Are Gender and Ethnicity Considerations Part of Faculty Workload Recommendations?

• In Event: Honoring Voices of Faculty of Color: Intersectional Research Perspectives

Abstract

This study focused on determining the degree to which considerations of a faculty member’s gender and ethnicity are integrated into workload recommendations. Additional objectives were to (a) resolve if recommenders’ characteristics (e.g., gender, discipline) predicted considerations of gender and ethnicity, and (b) determine prevalent rationales underpinning recommendations. Nearly 800 biology and physics faculty members from 81 universities completed discipline-based activities wherein they recommended tasks to five fictitious faculty members. Respondents were randomly directed to one of three versions of the activity – difference among activities was the third character varied from Carl (male), Cathy (female), and Carlos (Hispanic male). Results indicate gender was a significantly greater consideration than ethnicity and respondents’ gender predicted likelihood to consider gender when making recommendations.

Authors

• Eugene Judson, Arizona State University

• Lydia Ross, Arizona State University