4 OPINION Page 4 Monday, March 30, 1987 The Michigan Daily 'U,' practices By Donna Jo Napoli I've been asked whether or not I've felt discriminated against as a woman faculty member at this university. Yes. I could talk about experiences I have had with individual male administrators, but those anecdotes wind up to be so embarrassing that just recounting them makes me relive the humiliation. Furthermore, those incidents are person- particular, and thus deniable or debatable as to whether or not they were manifestations of sexism. The heart of the matter is the undeniable way in which women at this university as a group are discriminated against, even if there are individual exceptions. I will offer three arguments to this end, all of which I back up with data, and a fourth that I can only give as conjecture. Let's begin with sheer numbers. Here are the figures on paid faculty appointments on the Ann Arbor campus over a three year period, broken down by sex. These facts were supplied to me by Susan Rasmussen, an affirmative action compliance officer. The total number of women in professorial ranks is going up, but at a snail's pace. And if one looks at the percentages on the right, which are not consistently going up, I think that saying this university is sexist in its hiring policies is an entirely tenable position to take. Let's turn now to salary. I will here consider only those faculty members who have a nine month appointment at the Ann Arbor campus, since many twelve month appointments belong to exceptionally high paid male administrators and the inclusion of twelve month appointment salaries would skew the figures on male salaries, to make them even higher than the figures I offer below. I have collected financial figures only, with no information about the relative publishing rates or other specifics of these faculty members. This is because even if an administrator can argue the relative merits of individual cases, the fact is that across the board the particulars of individual cases should balance out between the sexes. Here are the figures for the present year and the two preceding. These figures were supplied to me by Patricia McIntosh, a personnel information analyst, on March 9, 1987. Women's salaries across the professorial ranks for the above three year period are consistently lower than men's. Certainly the issue of comparable worth arises here. That is, many of the men included in this sexist survey are in the hard sciences, whereas many of the women are in the humanities. Thus one might argue that our society as a whole values typical men's work more than typical women's work, and that the above figures reflect not sexism within the university, but, rather, sexism within society. I retort that if the university is reflecting the society's sexism, then the university is itself sexist. We expect better from an institution that tries to lead society into better paths. Third, let us look at the rates at which men and women are successful in a tenure review. Again I will use the same three year period. The data below is for the LS&A only. My figures here were supplied by Susan Rasmussen for the past two years and by Elisabeth Bevins (the secretary to Dean Walker) for the present year. That is, these figures reflect the decisions made in February, 1987, and in the two previous Februaries. The percentage of women that got tenure in 1984-85 was quite heartening. However, the percentages in the two more recent years are problematic. Given the rigorous standards applied at hiring and the rigorous standards applied within hiring departments before a department actually puts a person forward for tenure, we can assume that those people put up for tenure are the cream of the crop. If we want to see more women on this campus, why aren't we giving tenure to every single one who is, in fact, among the cream? The answer is self-evident. The last argument I want to make is not based on facts and figures, but on feelings. If one could show that women in the university in general feel that they have been treated poorly because of their sex in at least one instance where a university administrator (including unit chairs) was the cause of that feeling, this would be a demonstration of sexist university policies. (Notice that I am not limiting the situations to ones in which only male administrators are involved. Women, too, can implement sexist policies, particularly if they feel these are the accepted policies of their employer.) I'd like to see someone do a poll, asking only for a yes or no answer from every woman faculty member at this university. I urge that the poll be only of a yes/no sort because I know several women personally who have talked to me about sexist incidents they've policy I love this University. I have loved teaching the students here. I have never taught anywhere where the classroom experience was more exciting or more fun. And I have certainly encountered some very decent administrators, including chairs or directors (such as Ian Catford, now emeritus, but who I had the good fortune to work with, and Elizabeth Douvan, the Director of the Residential College) as well as deans (such as Henry Pollack). But I cannot say that being a woman faculty member here has been a good experience in general in dealing with administrators. I., hasn't. I am the mother of five children, the author of many articles and some books, and someone who holds a position of respect among linguists all over this country and in many other countries. I have a good self-image and many things that should make me feel confident. Yet whenever I have to talk to the director of my program, no matter what the issue; I get tense and afraid. I know that if I disagree with him, he may well say things to me that he has said to me in the past. My experience has been to see men who disagree or who propose changes be labeled as aggressive, bright, moving-ahead people. But when I have disagreed or proposed changes, I have been called uncooperative, headstrong, and unrealistic (this last adjective ip response to a proposal that the Program ill Linguistics serve as an umbrella for: h major in cognitive science _ something major universities around the country have been doing for years). One could respond that my experiences have not beep due to my sex. My answer is that I se very few women in this university who are in positions where they have the right to effectuate changes - that is, very few women in this university hold administrative positions. Are all of us uncooperative and headstrong? This is the first of a two-part series 1986-87: FULL ASSO ASSI 1985-86: FULL ASSO ASSI 1984-85: FULL ASSO ASSI total 1078 491 588 total 1090 493 560 total 1107 484 559 women 81 96 164 women 79 97 156 women 72 93 161 %women 7.5% 19.6% 27.9% %women 7.2% 19.7% 27.9% %women 6.5% 19.2% 28.8% 1986-87 1985-86 1984-85 total men 4 13 18 %successful 50% 53.8% 50% total women 4 7 4 %successful 50% 28.6% 75% -rV1 average median average median average median FULL,1986-87 male female $55914 $46914 $54300 $45316 ASS0,1986-87 male female $42484 $37343 $40000 $36279 ASSI,1986-87 male female $36004 $31941 $34425 $30000 FULL,1985-86 male female $51621 $43828 $50000 $42082 ASSO,1985-86 male female $38699 $34401 $36555 $33673 ASSI,1985-86 male female $33073 $29266 $32016 $27067 FULL,1984-85 male female $48138 $40880 $46600 $39200 ASSO,1984-85 male female $36030 $32498 $34000 $31000 ASSI,1984-85 male female $30534 $26685 $29144 $25000 encountered here, but who would feel uncomfortable recounting these experiences with anyone who wasn't a personal friend. A woman does not easily talk to a newspaper reporter about a telephone conversation in which a male administrator tells her that if she were his child, he'd teach her how to accept the answer no. A new mother does not easily talk to a University ombudsman about her chairman's remarking that the milk in her breasts surely must taste terrific. I could go on. I won't. g Donna Jo Napoli is a Professor. Linguistics onIwo't Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Vol. XCVII, No. 122 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily. Support GEO demands THE TEACHING ASSISTANTS RUN THE daily operations of the University. The University should be willing to justly compensate the indispensable services provided by the TAs. The Graduate Employee Organization, the TAs' union, demands that the University grant the TAs a full tuition waiver, a salary increase of 8 percent, paid TA training in all departments, and limits on class size. The University rejected a salary increase and offered a 3 year gradual increase in the current tuition waiver that would culminate in a full tuition waiver. If the University and GEO cannot reach agreement by April 8, the TAs say they will strike. The University's offer will leave TAs with far less real purchasing power next year. It will not cover the skyrocketing rent in Ann Arbor or the increasing cost of living. Many graduate students can barely survive at present. By decreasing the real compensation of TAs, the University will drive away many fine graduate students. Across the board TA training and limitations on class size are essential to the quality of undergraduate education. Undergraduates are currently taught by people who are without any teaching qualifications. The University assumes that anyone students andaundergraduates are left with an overwhelmed, floundering instructor who is at best uncomfortable, at worst terrified. This is not a positive learning atmosphere for students who are themselves overwhelmed by the University. The administration's rejection of the demand for smaller classes suggests a disregard for quality undergraduate education. It's in the best interest of undergraduates to support the TAs. If TAs cannot afford this university they will go to another where full tuition waivers are granted. There are plenty of institutions to choose from, in or out of the Big Ten. Rising costs of attending the University has the same effect on graduate students as it does on undergraduates. The higher the cost, the smaller the pool of applicants. A smaller pool of applicants also has the potential of adversely affecting the quality of undergraduate education by reducing the number of qualified TAs. If the TAs are forced to strike, undergraduates should support their instructors by boycotting classes and attending the GEO rally, April 1 at noon in the Diag. This is not only a graduate students' struggle. It is a struggle for iindrrarin!1tefito at lPact LETTERS BMA: To the Daily: In his letter entitled, "Will This Madness Ever Stop," (Daily, 3/19/87), Mr. James Elliot makes some most unfor - tunate assessments regarding black medical students and the Black Medical Association (BMA). We are compelled to respond. Mr. Elliot questions the credentials of some black medical students. He should understand that all students attending the University of Michigan Medical School are qualified. The admissions board can choose a class of 200 from an abundance of qualified can - didates. Furthermore, once here, students of a class suc - cessfully complete the same exams and clinical requirements to become quqlified doctors. "Shouldn't it (the medical school) be looking for good doctors?" asks Mr. Elliot. We believe it should and does seek good doctors. Understand, however, that scientific know - ledge alone does not make a good doctor. To be effective, a clinician must consider the patient in the context of that patient's environment. To meet the needs of a broad scope of human condition requires an equally diverse population of medical students, some of whom will be black. Contrary to Mr. Elliot's assertions, the BMA does not promote racism or discriminate against medical students on the basis of color. The BMA is so titled because of a concern for issues impacting on Blacks. The BMA enrolls non-black members and extends invita - tions to its events to all medical students. The BMA recently contributed to the enrichment of medical students just "make it so." To merely say the Black and White communities are equal, though, ignores the vast disparity of resources-wealth, education, representation-between the two. In this light, yes, there is a definite need for more black doctors to serve and to guide the Black community toward equality. The Black medical students on this campus are qualified. They are needed in this society. Through the BMA, they further understanding of their concerns. All they lack is our acceptance. And before we can accept, we must make the effort to understand, make ourselves available to listen. -Gerard. Rudy, Tom Magill Lynn McDonald Walter Sahijdak Ronda Oran Rhonda Alani Alex Lin Teri Spinelli March 24 Black students are qualified' Daily uses offensive, sexist To the Daily: It wasn't a news story, feature, or editorial; rather it was three With all the articles on rape advertisements urging busines- and sexism and the Daily's ses to advertise in the Daily. efforts to recruit minorities and In three consecutive pages women to the staff I was the large print in the ads said, shocked and angered at what I "Use Us...We like it." "Take read in the Daily this morning. Advantage of Us...We Want adv ertising A4 You To" and "Pick Us Up...We're Easy." This is offensive, open sexism in advertising and contrary to what I expect of the Daily. -Laura A. Bischoff March 26 i ± ; 1-z I ' , ; - :, ,.,, ., ' 4 4 c . 3 .. ; k ' ; , t j 1 ,t c: f { / l 1 r, s : * t f 4 : . e. E ± < , r y ; . . 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