Women Faculty Departures from a Striving Institution: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

The quest for institutional prestige in the academic hierarchy has become a common phenomenon among universities in the United States. At the same time, the institutions that choose to embark on such a journey (referred to as striving institutions) have not been closely examined to determine how such efforts influence the different constituencies in the institution. This study examines how one striving environment impacted the departure decisions of 11 women faculty members through the lens of gendered organizational theory. Findings demonstrated that issues related to gender discrimination, a lack of work-life balance, and reduced resources resulted in decisions to depart.