Celebrating Women’s Progress in Higher Education
and Exploring Issues of Gender Equity at U.S. Colleges and Universities

Women have made tremendous progress in all facets of higher education. A half century ago women were only 36 percent of all students enrolled in higher education. In 1979, for the first time, women were a majority of the college-student population. Today women are more than 57 percent of all college students. Today women earn more degrees than men at nearly every level of higher education.

Yet in many respects the glass ceiling remains a formidable obstacle in higher education. Women make up only 40 percent of all full-time instructional faculty in American higher education. Only one of every four full professors at American colleges and universities is a woman. Less than 39 percent of associate professors are women.

In 2008, 54.5 percent of all full-time male faculty members were tenured. For full-time women on college and university faculty, only 40.4 percent had been awarded tenure.

Less than one quarter of all college and university presidents are women.

Pay equity also remains a major issue. The mean salary for a male full professor is 17 percent higher than the average salary of a woman full professor.

Clearly, there is a pressing need to continue to document the progress of women in higher education. By providing statistics and identifying trends, we will hold institutions of higher learning accountable on issues of gender equity. We hope to become an important resource for young women who are deciding where to go to college and for women professionals who are seeking faculty or administrative positions at American colleges and universities.

Women in Academia Report monitors and reports trends concerning women in all areas of higher education, discusses important issues of gender equity, reports instances of gender discrimination, and identifies the leaders and laggards among colleges and universities in creating greater opportunities for women. Special editorial attention will be paid to academic programs and other developments at women’s colleges throughout the United States.

Women in Academia Report announces significant appointments of women to positions of influence in higher education. We report important awards and grants to women scholars. We review and provide a database of books of importance to women in higher education.

We welcome your suggestions. Subscriptions to our weekly e-mail editions are FREE. Sign up today using our online form. Also, please tell your friends and associates about us.

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