SHATTERING THE GLASS CEILING: CHALLENGING GENDER BASED IDENTITIES AND INEQUITIES FOR WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

This two-paper dissertation focuses on gender equity in higher education in the United States, specifically on workplace gender equity. There is a lack of feminist research in the literature which can have significant consequences in the development of both higher education policy and practices, as a misunderstanding about the gendered nature of educational experiences may be linked to inadequate responses to the situation. Feminist research helps understand and provide recommendations for such experiences. As such, gender equality should not only be an ethical imperative but also an emphasis in higher education. To increase gender equality in higher education, this dissertation recommends that scholars focus on feminist research. The goal of this research is to understand how gender impacts a person working in higher education by investigating historical and contemporary gender-based identities and inequities in higher education in the United States. Hence, this dissertation answers the following questions: What strides have been made to reduce gender inequity in the workplace in higher education in the United States? How does gender impact a person's career trajectory into leadership positions in higher education? As a result, this research provides recommendations for administrators and policy makers to reduce gender inequity in higher education.