The purpose of this chapter is to provide insight into the ways in which personal life roles such as mother, daughter, and/or spouse/partner influence the leadership aspirations of women holding senior university administrative positions (e.g., academic dean, vice president, provost). The chapter is informed by a postmodern feminist perspective and reviews literature related to pathways to the presidency, family considerations, gender roles, and geographic mobility. Findings from the literature are integrated with those of the dissertation of the second author. In keeping with a postmodern feminist perspective, the chapter concludes with recommendations for change in recruiting diverse women for higher education leadership.

This case study reviews the financial dispute and legal battle between the heirs of Josephine Newcomb and Tulane University. Following Hurricane Katrina (2005), Tulane’s Board of Directors announced Newcomb College’s closure to stabilize university finances. In response, Newcomb’s heirs filed suit against the university. In 2009, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in favor of Tulane, setting legal precedent for educational merger. Now, more than 10 years after Katrina, Newcomb alumnae continue to question whether Tulane administrators abused Newcomb’s financial intentions. This case study helps students consider the rights and interests of philanthropic donors from the perspective of different stakeholders.

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The purpose of this chapter is to provide insight into the ways in which personal life roles such as mother, daughter, and/or spouse/partner influence the leadership aspirations of women holding senior university administrative positions (e.g., academic dean, vice president, provost). The chapter is informed by a postmodern feminist perspective and reviews literature related to pathways to the presidency, family considerations, gender roles, and geographic mobility. Findings from the literature are integrated with those of the dissertation of the second author. In keeping with a postmodern feminist perspective, the chapter concludes with recommendations for change in recruiting diverse women for higher education leadership.