Women Taking on the Ivory Tower Face Uphill Battle
AAUW Report Details Tenure-Track Sex Discrimination, Offers Recommendations
Despite remarkable strides in closing the gender gap, women continue to face sex discrimination when seeking tenure and face an uphill battle by taking on the Ivory Tower of academia, according to a new report released Oct. 19 by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Educational Foundation and the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund. Tenure Denied: Cases of Sex Discrimination in Academia, details the stories of women who took their fight for tenure to the courts and provides a personal look into the toll it takes on these women’s lives and careers.
Research shows that in an academic setting, compared to men , on average, women earn less, hold lower-ranking positions, and are less likely to have tenure. Of the faculty at colleges and universities offering four-year degrees, only 27 percent of those awarded tenure are women. A lack of transparency, unclear standards, and biased behavior and decision-making in the tenure process contribute to this problem.
Press briefing photo gallery
Statements from the Oct. 19 press briefing
Press release
Tenure Denied overview
Press briefing speaker bios
Purchase Tenure Denied from ShopAAUW online or by calling 800/225-9998
Media: Request a copy of Tenure Denied
(Journalists can request a free copy of the report by sending an e-mail with your name, outlet and contact information to AAUW.)
Recommendations for female academics and educational institutions
Further AAUW resources on tenure issues
All AAUW research publications
Questions? Contact Jean-Marie Navetta at navettaj@aauw.org or 202/785-7738.
