothering Academics (KTMA), which emerged from the consideration of the intersectionality of participants’ identities through the intersectionality of applicable theories—matricentric feminist theory, social role theory, and feminist critical policy analysis. The study’s resulting recommendations included (a) intentional recruitment; (b) coordinated mentoring, coaching, and networking; (c) local professional development; (d) succession planning and “grow your own” training; (e) campus-wide cross training and internships; and (f) the creation of policies and practices sensitive to the needs of women leading or with the potential to lead while rearing underage children.
Dave Meabon, PhD (Committee Chair)
Ron Opp, PhD (Committee Member)
Penny Poplin Gosetti, PhD (Committee Member)
Colleen Quinlan, PhD (Committee Member)
222 p.
Higher Education Administration; Womens Studies
women; community college; leadership; mothering; matricentric feminist theory; social role theory; feminist critical policy analysis

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Clark, C. R. (2017). Mothering Academics: Women’s Perception of the Intersectionality of Academic Leading and Rearing Underage Children in a Midwestern Urban Community College [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1513309636205349

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Clark, Crystal. Mothering Academics: Women’s Perception of the Intersectionality of Academic Leading and Rearing Underage Children in a Midwestern Urban Community College. 2017. University of Toledo, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1513309636205349.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Clark, Crystal. "Mothering Academics: Women’s Perception of the Intersectionality of Academic Leading and Rearing Underage Children in a Midwestern Urban Community College." Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1513309636205349

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo1513309636205349
483
© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.