Career Attitudes of Female Professors

Abstract

Women professors at Texas A'M University were surveyed to determine the effects of a career on personal and family lifestyle, the nature of difficulties and fulfillments women experience in work, and the efficacy of career counseling. The data indicate that they have benefited through personal fulfillment, financial gain, and increased opportunities. They have encountered very little sex discrimination and few personal or family conflicts have arisen as a result of their careers. None of the women were influenced in their career choice by counselors, and most felt that they would not have benefited from career counseling. A large majority of the women would make the same choice again and would encourage other women to pursue a similar career.

Race, Gender, and the Wage Gap

“…Women attain administrative roles more slowly than do men, have different and often less desirable roles as administrators, and earn less pay (Moses 1997). A study carried out in an HBCU in the South in the 1970s by Mayfield and Nash (1976) found that about one-third of the women faculty perceived that they were underpaid relative to men of comparable experience and rank. More recent research has suggested a high rate of voluntary and involuntary attrition of women scholars from academia, including from HBCUs (Gregory 1999).…”

Black Academic Women: Progress but No Parity

“…Gender has often had a significant impact on faculty salaries. Comparable worth is often an issue because women professors are typically paid less than their male counterparts in virtually all employment sectors (AAUP, 1989;Mayfield & Nash, 1976). The idea of "comparable worth" originated from the women's movement because many of the existing pay differentials between jobs were suspected of having their origin in gender bias.…”

“…Some salary differentials between those teaching different subjects may result in reasonable responses due to supply and demand, but they may also result from gender bias. Studies have further indicated that Black women are paid less, on average, than white women (AAUP, 1989;Mayfield & Nash, 1976;Smart, 1990).…”

“…A study by Mayfield and Nash (1976) found that roughly one-third of faculty women perceive themselves to be victims of discrimination in salary and one-fourth discrimination in rank. Also, one-fourth of the women in their study indicated that performance standards were higher for them than their male counterparts.…”

Black Women in Academe: Progress But No Parity

“…A study from Mayfield and Nash (1976) found that roughly one-third of faculty women perceive themselves to be victims of discrimination in salary and one-fourth discrimination in rank. Also, onefourth indicated that performance standards were higher for them than their male counterparts.…”