To contextualize the focus on funding, it is important
to note that, while they all built their careers at public
(state) institutions, much of their time in administration
coincided with steady decreases in state support for higher
education. The challenges associated with declining state
support were noted: “The governor was not supportive
of providing the resources necessary to carry out our
mission with integrity . . . raising tuition was seen as an
indication that we were not good stewards of resources.”
While gender stereotypes suggest that women are less
likely than men to be focused on the monetary dimension
of leadership, in the context of declining state support, it
would not have been possible to succeed without making
revenue generation a top priority.