Gender and the Organization of American Higher Education

Gender and the Organization of American Higher Education Privatization: An Impulse of Equal Opportunities at Universities? June 19, 2004 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

International Demographic Trends in College Population • Size has decreased in all major industrialized countries • Europe: decreased 27% from 1980-2005 • Japan: decrease 30% from 1995-2015 • US: decreased 23% from 1980-1997 --now is increasing, with anticipated 13% growth by 2010 --most growth is in minority population Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Characteristics of U.S. Higher Education Institutions • Broad access to an array of institution types and sizes --3,400 degree-granting institutions • Flexible attendance patterns --Serves 14.5 million students --40% attend part-time --50% are age 22 or older --25% are age 30 or older Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Characteristics of U.S. Higher Education Institutions • Includes both private and public institutions --80% of students attend public institutions --<8% attend private liberal arts institutions (includes some research universities) --19% attend the 127 research universities + produce >42% S&E BS degrees + produce 52% of all S&E MS degrees Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Profile of U.S. higher education by students, institutions, and degrees at all levels: 1998 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Enrollment in U.S. higher education, by institution type: 1967-97 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Bachelor’s degrees awarded in S&E, by institution type: 1998 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Master’s degrees awarded in S&E, by institution type: 1998 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Graduation rates and S&E completion rates of 1992 freshmen intending S&E major, by sex and race Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

S&E degrees earned by underrepresented minorities within each field, by levels: 1998-99 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Women Students • Rise in number of degrees earned in biological sciences and psychology in the 1990s reflects a high proportion of women entering these fields • Women earn 48% of BS in biology and 72% in psychology • Women earn about 24% of computer science degrees and about 18% in engineering Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Bachelor’s degrees earned in selected S&E fields in 1975-98 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Bachelor’s degrees in selected S&E fields, earned by selected groups Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Women Master’s Degree Recipients • Although women earn about 56% of master’s degrees in all fields, they earn only 39% in S&E • Women earn 72% of MS degrees in psychology and about 50% in social sciences and biology • Women earn around 30% of MS degrees in the physical sciences and 17% in engineering Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Women PhD Recipients • Women earn 40% of PhD degrees in all fields but only 32% in S&E • Women earn 67% of PhDs in psychology and almost 40% of other social science and biology PhDs • Women earn about 22% of physical science PhD degrees • Women earn 12% of engineering PhDs Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Women as a Percentage of Degree Recipients in 1996 by Major Discipline and Group Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Faculty • More than 1.1 million faculty in the 3,400 institutions • 2/5 work part-time --2/3 at public, two-year institutions are part-time --1/5 at public, research institutions are part-time Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Distribution of faculty employment status by type of institution: 1999 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Women Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in Academic Institutions by Field and Rank in 1997 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Percentage of Men and Women with Tenure in Academic 1996-97 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

A Research Scientist at a Prestigious Research I Institution: I apologize for not writing sooner and responding to your questions. In fact, I’m not sure that I can respond to your first two questions in an objective way. Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

A Research Scientist at a Prestigious Research I Institution: I apologize for not writing sooner and responding to your questions. In fact, I’m not sure that I can respond to your first two questions in an objective way. I am experiencing a painful situation in my professional life and find I’m unable to write about it. Perhaps this situation is related to challenges facing women scientists in general or perhaps it is my individual experience. Nothing like this has happened before. Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

A Research Scientist at a Prestigious Research I Institution: I apologize for not writing sooner and responding to your questions. In fact, I’m not sure that I can respond to your first two questions in an objective way. I am experiencing a painful situation in my professional life and find I’m unable to write about it. Perhaps this situation is related to challenges facing women scientists in general or perhaps it is my individual experience. Nothing like this has happened before. I would be willing to speak with you over the phone and would appreciate the opportunity to do so. You can decide whether the information I provide is relevant and a reflection of the situation for women scientists in general or the institution where I’m located. Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Tenured Full Professor at a Small, Prestigious Liberal Arts College: Being at a small liberal arts college, we’re not as isolated as some of my women colleagues from graduate school who went to research institutions. Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Tenured Full Professor at a Small, Prestigious Liberal Arts College: Being at a small liberal arts college, we’re not as isolated as some of my women colleagues from graduate school who went to research institutions. I did manage to have a family, and I still enjoy teaching, although prepping my own labs, the large number of contact hours semester after semester, and all the committee work I get because I’m a woman, have left me pretty burnt out. Still, I notice that most of my male colleagues have managed to keep their research going, but mine went by the way several years ago when my kids were little. Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Tenured Full Professor at a Small, Prestigious Liberal Arts College: Being at a small liberal arts college, we’re not as isolated as some of my women colleagues from graduate school who went to research institutions. I did manage to have a family, and I still enjoy teaching, although prepping my own labs, the large number of contact hours semester after semester, and all the committee work I get because I’m a woman, have left me pretty burnt out. Still, I notice that most of my male colleagues have managed to keep their research going, but mine went by the way several years ago when my kids were little. I wish there were some way that either the college could help me or maybe there is some program sponsored by a foundation that might make this possible for me and the other women. If not, I’m not sure how long the others and I can hang in there. Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Statement by Leaders at MIT Meeting on 1/29/01 “Institutions of higher education have an obligation, both for themselves and for the nation, to fully develop and utilize all the creative talent available,” the leaders said in a unanimous statement. “We recognize that barriers still exist” for women faculty. They agreed to: • Analyze the salaries and proportion of other university resources provided to women faculty • Work toward a faculty that reflects the diversity of the student body • Reconvene in about a year “to share the specific initiatives we have undertaken to achieve these objectives” • “Recognize that this challenge will require significant review of, and potentially significant change in, the procedures within each university, and within the scientific and engineering establishments as a whole.” (Campbell, 2001, p.1) Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Summary Information for POWRE Awards for FY ‘97, ‘98, ’99, ‘00 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Numbers and Disciplinary Distribution of Respondents to Questionnaire Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Total Responses to Question 1 Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Categorization of Question 1 across Year of Award Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Category A: Pressures women face in balancing career and family At the risk of stereotyping, I think that women generally struggle more with the daily pull of raising a family or caring for elderly parents, and this obviously puts additional demands on their time. (2000 respondent 63) Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Category A: Pressures women face in balancing career and family At the risk of stereotyping, I think that women generally struggle more with the daily pull of raising a family or caring for elderly parents, and this obviously puts additional demands on their time. This is true for younger women, who may struggle over the timing of having and raising children, particularly in light of a ticking tenure clock, but also for more senior women, who may be called upon to help aging parents (their own or in-laws). Invariably they manage, but not without guilt. (2000 respondent 63) Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Importance of Flexibility and Duration of Award Child care benefits - I’ve never heard of anything similar elsewhere, and it’s really a great way to make it easier for women in academia to balance work and family (not that it’s ever easy). (CBL respondent 37) Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Category A: Pressures women face in balancing career and family Managing dual career families (particularly dual academic careers). Often women take the lesser position in such a situation. Ph.D. women are often married to Ph.D. men. Most Ph.D. men are not married to Ph.D. women. (2000 respondent 16) Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Category B: Problems because of low numbers and stereotypes The biggest challenge that women face in planning a career in science is not being taken seriously. Often women have to go farther, work harder and accomplish more in order to be recognized. (2000 respondent 21) Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Importance of credibility/respectability The CBL Professorship is a tremendous help in two regards. First, simply the prestige of having a named professorship has been useful. Second, the financial security provided by this fellowship has allowed me to undertake risky projects in the lab. Since these are the type of projects that have the highest possible reward, this flexibility is greatly appreciated. (CBL respondent 28) Dr. Sue V. Rosser Dean, Ivan Allen College

Gender and the Organization of American Higher Education