Many studies have found that the tenure, rank, and salaries of female faculty
members in higher education are not equal to those of men. However, few
studies have considered the perceptions of power held by those in leadership
positions in academia. This article reports on a study of the differences in
equity and the perceptions of power to carry out administrative functions of
directors of BSW programs. It discusses the complexity of the gender-power
relationship in light of the impact of sex-role socialization and structural
barriers to advancement in academic organizations. Men's and women's
perceptions of the balance of power in administrative positions are important
if women are to understand and overcome their powerlessness.
References
1.
Abramovitz, M. (1988). Regulating the lives of women.Boston: South End Press.
2.
Baldridge, J., Curtis, V., Ecker, G., & Riley, G.L. (1978). Policy making and effective leadership . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
3.
Barber, J.D. (1966). Power in committees.Chicago: Rand McNally.
4.
Bare, A.C. (1986). Managerial behavior of college chairpersons and administratorsResearch in Higher Education , 24, 128-138.
5.
Dahl, R.A. (1961). Who governs? Democracy and power in an American city. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
6.
DiNitto, D.M., Martin, P.Y., & Harrison, D.F. (1984). Sexual inequality among social work faculty: An international comparison. International Social Work, 27,27-36.
7.
Favor, C.A., Fox, M.F., & Shannon, C. (1983). The educational process and job equity for the sexes in social work. Journal of Education for Social Work , 19, 78-87.
8.
Fox, M.F. (1984). Women and higher education: Sex differentials in the status of students and scholars. In J. Freeman (Ed.), Women: A feminist perspective (3rded., pp. 238-255). Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield .
9.
French, J.R.P., & Raven, B. (1968). The bases of social power. In D. Cartwright & A. Zander (Eds.), Group dynamics (3rd. ed., pp. 259-269). New York: Harper & Row.
10.
Harper, K.V. (1985). Social work education: Do female coordinators have the power to direct undergraduate programs?Paper presented at the Women's Issues Symposium, Council on Social Work Education , Washington, DC.
11.
Hasenfeld, Y. (1987). Power in social work practiceSocial Service Review, 61 , 469-483.
12.
Hooyman, N.R., & Cunningham, R. (1986). An alternative administrative style In N. Van Den Bergh & L. B. Cooper (Eds.), Feminist visions for social work (pp. 163-186). Silver Spring, MD: National Association of Social Workers.
13.
Kanter, R. (1977). Men and women of the corporation.New York: Basic Books.
14.
Lipman-Blumen, J. (1984). Gender roles and power.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
15.
Meyer, C. (1982). Issues for women in a woman's profession. In A. Weick & S. T. Vandiver (Eds.), Women, power, and change (pp. 197-205). Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers.
16.
Mills, C.W. (1956). The power elite. New York: Oxford University Press.
17.
Mueller. D.J. (1986). Measuring social attitudes. New York: Teachers College Press .
18.
Norman, E. (1986). A new look at salary equity for male and female faculty in schools of social workAffilia,1, 39-40.
19.
Pfeffer, J. (1981). Power in organizations (3rd ed.). Marshfield, MA: Pitman.
20.
Robbins, L., & Kahn, E.D. (1985). Sex discrimination and sex equity for faculty women in the 1980's. Journal of Social Issues , 41, 1-16.
21.
Rubin, A. (1988). Gender and salary in graduate schools of social work: An outworn issue?Affilia, 3, 63-82.
22.
Sandler, B.R. (1986). The campus climate revisited: Chilly for women faculty, administrators, and graduate students.Washington, DC: Project on the Status and Education of Women, Association of American Colleges.
23.
Scott, W.R. (1981). Organizations: Rational, natural and open systems . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
24.
Shatz, E.O., Simon, B.L., & Nemore, A. (1987). Women and work: A conceptual frameworkAffilia,2, 20-32.
25.
Van Den Bergh, N., & Cooper, L. B. (Eds.). (1986). Introduction. In Feminist visions for social work.Silver Spring, MD: National Association of Social Workers.
26.
Weitzman, L.J. (1984). Sex-role socialization: A focus on women In J. Freeman (Ed.), Woman: A feminist perspective (3rd. ed., pp. 157-237). Palo Alto, CA : Mayfield.
