The leadership role of college deans and department chairs in academic culture change

Abstract

Although it has been decades since gender inequality in academe was first highlighted, institutions around the world continue to struggle with how best to address the problem. Policies and procedures intended to increase women's representation appear to have had limited impact in many departments, especially those in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Hence, current gender mainstreaming efforts must focus not only on explicit procedures but also on fostering a broad gender equality culture. This article introduces the approach utilized by one US research-intensive university to provide administrators with the tools and motivation to pursue such goals. Pre- and post-training questionnaires demonstrated that training can shift administrator attitudes. In addition, interviews with participants and surveys of faculty indicated the extent to which this approach altered departmental culture beyond policy and procedure. The results demonstrate the importance of empowered unit administrators – deans and chairs – for the formation of a welcoming and inclusive departmental culture.