Increasing the Representation of Women Full Professors in Academe Barbara A. Lee Dean School of Management & Labor Relations Rutgers University

2 The Picture in the U.S.  In 2003, women comprised 18.2 percent of full professors at doctoral-granting universities  This is an increase from 14 percent in 1998  At all colleges and universities combined, women comprised 22 percent of full professors in 2001

3 The Picture in the U.S.  Women cluster at the assistant professor level  In 2003, 40 percent of all assistant professors at doctoral institutions were women  One third of all associate professors were women.

4 The Picture in the U.S.  The representation of women varies by discipline.  In the physical sciences and computer science, women are less than 10 percent of full professors.

5 Some reasons why women are underrepresented  Women take longer to earn the PhD than men  Women and men are not dispersed equally within disciplines  Males are more likely to have research assistantships  Women are more likely to have teaching assistantships

6 Some reasons why women are underrepresented  Women have lower rates of publication  There are fewer senior women to serve as role models for female graduate students and junior faculty

7 The Pipeline  In percent of all recipients of bachelor’s degrees in the U.S. were women  59 percent of all recipients of master’s degrees were women  46 percent of all recipients of doctoral degrees were women  47 percent of all recipients of first professional degrees were women

8 The Pipeline Percentage of doctorates in 1998 who were women:  Art history: 78 percent  Physics and astronomy: 14 percent  Life sciences: 49 percent  Mathematics, economics, computer science: 30 percent

9 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks 1. University’s leadership must be committed to increasing the absolute number of women  Experts say that when a department is between ¼ and 1/3 women, significant progress is made in changing the climate and supporting women

10 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks  Each department should be required to develop a strategy to increase the number of senior women faculty  Positions should be defined broadly to ensure that they do not exclude women  Be flexible in the discipline or research focus of individuals hired for senior level positions

11 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks  Cluster hiring—two or three senior positions filled by women  Hire senior women with nontraditional career paths  Create visiting positions for senior women  Allow spousal hiring  Hold leaders of departments accountable for recruiting and hiring senior women

12 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks 2. Set aside specific positions for senior women (“affirmative action”) Pro’s of affirmative action: Pro’s of affirmative action: Hiring is subjective so set-asides are neededHiring is subjective so set-asides are needed Recruitment is still biased against womenRecruitment is still biased against women Prior discrimination requires extraordinary measures to remedyPrior discrimination requires extraordinary measures to remedy

13 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks  Problems with affirmative action Suggests that individual selected is not qualified Suggests that individual selected is not qualified Demeans the individual who is hired Demeans the individual who is hired Institution is “hurt” because the “best” candidate was not selected Institution is “hurt” because the “best” candidate was not selected

14 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks  My view of affirmative action (and the U.S. Supreme Court’s view)  Affirmative action does NOT require the hiring of an unqualified candidate  Qualifications are determined subjectively and can be defined more broadly  Adding women or minorities to search committees can result in a better quality hire

15 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks 3. Develop the next generation of senior women scholars Mentor women undergraduates and graduate students Mentor women undergraduates and graduate students Provide opportunities for women students to participate in research Provide opportunities for women students to participate in research Create online resource centers and resume banks to help locate women scholars Create online resource centers and resume banks to help locate women scholars

16 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks  Create “pre-docs” at research universities  Create a project similar to the “Cohort of Associate Professors Project” developed by women computer science faculty.

17 Advice and Best Practices  Obtain support from the president  Create a committee at the school or college level to develop goals and strategies for hiring more senior women  Appoint department chairs who are committed to gender equity and hold them accountable

18 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks  Train search committees in gender equity and provide them resources to identify talented women candidates for senior faculty positions  Provide funds for supporting women hired into faculty positions  If necessary, create temporary or visiting positions for senior women faculty

19 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks  Add women to hiring committees, even if in related disciplines  Conduct surveys of the working climate for women faculty; publicize the results  Collect data on the representation of women on faculties at each rank and publicize it

20 Strategies to Increase the numbers of women in senior academic ranks  Give awards to universities that increase the proportion of senior women faculty  Appoint women faculty to prestigious university or government committees  Give junior women faculty mentors who are senior women faculty, even if they are in another discipline

21 We must be proactive  There is a glass ceiling and a leaky pipeline  We need women’s talents, intellectual power, and energy  Many strategies don’t require money—just time, diligence, and political will  We need to change the status quo to be more inclusive