Biological Clocks and Tenure Timetables: Restructuring the Academic Timeline

The objectives of this paper are to (1) reaffirm the need for gender equity; (2) examine contributing factors to the attrition of women faculty; and (3) suggest alternative strategies to promote the full participation of women in geoscience higher education. Sections of the complete Commentary are a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:GSA today 2002-11, Vol.12 (11), p.24-24
Main Authors: De Wet, Carol B, Ashley, Gail M, Kegel, Daniel P
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The objectives of this paper are to (1) reaffirm the need for gender equity; (2) examine contributing factors to the attrition of women faculty; and (3) suggest alternative strategies to promote the full participation of women in geoscience higher education. Sections of the complete Commentary are abstracted below; the full text is posted at www.geosociety.org/pubs/gsatoday/. Despite decades of progressive social change by an active women's movement, federal and state legislation, and adoption of academic affirmative action policies, women geoscientists have not reached a critical mass in higher education. Women comprise only 12.5% of geoscience faculty in U.S. colleges and universities and only 10% at Ph.D. granting institutions. Senior women faculty tend to be marginalized from the academic power structure. A combination of biological factors, lifestyle choices, dual career pressures, double standards for social and professional interactions, and gender-based discrimination creates an effective filter, reducing women in geoscience departments to a surprisingly low level. There are two rungs on the ladder where women proportionally leave the discipline at a higher rate than men. One is continuing on to obtain a Ph.D.; the other is prior to, or at tenure. The present time frame for achieving tenure and promotion was established by men, for men, decades ago. Such a time frame is incompatible with women's biologic reproductive constraints, and as such, puts an unequal level of pressure and stress on women relative to their male professional counterparts. Only a significant change in the culture of science, and its traditional pathways, will create a geoscience community that has a sound base of gender equity. Strong leadership from innovative and far-sighted administrators and colleagues is required to introduce and foster institutional change that will reduce the conditions that leave women disadvantaged.
ISSN:1052-5173
DOI:10.1130/1052-5173(2002)0122.0.CO;2