Author Description

Information on spouses of college presidents is presented. This 1983 survey of member institutions of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) updates a 1981 survey. Of the 337 presidential spouses, 54 percent responded, including 4 of the 7 male spouses. Respondents provided information on: their personal lives and family, experiences as a presidential spouse, paid occupational activities, volunteer work, educational activities, presidential housing, official entertaining, use of the president's home by university and community groups, the spouse's role as an unofficial university representative, and the relationship of the presidential spouse to the university governing board. Data are included on: regional statistics on official entertaining in university-owned and private presidential homes, community size, the relationship of official entertaining to university benefit, the average number of official functions per year, and services provided for official functions. It was found that most of the respondents were serving as a presidential spouse at their second university, and for 23 percent, the spouse had been named president from within the university. Half of the presidential spouses worked in their community, and 49 took courses, 30 percent at their own institution. The questionnaire is appended. (SW)