This publication, the first in the Advancing Women's Leadership series, discusses women's perspectives on the presidency. In 1998 and 1999 the Office of Women in Higher Education of the American Council on Education (ACE) held a series of 13 roundtables around the United States to explore the status of women as college presidents. More than 110 women presidents from all types of institutions took part in the formal discussions and 22 participated in informal discussions. This report draws on those conversations to provide an inside look at leadership challenges in the college presidency and gender issues. It includes reflections and recommendations by the roundtable participants and materials culled from subsequent telephone interviews with some participants. The participating presidents spent the most time focusing on five critical areas: (1) working with boards; (2) special challenges and opportunities posed by the gender factor; (3) staying power; (4) identifying and mentoring talented women for presidencies; and (5) creating a climate for success. Some themes consistently emerged from the discussions. The first is that all presidencies are not alike, and that there is indeed a gender factor, especially in the complications posed by the personal lives of women presidents. Keeping the confidence and support of the board and mentoring and being mentored have special implications for female presidents. When to stay, when to go, and serving as college president a second time are all issues that have a special relevance for women in the college presidency. Among the keys to success, participants indicated, is achieving balance in professional and personal lives. Three appendixes list participants in the roundtables, members of the ACE Commission on Women in Higher Education, and financial contributors. The final appendix contains a list of six recommended readings. (SLD)