Representations of Black leaders in the provost position are few, which speaks to historic views on Black intellectualism, barriers to administrative service, and a lack of professional networks and mentors. In this essay, Russell S. Thacker and Sydney Freeman Jr. examine the lived experiences of thirteen current and former Black provosts at predominantly White institutions and outline strategies to help other aspiring leaders of color prepare for senior administrative positions in higher education. They highlight the unique barriers faced in the preparation and service of Black provosts and also reveal positive evidence that institutions are increasingly open to the diverse backgrounds and contributions brought by leaders of color.

Aim/PurposeThe aim and purpose of this study is to understand why there is a dearth of faculty of color ascending to senior levels of leadership in higher education institutions, and to identify strategies to increase the representation of faculty of color in university senior administrative positions. Future ResearchHigher education researchers may extend the findings of this study to explore how faculty of color have ascended to specific leadership roles within the academy such as department chair, academic dean, provost, and president.

No abstract

Purpose Within the USA, current trends in higher education show more women than men achieving graduate degrees. Among the potential reasons for this disparity is that fathers are reporting challenges in balancing their additional responsibilities while increasing their housework and childcare investment. Many fathers are turning to online graduate education to more effectively balance home and school responsibilities. However, limited portrayals of fathers' experiences in online education exist. Design/methodology/approach In this duoethnography of two online doctoral student fathers, the authors add to the limited literature on both fathers and online students in navigating home, school and work responsibilities. The authors use Goode’s role strain theory to examine the challenges to achieving a balance between each sphere of responsibility and explore strategies for managing these tensions. Findings The authors discuss the need for ongoing flexibility and change, the process of navigating feelings of guilt and self-doubt and the ability to engage in daily role bargains. They argue that online education is generally not a panacea for easing role conflict and find that integration is an effective strategy to aid online students' persistence in their programs. Practical implications The authors conclude with policy and practice recommendations for future online doctoral student fathers and doctoral program designers. Originality/value Little research has been conducted from the online doctoral student father lens. This research fills in this gap and lends a voice to fathers who are navigating the doctoral journey.

Faculty engage in several institutional activities typically categorised as teaching, research and service. Within those activities there are numerous potential tasks, and research denotes that faculty often bemoan this work which can lead to turnover and lack of commitment. We present the