Beyond Balance: How Women Leaders at U.S. Private R1 Universities Redefine Work-Life Integration ChenXin Xu

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Xu, ChenXin, author.

Contributor:

University of Pennsylvania. Higher Education Management., degree granting institution.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

0323.

0446.

0449.

0453.

0515.

Local Subjects:

0323.

0446.

0449.

0453.

0515.

Physical Description:

1 electronic resource (110 pages)

Contained In:

Dissertations Abstracts International 87-07A

Place of Publication:

Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 2025

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This dissertation examined how senior women leaders at U.S. private R1 universities experience and navigate work-life integration within environments historically shaped by male-centric leadership norms. Through a qualitative, phenomenological design, the study drew on in-depth, semistructured interviews with 17 senior administrators-including deans, vice deans, associate deans, vice presidents, and a vice chancellor-to explore how these leaders construct and sustain equilibrium across professional and personal domains.Findings reveal integration is not a fixed achievement, but a continual process of negotiation shaped by institutional culture, societal expectations, and evolving life circumstances. Participants described both persistent tensions and moments of enrichment, demonstrating how professional and personal spheres can reinforce each other under supportive conditions. Core themes include (a) navigating institutional and cultural expectations of leadership and gender, (b) recalibrating professional and personal priorities across life stages, (c) the critical role of support systems and flexibility, and (d) the emergence of resilience and agency in redefining success.By focusing on integration rather than balance, the study reframes women's leadership experiences as dynamic and contextually embedded. The findings contribute to the growing body of scholarship on gender and leadership in higher education and highlight implications for institutional practices that promote sustainability, inclusivity, and well-being among academic leaders

Notes:

Advisors: Perna, Laura W. Committee members: Wollman, Julie; Hartman, Eric

Source: Dissertations Abstracts International, Volume: 87-07, Section: A.

Ed.D. University of Pennsylvania 2025

Vendor supplied data

Local Notes:

School code: 0175

ISBN:

9798276005966

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license