Despite some continuing problems, administrators say women applicants for administrative positions today may be entering a different job market than their predecessors.

"I would suspect in the last five years that the candidates are being judged for administrative positions purely on their merits," says Huidekoper. "Ten years ago women had more of a barrier than they do now."

"In the early days, people didn't know how to find women [for administrative posts]," Horner says. "They were out of the network that identified people."

"I think that if you have a cadre of senior people who are looking for quality first, and gender second, they're likely to find more women [than before]," Graham says. "That's certainly our experience [at the Ed School]. I think you've got to make sure that the women are coming in."

In recent years, Harvard has made more of an effort to find and promote women. In fact, some administrators say they think affirmative action may have played a positive role in their appointments.

Zeckhauser says of her October promotion, "I think I got lucky. I think it was inevitable that one of us were going to get here one day. I don't think it hurt" to be a woman.

Women administrators say it is only a matter of time before women reach the University's highest tier, the Corporation that has final control over all policy decisions.

"I think the members of the Corporation would [also] like to see a woman on the Corporation. I think it would be quite likely." Horner says.

Harvard "is changing and will continue to change," Huidekoper says. "What you need is first some affirmation of women and then it takes hold."