Regarding: "The number of women serving as presidents of U.S. Catholic colleges has skyrocketed in the past 16 years — up 137 percent from 2000 to 2016, according to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities."
- That this is a marvel depends on the base line, in this case - years 2000 - 2016.
- If extending the baseline to 1920 then the number of women presidents is seen to be a large number as the women's catholic colleges were lead, you guessed it, by women. 
- It seems the uniqueness of women serving as presidents in these days is that they are usually lay women, that is not consecrated women religious, and that they serve in universities that are now co-educational.