Some female faculty on campus say ISU feels a little chilly when it comes to gender equity. But ISU officials say the university is committed to equality.

Rosanne Potter, a professor of English, said it is difficult for women to achieve the level of full professor at ISU.

“It is very difficult for women to make it to the upper levels at this institution. What this institution believes is that if you put women in the pipeline, they will turn out to be full professors. But, that’s just not necessarily the case,” Potter said.

Potter said the problem is at the promotional level. There is only one woman on the committee that decides who will receive promotions in her department.

“The institution does not attempt to remedy this, and they could,” Potter said. “The promotion and tenure committee consists of all men except for one woman. They simply can’t and don’t look at women up for a promotion the same as a man up for a promotion. As a woman you have to be twice as good as your male counterpart, and that’s just not fair; you shouldn’t have to be.”

But John Anderson, interim director of university relations, disagreed and said women and minorities are given a fair chance when being looked at for promotions.

“Given the emphasis on gender and minority equity, I think [women and minorities] are given an extra look. They are given a close look from a positive stand point,” Anderson said.

Information from the university’s tenure report from fall 1995 shows that 10 percent of all tenured professors in the university are female. Of all female faculty, 41.2 percent are on probationary, or tenure track, as compared to 58.8 percent of male faculty.

Some of the differences in the numbers have to do with the higher number of male faculty at the university. That number is higher, in part, because of the higher number of males in the job market for the open positions, said Elizabeth Stanley, director of the office of institutional research.

“It’s hard to say what is equal. You are dependent on the market and what’s out there. You have to remember we’re working within the constraints of what’s out there,” Stanley said.

Faye Whitaker, assistant provost, said the university has strict affirmative action policies on hiring procedures.

“Appointments may not be approved if the department hasn’t followed proper procedures. Sometimes we get them to do that by gentle persuasion, other times we help departments with salaries or start up costs if they have a particular woman or minority member that they want to get in the department,” Whitaker said.

Janet Padgett, associate affirmative action officer, said that most complaints received in the affirmative action office have to do with promotional matters, but she thinks the university is an equitable place to work.

“Studies have shown that, overall, there is gender equity, however, there may be individual problems, Padgett said.

The university’s commitment to equality and affirmative action still doesn’t change the fact that ISU has many departments that are traditionally male-dominated, Whitaker said.

“Because we practice affirmative action doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to be a woman in an all-male department. There’s a sense of isolation for some

“There have been cases where women and minorities have been made to feel that the only reason they have the job is that they have some special status because they are a woman or a minority, not because of their intellectual qualifications or expertise for the job,” Whitaker said. “What baffles me is why these are seen as opposing qualities.”

Whitaker agreed that the job market does have an effect on the faculty at ISU.

“It would be wrong to say the market doesn’t have an effect. The university is putting a high priority in securing women in those departments. It may be in aggressive searches, luring them here. I try to raise the question as often as I can,” Whitaker said.

Although female faculty numbers are low, they receive close to the same salaries as male faculty in the same position, according to a recent report.

A 1995 report by the office of institutional research, shows that the salaries of male and female faculty at the same rank and in the same department are about the same at the level of professor.

Female associate professors receive 97.1 percent of the salaries men do, and female assistant professors receive 99.1 percent of their male counterparts.

University-wide, however, there is a large difference in average salaries.

According to a 1995-96 study done by the office of institutional research, the average nine-month salary for female faculty on campus is almost $15,000 less than male faculty. The average pay of female faculty with a 12-month salary is more than $20,000 less than male faculty. Those figures include professor, associate professor, assistant professor and instructor positions.

ISU faculty salaries are comparable to peer universities, according to another 1995 report by the office of institutional research.

Potter said she thought the differences in salaries had to do with the promotions women aren’t receiving at ISU.

“You have to change the ranks before you can change the salaries. A lot of women are sitting and stewing at the associate professor rank,” Potter said.

The highest paid female faculty member without an administrative position receives $96,360. The highest paid male without an administrative position receives $145,300.

Much of the difference has to do with market value of different occupations, and the traditional male dominance in the higher-paying fields, Whitaker said.

“Women are clustered in the lower ranks and traditionally feminized departments. It’s so deeply rooted in out society, the kinds of things women have traditionally done have not been rewarded,” she said.

The university could take action to solve the problem with promotions, Potter said, but as of yet, they have not chosen to do so.

“Changes need to take place at the dean and provost level. They need to step in, but this institution has not chosen to intervene,” Potter said.

Anderson disagreed and said the university has made progress, and is continuing to work towards equity.

“I think the university can show substantial progress in hiring and promotion. We’re doing things to proactively change like our women in science and engineering program.”

Whitaker also insisted Iowa State is continuing to make efforts to bridge the gender gap.

“The university has and will continue to to make an effort to hire women in areas that they are under-represented,” Whitaker said.