NEW ZEALAND: First woman vice-chancellor steps down

The only woman vice-chancellor in the 139-year history of New Zealand universities finished up at her job last week and the country's female academics are hoping it will not be another century-and-a-half before the next one is appointed.

Professor Judith Kinnear, an Australian, moved from the University of Sydney to become vice-chancellor of Massey University in early 2003, taking charge of one of New Zealand's largest universities with some 19,000 full-time equivalent students spread across three campuses.

The appointment was significant – until Kinnear, women had failed to capture any of the eight vice-chancellorships and, according to 2001 figures, accounted for only 14% of professors and 44% of lecturers despite providing more than half of the country's university students.

The numbers have improved since then. Ministry of Education figures show that 20% of professors and 46% of lecturers were women in 2006, though that is likely to be down due to general changes in the university system rather than Kinnear's appointment.

Even so, Kinnear did break through a glass ceiling, said Maureen Montgomery, president of the Association of University Staff and, until recently, its women's vice-president for the past three years.

"Symbolically for women it is very important to have had a woman in that position," Montgomery said. "When it comes to an appointment at that level she then becomes a role model – it's no longer something to be imagined."

Montgomery noted that near-neighbour Australia had a much better record of appointing women to lead universities. "We're really very slow with achieving this."

Exactly what legacy Kinnear has left to New Zealand academia and to Massey remains to be seen but in the short term at least she is likely be remembered as much for the acrimony that surrounded her relationship with Massey University's council as for breaking any glass ceilings.

Rumours of a split between Kinnear and some members of the council began to emerge in 2005 and became embarrassingly public in subsequent years, with leaked letters and council documents revealing an adversarial relationship.

But Montgomery dismissed suggestions the controversy had damaged the women's cause. "There is acrimony that affects male vice-chancellors and councils, why should this be any different?"

Kinnear's departure leaves just two women in the top echelons of university management in New Zealand – deputy vice-chancellors at Auckland and Massey universities – and a handful in the next tier of assistant and pro vice-chancellors and deans. Meanwhile, Massey staff await the arrival of their new vice-chancellor – a man.

* John Gerritsen is editor of New Zealand Education Review.