Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2004 African American women administrators in higher education: exploring the challenges and experiences at Louisiana public colleges and universities Germaine Monquenette Becks-Moody Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Becks-Moody, Germaine Monquenette, "African American women administrators in higher education: exploring the challenges and experiences at Louisiana public colleges and universities" (2004). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 2074. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/2074 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN ADMINISTRATORS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EXPLORING THE CHALLENGES AND EXPERIENCES AT LOUISIANA PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Educational Leadership, Research, and Counseling by Germaine Monquenette Becks-Moody B.P.A, Grambling State University, 1990 M.P.A, Louisiana State University, 1992 December, 2004 Acknowledgements Thanks to the 10 women who took time from busy schedules to make this project a success. Although I can only acknowledge them by pseudonyms, I would like to thank Ruby, Lynn, Marie, Jean, Victoria, Rosa, Lisa, Patricia, Bernice, and Kara for their valuable time and willingness to share their stories. Special thanks to my dissertation chair, Dr. Becky Ropers-Huilman, for all her support and encouragement. Thanks to the members of my committee, Dr. Nina Asher, Dr. Eugene Kennedy, Dr. Miles Richardson, for their guidance and support through this process. Thanks to Melonee Wicker for all of her assistance and support throughout the entire process. Special acknowledgements go to my family. Thanks to my parents, Pete and Elaine Becks, who supported me emotionally and financially, especially when I quit my job. Thanks for helping me to understand that all things are possible with Christ. Thanks to my husband, Mario Moody, who has been with me since I started the dissertation process. Also, for dealing with my emotional mood swings when things did not go as expected with work and school, and understanding when I did not have time for him. ii Table Of Contents Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………….. ii List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………... vi Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………… vii 1:Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….. 1 Problem Statement……………………………………………………………………. 3 Research Questions…………………………………………………………………… 5 Significance of the Study……………………………………………………………... 5 Description of the Study……………………………………………………………… 6 2:Review of Literature……………………………………………………………………. 8 Review of Literature Procedure………………………………………………………. 8 Historical Overview of African American Women in Higher Education……………. 9 Challenges Affecting African American Women in Higher Education……………… 14 Balancing Career, Family and Community Commitments……………………….. 16 Underrepresentation of African American Women in Higher Education Administration…………………………………………………………………….. 20 Recruitment and Promotion Problems of African American Women…………….. 21 Isolation…………………………………………………………………………… 23 Tokenism………………………………………………………………………….. 24 Mentoring…………………………………………………………………………. 26 Sexism and Racism in Higher Education…………………………………………. 29 Intersectionality of Issues……………………………………………………………… 35 Key Studies……………………………………………………………………………. 35 Essays……………………………………………………………………………… 36 Studies…………………………………………………………………………….. 39 Students, Faculty, and Other Professionals……………………………………….. 42 Black Feminism…………………………………………………………………… 47 Description of the Study………………………………………………………………. 48 3:Methodology…………………………………………………………………………….. 50 Theoretical Perspective……………………………………………………………….. 51 Black Feminism…………………………………………………………………… 51 Subjective Nature of the Research……………………………………………………. 54 Research Design………………………………………………………………………. 56 Qualitative Methods………………………………………………………………. 56 Implications of Oral History…………………………………………………….… 57 Data Collection and Analysis Procedures……………………………………………… 59 Identification and Selection of Participants and Sites …………………………….. 59 Biographical Profile/Vitae/Resume……………………………………………….. 60 Interviews………………………………………………………………………….. 60 Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………………... 61 iii Ethics in Qualitative Research………………………………………………………… 66 Member Checking ……………………………………………………………………... 66 Limitations of the Study……………………………………………………………….. 68 4:Findings………………………………………………………………………………….. 69 Participant Biographies………………………………………………………………… 69 The Stories…………………………………………………………………………….. 72 Ruby-Dean…………………………………………………………………………. 72 Lynn-Interim Vice President………………………………………………………. 81 Marie-Dean………………………………………………………………………… 95 Jean-Dean…………………………………………………………………………... 110 Victoria-Vice Chancellor…………………………………………………………... 137 Rosa-Interim Vice Chancellor………………………………………………………157 Lisa – Executive Assistant to the President, Interim Vice President, Associate Professor…………………………………………………………………………… 168 Patricia-Acting President…………………………………………………………... 190 Bernice-Dean………………………………………………………………………. 205 Kara-Chancellor……………………………………………………………………. 218 Summary……………………………………………………………………………….. 230 5:Emerging Themes……………………………………………………………………….. 232 Core Themes of a Black Women’s Standpoint………………………………………… 233 Balancing Career and Family………………………………………………………. 234 Racism and Sexism………………………………………………………………… 236 Lack of Respect by Colleagues and Subordinates…………………………………. 240 Mentoring and Networking………………………………………………………… 242 Isolation and Underrepresentation…………………………………………………. 244 Competency and Confidence………………………………………………………. 245 Professional Satisfaction & Perseverance…………………………………………. 247 Community Consciousness……………………………………………………….... 247 Spirituality…………………………………………………………………………. 248 Family Support Systems…………………………………………………………… 249 Variation of Responses to Core Themes………………………………………………. 251 The Interdependence of Experience and Consciousness………………………………. 253 Consciousness and the Struggle for a Self-Defined Standpoint……………………….. 255 The Interdependence of Thought and Action………………………………………….. 258 Summary……………………………………………………………………………….. 262 6:Discussions, Conclusions and Recommendations……………………………………….. 264 Discussion of Findings…………………………………………………………………. 264 Question #1: Challenges and Experiences…………………………………………. 264 Question #2: Coping Strategies……………………………………………………. 265 Question #3: HBCU v PWU……………………………………………………….. 266 Implications for Further Theory, Research, and Practice……………………………… 268 Summary……………………………………………………………………………….. 270 iv Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………….. 272 Appendix A: Chronology of the Advancement of African American Women in Higher Education………………………………………………………………….. 284 Appendix B: Request for Participation………………………………………………….. 289 Appendix C: Informed Consent Form…………………………………………………… 290 Appendix D: Prospective Participant Biographical and Institutional Data Form………... 291 Appendix E: Interview Questions……………………………………………………….. 294 Appendix F: Participant Background Data……………………………………………… 296 Vita………………………………………………………………………………………… 297 v List Of Tables Table 2.1 Racial Diversity of Women Presidents…………………………………….. 21 Table 4.1 Participant Snapshot……………………………….……………………….. 70 vi Abstract This study explores the challenges that African American women administrators experience as professionals in public institutions of higher education and the strategies they employ to cope with the resulting conflicts. It uses Black Feminism and the five dimensions as a framework for understanding the challenges and experiences. The five dimensions that characterize Black Feminist Thought are: 1) core themes of a Black woman’s standpoint; 2) variation of responses to core themes; 3) interdependence of experience and consciousness; 4) consciousness and the struggle for a self-defined standpoint; and 5) interdependence of thought and action. Interviews and participant observations were conducted with 10 African American women administrators at public institutions in Louisiana. Interviews included two presidents, four vice-presidents, and four deans. During open-ended interviews, participants were asked to talk about their challenges and experiences related to their personal and professional experiences as administrators. Ten themes emerged from the research data: spirituality; family support systems; balancing career and family; racism and sexism; lack of respect by colleagues and subordinates; mentoring and networking; isolation and underrepresentation; competency and confidence; professional satisfaction and community consciousness. This study highlights the 10 African American women administrators’ challenges and experiences in order to help institutions of higher learning become more supportive and reduce the challenges that promote a chilly work environment. vii 1: Introduction Historically, African American women have been involved in educational processes in meaningful ways despite challenges to their efforts. During slavery,