Fresno State President Joseph I Castro has signed on to the Moving the Needle: Advancing Women Leaders in Higher Education campaign to work toward ensuring that 50 percent of chief executives of the nation’s higher education institutions will be women by 2030. Today, women hold 26 percent of college and university presidencies.
The campaign was launched in January 2016 by the American Council on Education (ACE), the coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions. It encourages colleges and universities to increase awareness by signing a statement of support to advance women into senior leadership positions in higher education.
Castro joins a group of over 100 leaders that recognize that there is a pivotal opportunity to help advance women into the CEO position at America’s colleges and universities as higher education is beginning to see turnover of a generation of leaders.
“As a university president, I have a duty to do my part to help prepare the next generation of leaders, offering sponsorship as well as mentorship,” said Castro. “I recognize my ability to effect change, inform perception and elevate priorities. I am inspired by the vision of more presidents from diverse backgrounds.”
When presidents sign the Moving the Needle: Advancing Women Leaders commitment, they commit to:
- Nominating qualified women to the highest positions of leadership in higher education wherever and whenever possible.
- Providing opportunities for emerging women leaders to gain access to the skills and experiences necessary to advance.
- Educating others, including boards, on the benefits of a gender-diversified leadership.
- Empowering leadership teams in their own institutions to sponsor women leaders.
For more information on the Moving the Needle: Advancing Women Leaders campaign, visit www.acenet.edu/JoinMTN.
