Administrative Promotion: The Structuring of Opportunity within a University

This study examined the structure of opportunity—the organizational configuration and promotion policies and practices—for administrative and professional staff within a large public university. Analyses of 3,170 positions and 350 internal promotions indicated a low pyramid structure with the majority of positions located in the middle. Indices of representation indicate that white men were overrepresented in higher level positions and promotions while white women and minorities of both genders were overrepresented in the lower levels.