| Using a phenomenological methodology, this qualitative study renewed the examination of gender inequality in higher education administration by allowing women who have experienced the glass ceiling phenomenon at Research Doctoral institutions to provide further meaning by sharing their stories. The glass ceiling phenomenon reveals itself most clearly in higher education through the discrepancy between the number of women receiving advanced degrees and the number serving in academic leadership positions such as dean, vice-president for academic affairs, provost, chancellor, and, ultimately, president (Gerdes, 2006).;Overall, this study's findings support previous research on gender inequality in higher education administration. The glass ceiling does not appear to manifest itself differently in 21st century higher education based upon the emergent themes---masculinized institutional culture, gendered organizational practices, intentionality, human capital, and career aspirations---drawn from the participants experiences with the phenomenon.;Since the problem of practice is ongoing and there has only been marginal progress in breaking down the barriers to obtaining higher level leadership positions, a new approach to generating understanding is required. Pierre Bourdieu's social theory was used for this purpose. As a result, this study extended the body of knowledge on gender inequality in higher education administration by uncovering (a) the role capital plays in the emergence and maintenance of the glass ceiling in the 21st century higher education workplace, and (b) how the habitus of agents in the field is affected by the experience. |
