Frayed: Leadership Burnout Among Women in Higher Ed

An honest account of burnout among women leaders in higher education-and what you can do about it. Higher education has begun to take burnout seriously-except when it comes to its leaders.Deans, chairs, directors, provosts, and presidents are expected to absorb relentless pressure without visible strain, even as institutions face enrollment declines, political scrutiny, labor unrest, and financial uncertainty.Frayed centers the voices of women leaders navigating this reality.Rebecca Pope-Ruark draws on interviews with women across administrative roles to document how burnout takes shape in leadership positions that allow little room for vulnerability.These leaders describe chronic exhaustion, isolation, distrust, and the emotional toll of being held responsible for decisions they did not control.Gendered expectations intensify these pressures-particularly for women of color-who face additional scrutiny and fewer margins for error.Pope-Ruark offers concrete strategies for rebuilding tru