SWE - Fall 2008 - (Page 50)

Dr. Blanchard tours new construction on her campus, describing it as being “on top of my world.” then left a faculty position at Kansas State University to lead the statistical sciences group at Los Alamos National Lab before moving to Rice as dean in 2005. “When I look back on my career, I can honestly say I did not spend much time planning any of it,” she observed. “However, what I did do was embrace new and interesting challenges, whether it was the opportunity to go to the National Science Foundation and direct a research program, go to Los Alamos National Laboratory and build a world-class statistical sciences group, or come to Rice and lead a topranked school of engineering. I never questioned my decisions and I never looked back.” Like many of their female peers, Drs. Blanchard, Claiborn, and Keller-McNulty did not serve as academic department chairs before becoming deans, getting their leadership experience in other ways instead. “Being a department chair is probably a more traditional path for becoming a dean, but this is probably more true for men than for women,” Dr. Blanchard noted. “Sexism is alive and well in many academic units, so women often end up taking alternative routes, e.g., other leadership roles within the university or at the national level.” The role of a dean Although their institutions are quite different, all three deans see their roles similarly: to provide vision and leadership for the school and to keep people moving together toward a common goal. According to Dr. Blanchard, “Deans keep the big picture in mind while also paying attention to details so that nothing important gets neglected.” Dr. Claiborn described her role this way: “I work with the leadership — department chairs and center directors — to set priorities; allocate resources; provide start-up funds for new faculty; deal with retention counter offers, annual reviews, promotion and tenure, administrative duties; planning future space for the college and also fundraising, both private donors and helping faculty identify funding for research; finding matching funds; renovating labs. A lot of work is done by people who work for me; I have a good leadership team.” According to Dr. Keller-McNulty, “What many people don’t understand is that higher education is a business, albeit a unique business. In the business world, you would call me a second- to third-line manager. I am both a manager and a leader for the George R. Brown School of Engineering. I have facility, personnel, and fiscal responsibility for the school. I am also responsible for the longrange strategic vision and direction of the school, aligning this with the goals and aspirations of the institution.” The deans enjoy working at the strategic, visionary level to guide their programs into the future. “The best thing about being dean is that I really enjoy the global view of the college and where we are headed,” said Dr. Claiborn. “I like to work on things of value to society, such as energy and the environment, and attracting more students into engineering, helping them finish their degrees, getting the student body to look like the demographics of our state. PROS AND CONS of being an academic administrator B oth Drs. Blanchard and Claiborn attended a workshop last winter at the New Jersey Institute of Technology called Women Engineers in Advanced Academic Positions. Hosted by NJIT provost Priscilla Nelson, Ph.D., a civil engineer, the meeting provided an opportunity for female engineering deans and provosts, as well as those holding other highlevel academic positions, to network and share their experiences and keys to success. Dr. Blanchard provided the following lists of rewards and impediments to becoming an administrator in higher education: Rewards I You get to help set policy and strategic plans for the unit, i.e., big-picture thinking I You get to be a leader and help/mentor other people I You can make a difference in the world I No two days are the same, and most are fun and challenging in a positive way I The salary is generally better than for faculty, and summer salary is covered Impediments I Getting the full-professor ticket punched first I Geographical/family challenges in terms of mobility I Sexism is alive and well I You have a boss (as opposed to the way faculty feel) 50 SWE FALL 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SWE - Fall 2008

SWE - Fall 2008 Heritage Club Contents Farewell Message from FY08 President Michelle Tortolani Congratulations SWE Magazine A Conversation with FY09 President Virginia Connolly, P.E. Introducing the FY09 Board of Directors View from the Executive Suite Editor's Page Public Policy Update SWE Retention Study, Part 6 Membership Information & Calendar A&B SWE Member Kristina Johnson First Woman to Receive John Fritz Medal University Labs Fuel a New Era in Energy Women Engineering Leaders in Academe 2008 Opening the Gateways to Engineering Your Collegiate Section History is Waiting to Be Discovered Honoring the Legacy of Ada Pressman, P.E. Report from WEPAN Engineering World Proposed Bylaws Amendments Point of View Correction Career Toolbox Corporate Partnership Council Book Review SWE Smiles In Memory Opportunity Index SWE Scrapbook

SWE - Fall 2008

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