Who Gets More? Analyzing Counteroffer Quality Across Faculty Demographics and Ranks

• In Event: Critical Considerations for Faculty Careers in the US and Abroad

Abstract

Although current research in higher education (O’Meara, 2017; White-Lewis et al., 2024) reveals racial and gender disparities between faculty members receiving a counteroffer and those not, there is a gap regarding potential inequities in counteroffer quality and amount. The current study addresses this gap by analyzing the quality of counteroffers of faculty who completed Harvard University’s COACHE (Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education) survey. Our preliminary findings reveal that: a) Men in the social sciences are significantly receiving higher quality counteroffers than women, b) white men are receiving higher raw counteroffers relevant to their current salary compared to white women, and c) faculty rank is a significant indicator of counteroffer quality.

Authors

• Dennis Espejo, University of Pennsylvania

• Damani K. White-Lewis, University of Pennsylvania

• Catherine L. Zhang, University of Pennsylvania

• Ivana Marshall, University of Pennsylvania