Last year, the Harvard Business Review released a piece of research focusing on women’s leadership during the pandemic. Inspired by the success of leaders such as Jacinda Arden from New Zealand, Angela Merkel from Germany and Tsai Ing-wen from Taiwan, the article concluded quantitatively, through the analysis of 360 feedback and engagement surveys, that women were better leaders during a crisis.
Female leaders are often criticized on many fronts. Namely, for being too masculine or for being too feminine. Canada has many examples of female leaders shining in a crisis. In particular, during the pandemic, we have seen female university presidents leading in the very best ways — visionary, strategic and decisive, while remaining warm, compassionate, and present.
Isn’t that exactly the kind of leadership that the world needs during a seemingly never-ending global pandemic?
A quick scan of Canadian university campuses tells this story in abundance.
At the University of Guelph, President Charlotte Yates credits the diversity of her team for the creative leadership adopted during the pandemic. They welcomed the entire community to campus for a vaccination clinic, they advanced Indigenization on campus by creating spaces for knowledge sharing, and they adapted their outdoor learning spaces to maintain a strong learning experience while respecting public health measures.
President Vianne Timmons at Memorial University began her presidential tenure at a second university at the outset of the pandemic. Upon arrival, she did a visiting and listening tour, learning the on-the-ground stories of her new university. She developed a focused strategy reaching out to female faculty and staff who felt overtaxed during the pandemic, sharing both experiences and solutions.
Rector Sophie D’Amours from Université Laval describes COVID-19 as a deeply humanizing experience where the campus came together to face collective challenges. At their recent Convocation, 23,000 students celebrated their courage in persevering studies during a pandemic, each with their own story of pain and success. In an act of campus solidarity, uLaval raised $2 million dollars to support international students who were lacking funds due to COVID-19 disruption.
President Lesley Brown started her mandate at Yukon University in the latter part of the pandemic. She jumped into high gear introducing a vaccine mandate. She dropped in on classes as the university tested out their hybrid learning model, constantly juggling to ensure in person and remote students felt connected.
At McGill University, Principal Suzanne Fortier was humbled when welcoming back alumnus Dr. Noubar Afeyan, co-chair of Moderna, to his alma mater to inspire students. Further, she beamed with pride as McGill medical students created a program to support low-income parents with essential needs.
For President Joy Johnson at Simon Fraser University, she also started her mandate during the pandemic. She describes a sense of shared values and increased collaboration on their campuses, along with a renewed energy and buzz when they were able to return to in-person learning this past fall.
At University of the Fraser Valley, President Joanne MacLean led through the pandemic, and catastrophic fires, along with atmospheric rivers and flooding in BC. She faced challenges with students who didn’t have access to computers or internet, and some who didn’t have a safe space from home to learn. She was pragmatic and caring in finding solutions.
At MacEwan University, President Annette Trimbee also began her presidential tenure at a second university during the pandemic. She describes the changing decisions on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. Proudly, their big band kept on performing, surrounded by plexi-glass, and dawned in masks. Annette also led the emotionally charged Believe Us task force for the City of Edmonton focusing on community safety and well-being.
These inspiring leaders absorb chaos, maintain stability, and communicate hope each day. They have also been powerful voices in putting post secondary at the heart of the pandemic recovery.
According to critical mass theory, a term coined by Harvard professor Rosabeth Kanter, a group needs 30 per cent representation to make a tangible difference to a culture. Women currently hold 29 per cent of university presidencies in Canada, and thus are just reaching the threshold needed to truly advance change within a culture.
Men currently lead nearly all university organizations in Canada including Universities Canada, the U15, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the National Research Council, MITACS and the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
Canadian universities need to do more to ensure that their leadership reflects their communities. We need more female leaders in the university sector leading this change with both compassion and certainty.
Universities need to design a more equitable future for female university leaders, with inclusion at its foundation.
Photo courtesy of iStock
