Did you know that women hold less than 40% of college and university president and chancellor positions in U.S. higher education?

Since its founding in 1972, HERS has contributed significantly to obliterating visible and invisible barriers for women in their ascent to senior leadership positions in higher education. While progress has been achieved in the representation of women leaders—going from zero to 39% of campus CEOs in over 50 years—other inequities persist.

HERS offers programs across the career life cycle, and through an equity-focused curricula, for campus leaders to effectively address current-day challenges faced by higher education, including:

• Steep declines in enrollment, while U.S. society is simultaneously diversifying demographically.
• Tuition-dependent institutions closing or merging as a result of not meeting enrollment projections.
• Waning of trust in, and value of, higher education faculty, credentials, and degrees.
• Drastic decreases in state financial support from legislators, while they simultaneously expand their power and influence over teaching and learning inputs and outcomes, and institutional governance.
• Increase of mental illness plaguing campus constituents, particularly students, which has especially escalated among historically underrepresented and marginalized communities since the global pandemic.

Your financial support helps HERS prepare leaders to address the most pressing challenges of higher education effectively and equitably in their leadership practice. Leaders from all backgrounds and institution types NEED these opportunities.