Literature lacks documentation on the leadership characteristics of public community college faculty. As higher education institutions begin to prepare for what appears to be a current leadership retirement wave, it is important for community colleges to begin searching for replacements. The research was conducted to explore self-perceived…

Although the drop-out problem is particularly acute at the community college, there is very little research on student attrition that is specific to community colleges. Differences between the community college and four-year institutions stems are accented by entrance requirements that are traditionally much more rigorous at traditional colleges…

According to the American Council on Education study "The American College President: 2007 Edition" only 23% of college presidencies were held by women as late as 2006. While the number of female executive officers has doubled since 1986, progress in achieving the presidency has been undeniably slow for women. To better understand a woman's road…

Teaching teams can hold the promise of being an ideal vehicle in which collaborative action research is conducted. This case documents the mixed results of a team leader's efforts to improve teaching and introduce inquiry-based professional development through action research in a community college. This case paints a realistic and…

Previous research has shown that a variety of skills and experiences contribute to the career advancement of community college leaders. With the increased representation of women in senior-level positions, this paper answers the call to move beyond male-versus-female comparisons. Through in-depth interviews and follow-up conversations, six female…

Although women lead several major universities, including Harvard, the number of women leading the more than 1100 community colleges is not a record in which women--or the community college--can take pride. The current study examines factors affecting the advancement of women to the presidency in the North Carolina Community College System…

The purpose of this research study was to identify examples of women education leaders at their best. There were two parts to the study procedures. First, the women were asked to write a case story about a time when they were involved in a successful leadership experience. Second, the women were divided into small groups of 5-8. In the small…

The purpose of this paper is to examine signature pedagogies for the education doctorate. Three California State University campuses that have started new Ed.D. programs examine practices that distinguish the education doctoral experience from other professions. Embedded field work, the professional seminar, and the research and writing support…

In this paper,we report the importance five women community college, college, and university presidents place on certain leadership tenets. Interestingly, the advice they offer for other women who aspire to leadership often ties to the perceived importance of certain tenets. We report these data and speculate about implications for future women…

Previous research has shown that there are not distinct career lines leading to the chief academic officer (CAO) position in community colleges.Rather, it appears that a variety of skills and experiences contribute to advancement to this position. This paper examines the perceptions of women CAOs as to the importance of professional development…

In this article, the author reflects on 17 years of being an administrator in a community college setting. Being a good administrator requires being both a good manager and a good leader. It is the management side that turns many people away from the position, but, linking motivational theory to the situation and meeting the basic needs of those…

This study focuses on the narratives of two women leaders, one of whom continues to work as a community college president and another who made the transition from a community college presidency to the directorship of a continuing education division of a large, state research university. The women were first interviewed in 2000 when they discussed…