| The selection process of choosing the president of a large, public research institution is complex for a wide variety of reasons including the lack of well-defined search criteria used across searches and the lack of a clear path to the presidency. We know that the percentage of women who occupy this position is relatively low at just 23 percent of presidents for four-year colleges and universities. The number for public research institutions as defined for this study is even lower, at 18 percent (American Council on Education, 2008). We do not know whether this represents a glass ceiling for women who aspire to become president, or if other factors explain what appears to be an under-representation of women.;This study reviewed the curriculum vita of finalists (n=187) for the position of president at institutions that were classified under the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification system as public, four year, with arts and science programs. At these institutions the majority of the student population is undergraduate but the institutions also offer doctoral programs. A study of the curriculum vita from the most recent search at each of these institutions was undertaken to determine whether there were certain characteristics that lead to the selection as president that were more common to male candidates than female candidates.;Data related to the candidate's education and administrative experience was coded from the vitae to determine which factors play a role in the selection of university presidents. The data set for this study showed that the candidate's age, level of experience and to some extent degree field (not having a degree in business, law or communications) were significant factors in the selection whereas the rankings of the hiring institution and the candidate's current institution as well as the hiring institution's region were not significant factors in the selection process. The study did not show that gender plays a significant role in the selection process and did not reveal the existence of a glass ceiling in the selection of university presidents. |
