The Influence of Support Systems on the Career and Family Decisions of Female Music Faculty in Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the influence of support systems on the career and family decisions of female music faculty in higher education. Data was gathered from an anonymous survey and participants were female faculty in higher education in the United States within the music profession. A theme that emerged from participants’ responses was the profound influence having a supportive partner or spouse had on their decisions regarding career and family. Approximately half of participant responses indicated having a supportive partner enabled them to pursue their career and/or have children. Some participants responded having close friends or extended family was also very influential in their ability to pursue their desired career, but friends and family were not mentioned in any responses as influential in decisions regarding having children. Having children has often been reported as a major obstacle for women who desire to achieve tenure (Anders, 2004; Armenti, 2004; Bovin, 2020; Frye, 2003). My survey revealed only 32.4% felt their career had significantly influenced their decision not to have children with 41.2% responding their career had “not at all” influenced this decision. Most tenured faculty (71.8%) had at least one child and most (72.7%) reported their first child was born either before they were tenured or before their academic career. Only 7.6% reported having their first child after tenure was achieved. This contradicts what Armenti (2004) found that younger female faculty felt it was better not to have children prior to tenure. Another significant finding was 80.2% of participants felt they have to work harder than their male colleagues to achieve the same level of recognition; 75.9% felt their gender has caused bias within the workplace; and 62.9% felt they have been discriminated against because of their gender.