Satisfaction gap
insidehighered reports on the COACHE Survey (2007) findings that indicate significant differences in job satisfaction in academia. The survey of 6,773 junior faculty conducted by the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 found significant differences in satisfaction and ratings of policy "effectiveness" between male/female and white/non-white. Women were also more likely to rate child care as "more important" in terms of promoting junior faculty success. Minorities were more likely to say they would not accept the job at their current institution if they had the opportunity to choose again.
According to the Digest of Education Statistics (2007), white instructional faculty were 38% female, compared to 48% among black faculty, 43% among hispanic faculty and 31% among asian/pacific islander faculty. Women made up 44.6% of instructional faculty overall.
Even working in academia, I was unaware of the vast variety of policies designed to make a better working environment for junior faculty. One difference that caught my eye was the only area where women faculty felt more comfortable than male faculty: interactions with other junior faculty. In both personal and professional interactions with junior colleagues, women reported being more satisfied, and minorities reported higher satisfaction than in interactions with senior colleagues, although still lower than white faculty. It doesn't appear from COACHE's website that they have existed long enough to determine whether this is a trend, but it makes me cautiously hopeful that as these junior faculty become senior faculty, interactions and mentoring rates will improve.
According to the Digest of Education Statistics (2007), white instructional faculty were 38% female, compared to 48% among black faculty, 43% among hispanic faculty and 31% among asian/pacific islander faculty. Women made up 44.6% of instructional faculty overall.
Even working in academia, I was unaware of the vast variety of policies designed to make a better working environment for junior faculty. One difference that caught my eye was the only area where women faculty felt more comfortable than male faculty: interactions with other junior faculty. In both personal and professional interactions with junior colleagues, women reported being more satisfied, and minorities reported higher satisfaction than in interactions with senior colleagues, although still lower than white faculty. It doesn't appear from COACHE's website that they have existed long enough to determine whether this is a trend, but it makes me cautiously hopeful that as these junior faculty become senior faculty, interactions and mentoring rates will improve.