Casual observers of academic environments might conclude that women's problems in higher education have been resolved. Colleges enroll more women than men on an overall basis. There is gender parity in entry-level faculty hires, and the number of women in senior administrative positions continues to rise. A closer look however at the work, lives, and circumstances of university women suggests a more mixed assessment. Although numbers of women in positions of power and authority have risen in the last 50 years, they are still well below the levels of their male counterparts. While women have made progress in all realms of higher education, that progress is more on the margins than in the most prestigious institutions and traditional disciplines. The intent of this article is to examine the experiences of women in higher education and how college and university structures and norms shape academic women's ability and desire to pursue or opt out of career advancement and the pursuit of leadership.