Anna Maria tops Central Mass. colleges for gender leadership

Photo | Google Anna Maria College in Paxton.

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By Grant Welker

Anna Maria College in Paxton tops Central Massachusetts colleges when it comes to gender parity, according to a new report weighing how equally women were represented in the president's office and among leadership positions.

Anna Maria ranked No. 8 in the state among 93 studied by the Eos Foundation, a Cape Cod private foundation for investing in children.

Anna Maria has been led by President Mary Lou Retelle since 2015. Nine of its 21 trustees are women. Anna Maria scored well for its senior leadership and the percentage of its students who are female, which is 58 percent, according to the report, which was issued last week.

Among other Central Massachusetts colleges, Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester landed 19th in the state. The college scored best for its board, of which seven of 11 members are women.

Becker College in Worcester ranked 21st. It has been led by President Nancy Crimmin since last year, and the college scored high for its senior leadership, of which three of five of Crimmin's top assistants are female.

Worcester State University scored 21st statewide. Seven of the university's 11 trustees are women, and five of eight members of President Barry Maloney's leadership team are women. Maloney told the Worcester Business Journal earlier this year for the publication's Boardroom Gap series he wanted the university's leadership to match its student body, which is more than 60 percent female.

Simmons College, a women-only school in Boston, ranked No. 1 in Massachusetts, followed by Smith College, a women's liberal arts school in Northampton.

How the rest of Central Massachusetts colleges fared on the list:

— Nichols College, Dudley: 51st in the state, scoring well for its president, Susan West Engelkemeyer, but poorer for its senior leadership and board.

— College of the Holy Cross, Worcester: 54th in the state, scoring well for its senior leadership but worse because of its board, which is predominantly male.

— Framingham State University: 55th in the state, scoring relatively well for its senior leadership but worse for its board of trustees.

— Worcester Polytechnic Institute: 58th in the state, scoring well for its president, Laurie Leshin, but worse for its student body, which is 67-percent male, and its leadership.

— Fitchburg State University: 61st in the state, scoring best for its board of trustees.

— MCPHS University, Worcester: 61st in the state, scoring best for its senior leadership.

— Assumption College, Worcester: 70th in the state, scoring best for its senior leadership.

— Dean College, Franklin: 70th in the state, scoring well for being under the leadership of President Paula Rooney since 1995, but worse for its senior leadership and board of trustees.

— UMass Medical School, Worcester: 77th in the state, scoring best for its senior leadership, and zeros for its president and board.

— Clark University, Worcester: 82nd in the state, scoring best for its senior leadership.