Inside Academia, Subtler Sexism

Gender discrimination at research universities is surely much better than it was in decades past, but a study based on interviews of female faculty finds that sexism remains on campus, Inside Higher Ed reports. While overt shows of bias are rare, a host of subtler, “deeply entrenched inequities” have replaced them. Noted by the report are:

• Devalued positions: When women serve as deans and chairs, the positions are viewed as “more service-oriented and less substantive.”
• Unintended bias: Female faculty describe a steady stream of comments, some ostensibly supportive, that show a lack of professional respect from male colleagues.
• Irrelevant help: Services for gender issues focus on legal liability and technical issues, making them irrelevant to less defined concerns.

(More academia stories.)