Costs and Benefits of Advocacy for Faculty Women: A Case Study

Abstract

The authors describe their own experiences in advocating for faculty women confronting sex discrimination at a large urban university. They discuss specific successful strategies used. Although a number of women were helped with respect to retention, tenure, promotion, salary, etc., there were some negative effects. One paradox observed has been the university administration's attempt to use these successes to counter claims of sex discrimination in a class action suit that faculty women have filed against the university. The authors offer specific suggestions for possible avenues to reduce sex discrimination at the university based on their experiences.

The glass ceiling is not fragile: A response to Odum (2000)

“…On the surface, such an assumption seems reasonable. Nevertheless, if this assumption is accepted, then Odum's data differ from past reports that work by men and women is evaluated differently (e.g., Graham, O'Reilly, & Rawlings, 1985;Lott, 1985;Wenneras & Wold, 1997). Some of these data are compelling because detailed measures of equal merit were constructed or because equal merit was ensured by having the same work evaluated under stereotypically male and female names.…”

Social‐Psychological Issues in Sex Discrimination

“…Goal shifts are also inherent in the trend of universities to downplay teaching in favor of research, and in the increased emphasis on publications and grants to allocate monetary and other rewards. With greater emphasis on research and publication, women faculty members find they are evaluated for tenure and promotion by more stringent standards than male colleagues who achieved tenure earlier (Graham, O'Reilly, & Rawlings, 1985;Sandler, 1983). This partially accounts for data showing that there are proportionately fewer women in the senior ranks now than 40 years ago, despite affirmative action and the availability of more women with Ph.D. degrees in many disciplines (Sternhell, 1984).…”

“…Examples include committees on appointment and promotion, planning and budget, governance, and administrative searches. Such additional demands encourage role overload in the work region of the life space, especially when coupled with the need for women to serve as role models and counselors (Graham et al, 1985). In contrast, the larger percentage of tenured male faculty permits a more manageable division of labor for men, with less stress in a given year and over time.…”

“…The struggle to end sex discrimination is not of necessity gender specific. But reducing both overt and more subtle discriminatory patterns will require additional efforts by women to join either informal (Graham et al, 1985) or formal associations (Anderson & Wilson, 198.5;Walsh, 1985) and to seek the support of powerful men. Women can serve as change agents in this ongoing process (Catalyst, 1978;Lippitt, Watson, & Westley, 19.58).…”

“…At this stage our knowledge still primarily reflects the experience of women with a beginning in systematic study and the application of theory. The case studies of individuals and groups represented by the work of Anderson and Wilson (1985), Graham et al (1985), Walsh (1985), and Yoder (1985), empirical studies and reviews of factors affecting women's progress (Finkelstein, 1984;Lott, 1985), and an evaluation of the role of the courts (Farley, 1985;Gray, 1985) help build a base. Applying theory, Taub (1985) offers an additional possible remedy for the influence of stereotypes in the courts, while Fuehrer and Schilling (1985) explore organizational issues.…”