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)

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