Universities Weblog

The topic of women in higher education–and the success they may experience in the field of academia and lucrative fields–has received increased attention lately, especially after Harvard president Lawrence Summers offered his controversial opinions. Summers said that women were genetically predisposed not to be as successful as men, and claimed that science backed him up.

Understandably, women did not receive the remarks well. Neither did many men.

Summers is history, but the issue is not. One college is confronting the issue head on, and looking for ways to improve the college environment and potential success for female students and professionals, as well as questioning whether the stereotypes have any validity.

In 2002, more American women than men received doctorates from universities in the United States. While this achievement represents a significant milestone for women in higher education, it has not produced a proportional increase in the number of women faculty - a fact noted by former president of Harvard, Lawrence Summers, in his remarks to the National Bureau of Economic Research on Jan. 14, 2005.

Summers' arguments sparked enormous controversy and raised questions regarding women as producers of knowledge in higher education. Symposium organizers hope to explore several compelling issues surrounding women's roles in higher education, including why, despite the increase in women doctoral recipients over the past thirty years, women have failed to prosper as faculty in the male-dominated environment of higher education.

The time to address these issues is long overdue. Perhaps this symposium marks a trend of equality building in higher education.

What do you think? How would you explain the lack of higher positions held by women?

(Photo: Ruth Simmons, President of Brown University)

(Source: Georgetown University)

That question sound familiar? It should. We've seen countless articles in recent months about the "value" of an Ivy (or Stanford or MIT or Duke) degree. Does going to one of these schools pay dividends?

No, according to one study cited in a new Washington Post article. Graduates of state universities can earn just as much as Ivy grads. Take that, Harvard. Of course, such a study equates "success" with income. If that's your goal in life, deal drugs and avoid college altogether. (Just kidding.)

Here's the point. Actually, a couple of points. First, we've heard too much about the "Ivy or bust" mentality among middle-class social climbers. Get over it. Second, let's not forget about the intrinsic value of college-you know, that knowledge thing. You can get that anywhere.

Just go where it makes the most sense to go and let the rest fall in place. Meanwhile, here's a bit from that Post article:

Every striver mother and father knows the rules when it comes time to shop for a college. These are so deeply embedded in the subconscious of affluent, highly educated parents that their wisdom is rarely questioned.

Research implies that is actually the case. According to these recent studies, when you do a cold, hard analysis-removing family dreams and visions of class rings-the Ivies and other elite private schools simply aren't worth the money. The answer isn't conclusive, and there are skeptics-at the Ivies and elsewhere. But at the least, the research should give parents pause and prompt them to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before steering their child to an elite private college.

Read the rest here.

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