Gender pay differences hardly a factor

But is it true at The University of Memphis?

At first glance, it does appears to be truthful. The average salary for a male faculty member is $60,233, while the average salary for a female faculty member is $45,246.

However Dr. Bill Gutzke, faculty senate president, said he feels the reality of the situation isn't as clear cut as that figure.

Gutzke said there are other factors that have to be addressed.

"For example, faculty in the business school get paid more than faculty in Arts and Sciences, and that makes it look like males get paid more just because there are more male than female faculty members at the business school," Gutzke said.

Gutzke said he feels there probably is some difference in pay rates, but the average pay scale will even out eventually.

"Historically, males have dominated the workplace," Gutzke said. "I feel women will be catching up. Being a good teacher has nothing to do with gender."

Dr. Barbara Smith, director of the U of M's women's studies program, agrees.

"We know overall women tend to earn less than men," Smith said. "I've heard charges that men have been brought in at higher salaries."

Despite those charges, Smith said she is seeing evidence of the gap narrowing in her own department.

"In my department (sociology), all the junior faculty members are female, so it seems (The University's) hiring practices are in order," Smith said.

Smith attributes this to more women earning degrees and The University's more diversified hiring practices.

Smith said the senior faculty members were mostly male.

When broken down by faculty rank and tenure status, the average salary for men and women evens out considerably.

Women even earn a higher average salary in four of the 12 categories.

Adjunct professors were not included in the average salary comparisons because they are paid by the hour.

On the other hand, the number of male faculty members versus female faculty members employed by The University shows males to be at an advantage. During the Fall 2000 semester, 546 males were employed, while only 334 females were employed.

However, when compared against the same figures from Fall 1998, the data showed that more females than males had been hired during that time frame.

In the Fall semester of 1998, 524 male faculty members were employed.

Since then, there has been a net gain of 22 male faculty members.

In the same two years, the number of female faculty members has risen by a net gain of 91 people from the 243 employed in 1998.