Study to Probe Gap in Women, Minority Salaries

Lynn Williford, director of institutional research, said her office and Provost Robert Shelton's office will lead the survey. She said today's meeting will determine what variables the study should examine to find the reasons behind the pay difference.

The Office of Institutional Research has never before conducted a formal study of UNC-CH's minority faculty salary gap. But according to a 2000-01 Office of Institutional Research study, female faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are paid about $10,000 less on average than their male counterparts.

Williford also said the meeting will address how various UNC-CH departments will contribute to the study and will explore measures to ensure that all departments are judged fairly. "We need to make sure we are doing an even assessment across all departments," she said.

Williford said today's gathering also will deal with how to assess the situation given the fact that some faculty members have additional administrative duties, which increase their salary. "We can't compare apples and oranges," she said.

The survey comes in the wake of a study at N.C. State University last fall that discovered white male faculty earn, on average, $1,000 more than their female and $2,000 more than their minority colleagues annually.

The University already tracks its salary figures demographically, but officials hope the upcoming study will investigate aberrations in the data.

The study also might include less-publicized numbers, such as possible discrepancies in startup costs given to newly hired male, female and minority professors.

Sue Estroff, Faculty Council chairwoman, said she is pleased UNC-CH will be conducting the survey, even though she believes it was prompted by N.C. State's study. "I'm a pragmatist," she said. "Whatever it takes to get the information is fine with me. I'm probably one of those affected by this."

Diane Kjervik, director of the Carolina Women's Center, also said she is looking forward to seeing the survey results. "My ultimate goal is to have information about the gender gap," she said.

She attributed the salary difference to long-held gender values. "Over time it has evolved that women's activities aren't valued as much," she said.

Representatives of minority faculty members also said they are pleased that the study will be conducted. "It's another tool the University can use to be at the forefront on the issue," said Archie Ervin, director of minority affairs.

Joseph Jordan, who was hired last summer as director of the Sonja H. Stone Black Cultural Center, said he is still being brought up to speed about the salary gap issue. But he added, "I'd be really interested in seeing (the survey)."

While some said they are happy the survey is going forth, they said it is important that the study leads to efforts to resolve salary gaps. "I would like to see something actually done," Kjervik said.

Estroff said the effects of the study are important and said the results will not prove anything new. "We're going to confirm what we already know."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.