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“Female University Presidents Uncommon, Unlikely in SEC.”

That’s a headline in today’s University of Georgia newspaper. Story includes a big ol’ picture of Georgia’s outgoing president, who’s also an NCAA honcho (he was on the short list to replace Myles Brand as head of the organization).

Although the story doesn’t pick up on it, the headline touches on the Southeastern Conference, and how it’s real unlikely you’re gonna see a woman president from an SEC school.

And why is that?

Because the SEC schools (with one exception: Vanderbilt) are all football factories, and in order to stay in operation the foreman must be male. With a woman you run the risk of hiring an egghead.

Margaret Soltan, June 28, 2012 12:46PM
Posted in: sport

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4 Responses to ““Female University Presidents Uncommon, Unlikely in SEC.””

  1. Ellie Says:

    And don’t forget, as the head hunter so helpfully reminds us, that “the job is demanding.”

  2. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Ellie: Yes! I loved that line…

  3. Shane Says:

    Right, well. The current interim President of UA is Dr. Judy Bonner. She is and has been our Provost (and a very good one at that). She may not want the presidency, in the end, but she is certainly qualified and highly thought of at UA.

    Dr. Judy Bonner was named Interim President of The University of Alabama on March 5, 2012. “I look forward to working with the UA family to keep our University on a trajectory of growth with quality, and to maintaining our long-standing commitment to excellence in every endeavor. Our outstanding faculty and staff demonstrate their commitment to our students and their success on a daily basis, and I am honored to have this opportunity to serve as interim president during this time of transition. We look forward to working with Dr. Witt in his new role as chancellor of the UA System, and wish him much success in the years to come.” — Dr. Judy Bonner

  4. Contingent Cassandra Says:

    Word is that Sullivan is more knowledgeable about football than Casteen was. It probably helps to have spent time at Michigan (and in Texas). Of course she’s not going to make it a major priority, but neither should any university president. Overly sports-oriented presidents strike me as no better than overly business-oriented presidents, perhaps because when you come down to it, big college sports = business.

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