I was fortunate to get an invitation to attend the launch of Women in Higher Education Executive Leadership. I hoped to meet Johnnetta Cole. As it turned out, she could unfortunately not come as she had a serious illness in the family.
DZ organised the affair as a result of the involvement with TELP. The network at work.
Anyway, i was unfortunately late. My son was ill.
I joined the 30 something attendees while Rachel Gumbi, VC at U of Zululand was speaking.
She says that she has an open door policy and that her day to day issues are fire fighting, even with student issues
She cautions us not to tell your friends everything because they will use this to "plot to tip you over" She does admit that when one is overwhelmed, you have to share with colleagues and a confidant for support and as emotional catharsis.
She also cautions not to respond to vehemently what one hears via the grape vine.
Uof Zululand has partnerships Chicago State and Rudford, as well as Bennett and Spellman. They forged these realtionships to check whether the progress is globally relevant. But also to offer students a chance to be innovative. They have implemented a student parliament.
Leadership is about service to others and influencing other, but also about inspriring others. They do their work through others.
The values you carry as a leader must reflect that of your insitution. It sets the culture of the organisaton.
Finally, women leaders should celebrate the achievements of other women.
Anna Hammond
is from Bennett College, Greensboro and is Assoc VC for Academic Affairs. It is a historically Black insititution for women.
Issues of Gender equity in HE for women in the 21st Century
Don't consider the glass ceiling- just step into the void.
Say" Because I have a vision and a goal, I will be an executive leader in higher education"
How does one make it to leadership in HE as a woman, mother, and black? ( I could say as coloured and muslim)
That is the central question of HE. The problem of HE in the 21st Century is the colour line (as opposed to the glass ceiling).
The stereotypes associate leadership with maleness- Schein 1975, 1990.
Women face conflicting expectations - Keller, 1999.
And discrimination - Keller 1999, Valian,
Look at yourself as mentors and expect to be mentored. Don't look at her faults, but at her needs, and look at what skills you bring to the table. Be resourceful with people and their talent no just the budget. Get buy -in by being enthusiastic and communicate so that they agree.
To get to leadership will take lots of meetings, working late and understanding and abiding by the tradition and culture of your institution.
Skills set needed: Budgeting, Commitment to the mission of the institution, strategic planning, vision- personal, pay attention to details- buck stops with you, even though someone else may be responsible for it, Care about about others, Honesty.
Challenge women to step into the void.
Anshu Padayachee on Where have all the women gone? Why have all the women gone?
SANPAD - Young women researchers working on Ph.D.
She started a network on call centre for domestic violence, then network with other NGO's. The network fought for a law on the prevention of family violence. This brought her into policy and legislation and academia.
She interviewed women. She found that although women who had been head-hunted had felt good about it, the attitude from males was that they were there and can be manipulated. Although business schools advocate consulting, this is seen as a sign of weakness in women. There was no network for women in executive leadership, but the boys networked on the golf course. There was no support inside and outside the boardroom. To be different was considered to be wrong. Management style is differ across culture and culture of leadership differ across provinces.
Where have women gone? They opted to be 2nd in charge.
Rules of the budget - FICA and King 11
Know the language. Don't accept the position if they don't know the language.
Do the job and stay the course. Get help with the obstacles before you are put into a position.
Men caucus on nature breaks, in the toilet and then when they come back, you are outvoted.
SANPAD assist with women with Ph.D, spot talent, nurture and mentor them and acknowledge glass ceiling. Reclaim our space.
Discussion
Minister of Education set aside HE budget/ HESA budget.
New paradigm of symbolic and substantial, statement of intent and programme of action.
3 pillars are
Power,
Strategy a champion - perhaps the minister- for the programme of action
and knowledge - one of 6 key projects of HESA is research and transformation
How will WHEEL evolve?
Gender, race and culture
New paradigm of being and doing as women and different culture of women.
Anshu: Culture dimension will not affect objective, but impacts on the way we work. The latter may impact on strategy and one another, but has to be unpacked as we go along.
Gambi: White women have also been disadvantaged. Fight the fight on principle, not on sentiment.
Moni: Don't view patriachy as a monolith. One's supporters could be men and white men and one could have a stronger bond with them than with black women or a white woman. Men are also victims of gender socialisation.
Queen bee syndrome- a woman who has found her way into leadership but want to stay as the only woman.
Leslie: What has the role of women's colleges been in promoting women in HE?
Dr Tisani: Intersection of gender and race. Gender one can look to sorority. Women after 11 years of Democracy have broken into the Afrikaner male ceiling, but women are as stark as pre-1994. We should look to the goddess of women, the divinity of women. Have an open discourse and search for strengths.
Dr Hammond: 1873 African American women could not go to white colleges to study. We should educate the whole woman, value her as a human being, not a token.
Gumbi: Unless you are an optimist you will not succeed
You learn from people, colleagues not only books
Give a blind eye and deaf ear to other people who tell you you cannot do it
Once men realize you know what you are doing, they respect you.
Women are sometimes their own enemy
Merle: Where is WHEEL going?
Brought ministry into the discourse very early on. A ministerial committee at the end of September will report on women and higher education.
WHEEL should be established as a forum everywhere and every level. Look at the action plans and ideas put forward. Look at where the women are and move them into executive positions. Do in-depth analysis of women's skills and needs. Who they are, what competencies there are and do indepth tests. Thoery and skills and mentoring, working toward goals collaboratively.
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