In July 2015, The Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University appointed a female to lead its MBA Program.

Kathryn Barraclough was previously the Director of the Masters in Finance Program at Vanderbilt University.

Tepper School’s Dean, Robert Dammon, said of the appointment:

“Kate Barraclough brings an impressive and broad background, ranging from academia to financial services. Her achievements as a scholar, researcher and educational leader were fundamental qualities that led to her appointment.”

Barraclough certainly has an impressive resume: She graduated from the Australian National University, where she attained a PhD before going on to manage at the prestigious KPMG. Her role, which she has described as a “privilege,” will see her document the strategic direction that the school’s one-year MBA Program will take. She will also be in charge of all aspects related to the program’s administration, including student financial aid, admissions and career services.

Groundbreaking as it is, the appointment of a female in a top position at a business school raises a few questions about the growing demand for more women to be given such positions in a bid to close the gender gap in the world of business.

The Gender Gap

Kathryn Barraclough’s appointment to a top position at a highly-ranked US business school may suggest that the gender gap in business school faculties is finally closing. Certainly, the number of women academics that now hold key leadership positions at respected schools of business is growing, but gender balance still remains an issue.

The number of female students is increasing, partly thanks to MBA scholarships for women, like fellowships offered by Forté Foundation, and leadership programs at schools such as IMD and INSEAD, yet the number of females employed in top positions is much less than men. Research shows some high-ranked business schools are home to a mere 20% female faculty.

The pay gap between males and females continues to be a problem. According to UN Women, women all around the world earn an average of 76% of what men earn. Although the pay gap is at its highest in South Asia, it isn’t restricted to that part of the world and the results of the report are troubling. Lifetime income, for example, is 31% lower for females in Sweden and France—and 49% in Germany.

This is because management is still by large an exclusive male club. Women continue to be kept below the glass ceiling, if you will, making up around 65% of support and clerical positions worldwide but a mere 4% of board members for six of the world’s most powerful economic institutions.

Those numbers are alarming, but even more disturbing is that 75% of women who have managed to attain and hold onto management positions in the EU say they have experienced some form of sexual harassment in their careers.

Business schools must lead the way for change. If more business schools do not appoint females in leadership positions, it will continue to be difficult for women to find their feet in organisational cultures where inequality of gender balance continues to proliferate and hold sway.

Is Tepper Leading The Way?

The Tepper School of Business is setting a good example and taking a step in the right direction by employing a female in a top position in an MBA Program. It’s also true that the gender gap for such roles at business schools is narrowing. According to a recent report, females who now hold a role equal to a director or assistant dean represent almost half the total in the whole of America.

The situation, however, is less hopeful when you take a closer look at the very top leadership positions. There have been some key female appointments, of course. In 2014, Rutgers Business School MBA appointed Doctor Lei Lei as its new dean. Doctor Lei had been working at the business school since 1989 and possesses a PhD in Industrial Engineering. McGill Desautels also appointed a female dean (in 2015).

Despite this, the percentage of female deans has increased by just 1% in America, and is still less than 25% overall. Perhaps more damning is the fact that some of the worst performing MBA programs are those where female representation at faculty level is extremely low.

Thankfully, Tepper, Rutgers and McGill Desautels certainly offer more than a mere glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. The hope is that the rest will soon follow suit.

This post is written by Gretchen Shaw. Gretchen is an author, blogger and entrepreneur with a penchant for baking. She is passionate about communication, continued learning and connecting people. You can follow her on Twitter: @shawgret