UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM PROPOSAL

STUDENT RESEARCHER: ANGELA PETERSON

FACULTY SUPERVISOR: PAREENA LAWRENCE

EXAMINING THE GLASS CEILING FACING WOMEN ECONOMISTS IN THE ACADEMIC PROFESSION

Women have been making great strides in the academic field of economics. Since 1970, the percentage of Ph.D.’s in economics earned by females has risen from 6.2% to 22.3% in 1993 (Kahn, 194). However, data from 99 Ph.D. granting institutions shows that those who chose to enter into the profession of academia seem to be hitting a glass ceiling in career advancement. Over the last ten years, 20% of newly hired economic professors at graduate universities have been women. While this figure is fairly consistent with the number of Ph.D. graduates that are women, the numbers become disproportionate when examining the number of women who reach associate and full professorship. Women only account for 8% of associate professors and 4% of full professors at these institutions (Uchitelle). This is even lower than the percent of women full professors in science and engineering fields. In these fields, which also typically have high male representation, women account for 9.5% of all full professors (Kahn, 194).

Past research investigating the glass ceiling for women in the academic profession has primarily focused on women professors from Ph.D. granting institutions. While this data is important, it only accounts for one-third of all women in the profession. Nearly two-thirds of women entering the academic field are employed by four-year degree institutions. These women have been excluded from much of the research. This may have biased past studies for two reasons. First, the total number of women economic professors has not accurately represented. The number of women economic professors hired by four-year institutions appears to be increasing and surpasses the number of women hired by Ph.D. granting institutions. (Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession (CSWEP) Report, 1998). This recent trend makes it even more essential these women are included in future research. Secondly, the number of women economic professors at Ph.D. granting institutions is extremely small, making the sample set very small. This may have biased the results of the empirical analysis. For my research, I have collected data from the top 100 liberal arts colleges ranked by US News and World Report. This approach will allow me to represent a subset of the two-thirds of women faculty who have been excluded from previous research. The questionnaire, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, has been directly mailed to the women economic faculty at these schools.

Studies that have been conducted over the past twenty years regarding women economic professors have shown that women take longer to establish tenure than men, and that they are less likely to ever receive it. What accounts for such gender differences in promotion? The CSWEP has been collecting data on the status of women economic students, job applicants, and faculty at "Ph.D. granting institutions." Data collected thus far by the CSWEP confirms that women economic faculty are hitting a glass ceiling in career advancement (CSWEP Report, 1998).

In trying to explain the glass ceiling effect, it has been debated that family characteristics of women professors must be considered. On average, women economists receive tenure at the age of 37, which often corresponds with child bearing and child rearing years. Some argue that women are experiencing slower career advancement as a result of taking a "mommy track," a less aggressive career path during the time they are having children (CSWEP Report, 1998). For my research, I will further study the effect of family characteristics on the tenure process. I have collected data internal to the institution such as policies regarding stopping the tenure clock, the availability of on campus day care, and material leave guidelines.

In the questionnaire I have sent out, I have also ask questions regarding the percent of graduating senior in economics who are women. It has been argued that more women professors in economics will influence more female students to become interested in and pursue a degree in economics. To test this theory, I will to look at the percentage of female professors to students in a particular school to determine if, in fact, there is a correlation.

Upon completing this project, I hope to gain insight into the status of women economic professors’ at liberal arts institutions and the gender gap in career advancement. By examining the status of women economic professors at four-year institutions, I intend to determine if, in fact, they are hitting a glass ceiling in their careers as seems to be the case for women economic faculty at Ph.D. granting schools. As the glass ceiling is further investigated, the ultimate goal is to find effective ways for women to break into the top ranks of economic academia.

As a woman interested in the field of economics, I feel it is an important issue to address, especially as more women are entering the profession. Only as we better understand the problem will we be able to develop effective solutions to narrowing the gender gap.

 

Works Cited

Kahn, Shulamit. "Women in the Economics Profession." Journal of Economic Perspective, Vol 9, No. 4 Fall 1995: 193-205

Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession (CSWEP) 1998 Annual Report.

Uschitelle, Louis. "In Economics, a Subtle Exclusion." The New York Times. January 11, 1993. D1-D3.

 

 

Institutional Code ____

Questionnaire

 

  1. At which school did you receive your Ph.D.? ________________________

    2.  

     

  2. Year of graduation _________

    3.  

     

  3. What is your current rank?

 

 

  1. Number of years at current institution ______

    2.  

     

  2. Are you presently tenured in your department?

If yes, in which year did you receive tenure __________

If no, are you on a tenure track position?

 Yes

 No

 

 
  1. Number of years in the field of economics (total years of experience starting from the year appointed as assistant professor or post Ph.D.) _______

    2.  

     

  2. In your current tenure at your present institution, have you witnessed any cases that came up for tenure?

If yes, how many of them were females ______, males _____

How many were denied tenure - females ______, males _____

  

 
  1. How would you say your department ranks the following for determining tenure decisions?

    2. ___ Teaching

    ___ Advising

    ___ Research

    ___ Service

     

     

  2. Degrees in Economics granted by your current institution (check all that apply)

 

 

  1. Percent of economics graduating seniors at your institution who are women ______

    2.  

     

  2. Number of professors in the current Economics Department (please put a number on the appropriate line)

    3. Women: Assistant ____ Associate ____ Full ____

     

    Men: Assistant ____ Associate ____ Full ____

     

     

  3. What is your teaching load per year? List total number of courses (including multiple sections) _______

    4.  

     

  4. Is your department affiliated with the business department?

 

 

  1. Current Salary Range (check one)

· $25,000 - $30,000

 

 

  1. In your career as an economist, indicate the number of publications you have had (please put a number in the appropriate blank)

Journal Articles ______

Book Chapters ______

Books ______

Books Edited ______

Others ______

 

 

16. How many children do you currently have? _______

 

 

17. What are their ages? _______________________

 

 

  1. Does your institution have a maternal leave policy?

If yes, how long is the leave period (in weeks) _______

 

Is this leave paid or unpaid (circle one)

 

 
  1. Does your institution have a policy regarding stopping the tenure clock upon the birth of or adopting a child?

If yes, after the birth of your child, how many weeks does your institution give you to make this decision (in weeks) ______

 

 
  1. Does your institution provide on campus daycare?

 

 

  1. Does your college have a stated policy for joint spousal appointment or job sharing appointments?

 

  1. Does you college have a placement service for spousal relocation?

 

 

Professional Development

 

  1. Does you school have single semester leave or single quarter leave for tenure-track faculty?

If yes, is it paid or unpaid (circle one)

 

 

  1. Does your institution encourage and subsidize trips to conferences?

If yes, what percent is subsidized? ________

 

 

  1. Does your institution provide comprehensive grant opportunities to support your research agenda?

 

 

  1. Is there a mentee/mentor program in place for junior/senior faculty at your institution?

 

 

  1. In your opinion, the current policies and practices in place at your institution and department are conducive to your career development and personal/family needs.

 

 

 

The final results of my research will be posted on this website. I plan on completing the project this spring. If you have received a questionnaire and not returned it, I would greatly appreciate it if you would mail it to me as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.

 

Sincerely,

Angela Peterson Address: UMM #1141

University of Minnesota, Morris 600 East 4th Street

Email: petersal@morris.umn.edu Morris, MN 56267