Questions to Assess a Business School’s Support for Women

Business schools are slowly climbing towards gender parity as MBA enrollment hit a historic 42% high for women last year.

US News recently talked to experts to find out which questions can help determine if an MBA program is welcoming and supportive to female MBA students.

WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY AND CULTURE DOES A B-SCHOOL FOSTER?

In business schools, where inclusivity is crucial, Ann Harrison, dean of the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley, emphasizes the importance of community support—especially in a setting where men often take the spotlight.

“You take almost any MBA classroom, and the men are much more vocal than the women,” Harrison says. “I see it everywhere, except maybe in women-only settings.”

At Haas, there are a number of opportunities for women to connect and share their experiences. The business school’s annual Women in Leadership Conference offers a day of tactical workshops, story-sharing, and keynotes from industry-leading professionals and celebrates the accomplishments of women pioneers. Haas has also partnered with Forté, a foundation that hosts leadership events and networking opportunities for women in business. These opportunities, experts say, can signal the type of community support that a business school offers.

“The absence of initiatives or clubs led by and for women might signal insufficient support mechanisms for female students,” Claudia Viña Vázquez, a full-time MBA student at Haas and president of the school’s MBA student government, adds.

HOW ARE CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS?

How a professor facilitates classroom discussions can also convey a lot about a B-school’s community support.

“There’s a similar rule that we learn as professors, which is ‘Don’t call on the first people who raise their hand,’” Harrison says. “Wait a while, because women will take longer to raise their hands.“

Harrison makes it a point to step in and give space for the women in her classes to voice their thoughts

“I will stand up and complain. I’ll say, ‘What is going on here, guys? I need to hear from you,’” she says.

HOW MANY WOMEN MAKE UP FACULTY & LEADERSHIP?

Women have made significant gains in B-school leadership.

From 2020-2021 to 2023-2024, the global percentage of women holding dean positions rose from 26% to 30%.  Since 2008, the number of women in dean roles has increased by 43%, climbing from 17% in 2008 to nearly 1 in 3 today.

Stephanie Bryant, chief accreditation officer at the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, says it’s important for members of minority groups to see people who look like them in positions of power.

“It matters when women who have achieved some level of success in life look back at the young people and say, ‘you too can do this – and here’s how,’” she says.

Additionally, Harrison says, she’s made it a priority to continuously put more women in positions of power at Haas.

“The other thing that I’ve really pushed hard is I really think it’s important to see women professors in the classroom,” Harrison says. “Seventy percent of the new professors we’ve hired in the last five years have been women.”

Sources: US News, P&Q, Fortune