The number of women in leadership positions at Duke University will increase this fall after it was announced that seven of the university’s 10 deans will be female.
Originally, eight deans were set to head their respective schools, but the divinity dean stepped down this month and was replaced by a male faculty member.
“Duke is really setting a standard for other colleges and universities in terms of diversifying the leadership of higher education,” said Duke alumna Carolyn Stefanco, who also is president of the College of Saint Rose in New York.
The female deans include School of Law Dean Karen L. “Kerry” Abrams, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences Dean Dr. Valerie S. Ashby, School of Nursing Dean Dr. Marion E. Broome, Sanford School of Public Policy Dean Dr. Judith Kelley, School of Medicine Dean Dr. Mary E. Klotman, Graduate School Dean Dr. Paula D. McClain and Nicholas School of the Environment Dean Dr. Toddi Steelman.
“What is really quite lovely about [the high number of women] is that we have a diverse group of thinkers on issues that are really important in higher education,” said Ashby, who along with McClain is African-American. “Even though there are several women, there are still multiple perspectives within that group of women.”
According to Duke Today, 65 percent of Duke University and Duke University Health System employees are women, compared to the national average of 46.9 percent. Additionally, Duke ranked 159th on the Forbes 2018 list for America’s Best Employers for Women.
“We want the very best faculty that we are adding to our departments,” said Ashby. “And if everybody is of the like mindset, experience and background, that cannot be the best that we can do.”
