women in higher education information technology careers vicki rogers university of west georgia,...

Women in Higher Education Information

Technology CareersVicki Rogers

University of West Georgia, Employee

University of Georgia, Student

University of West Georgia

UWG is in Northwest Georgia

12k Students

2500 Faculty/Staff

Claims to fame … Began as an A&M in 1906 Advanced Academy (1/12) #1 in NCAA Division II Football

University System of Georgia

30 Public Institutions all over the state

Governed by a Board of Regents

312k students

136k employees

My Story

I’m not sure what to write here, but I think I need a slide before the transition into the real material and it might be nice to know a little background about me before I start getting preachy.

Good News

IT Careers are among the 10 fastest growing US occupations

By 2022 there will be 1.2 million computing related job openings

Not so good news…

At the current rate we’ll only have about half as many qualified people as we need to fill them

What percent of professional employees in the US are women?

The Numbers

Women make up 57% of professional employees in the US

Professional Employee

Any employee engaged in work predominantly intellectual and varied in character as opposed to routine mental, manual, mechanical, or physical work; involving the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment in its performance; of such a character that the output produced or the result accomplished cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time; requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study in an institution of higher learning or a hospital, as distinguished from a general academic education or from an apprenticeship or from training in the performance of routine mental, manual, or physical processes. 29 USC

What percentage of IT employees in the US are women?

The Numbers

Women make up 26% of IT employees

Down from 34.9% in 2002

And 41% in 1996

What percentage of IT Managers are women?

Women IT Leaders

US Bureau of Labor and Statistics say 30% of IT managers are women

Educause says 23% of Higher Education CIOs or senior managers are women

University System of Georgia Numbers

20/30 institutions responded

Overall 30% women

1 institution as low as 8%

1 institution as high 83%

2/30 (7%) institutions have female CIOs or similar

Women30%

Men70%

Why

Input

Throughput

Input

Why

Organizational practicesMasculine work environmentsHiring and promotion practicesLack of role models and mentorsFamily issuesStereotypes Inflexible work policies

Why

Personal barriersGender influence self efficacy (believe you can

succeed)Lack of social capitol (relationships)Networking opportunitiesSense of belonging

Throughput

Women are 3x more likely to leave IT Cultural fitExpectation gapsLack of role models and mentorsCareer satisfactionOrganizational commitmentRole ambiguityRole conflict

How do we fix it?Does it even need fixing?Where do we start?

Women in IT

Women in

Leadership

Women in Higher Educatio

n

Women in Higher EducationMore women in college

57% of college students are female

Women earn more degrees now 60% of masters degrees 50.4% of doctorates

Women faculty/administration 26% of full professors 23% university presidents 14% of presidents at doctoral granting institutions

In Universities, women are less likely to be hired Less likely to be promoted Are paid less

USG Board of Regents

Women in Leadership

Women make up half the labor force

Women make up only 5% of top management positions

Traditional research focused on intentional exclusion

Recent research is looking at “second generation gender bias” Invisible barrierCultural beliefs about genderWorkplace structure

http://www.wsj.com/video/why-arent-more-women-in-c-suite-jobs/408052CE-056C-4656-9A4F-0F9ACE1369D0.html

The Intersection of 3 challenges

??

Women in IT

Women in

Leadership

Women in Higher Educatio

n

Does it Matter?

Gallop Poll from 2014 found that diverse teams perform better

Men and women have different viewpoints, ideas, and market insights, which enables better problem solving

A gender-diverse workforce provides more knowledgeA gender-diverse workforce allows the company to

serve an increasingly diverse customer base.Gender diversity helps companies attract and retain

talented women. Companies cannot afford to ignore 50% of the potential workforce and expect to be competitive in the global economy.

Top 5 Reasons for Gender Diversity

Larger Talent Pool

Improved Performance

Improved Moral

Increased ROA

Legal Protection

Wowing you with Science

Study from 2013 at the University of Pennsylvania

Women’s brains connect more between left and right hemispheres

Men’s brains connect more within hemispheres

Might explain why men are better at learning and performing single tasks, while women are better at multitasking and group problem solving

Big finding – we compliment each other!

University of Pennsylvania Research

What Can We Do?

We Have to Change

Talk about it

Learn more about it (even men)

Specifically develop women (its different)

Deal with these issues: Cultural fit Expectation gaps Lack of role models and mentors Career satisfaction Organizational commitment Role ambiguity Role conflict

Work on these personal barriers: Gender influence self efficacy

(believe you can succeed) Lack of social capitol

(relationships) Networking opportunities Sense of belonging

What are the greatest person barriers (male or female) to successfully attaining a leadership position in HE IT?

What barriers are specific to women?

What hard or soft skills are essential for women to achieve success in IT leadership?

What is the best way to prepare young women for leadership in our field?

Questions, Comments, Concerns…

Vicki Rogers

vickir@uga.edu

vickir@westga.edu