Comparison of the Diversity of Tenure System Faculty: For Women and Minorities

Over the five-year period, the representation of women among the tenure system faculty increased from 33.7% in 2008 to 38.5% in 2013. An increase in the representation of women among the tenure system faculty occurred in seven schools and colleges: Humanities & Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, Social & Behavioral Sciences, Education, Engineering, Management, and Public Health & Health Sciences. Additionally, the percentage of women remained at 100% in the School of Nursing. Between 2008 and 2013, the representation of racial/ethnic minorities in the tenure system faculty increased from 19.0% in 2008 to 22.2% in 2013. During this time period, the percentage representation of minorities improved in six schools and colleges (Humanities & Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, Social & Behavioral Sciences, Management, Nursing and Public Health & Health Sciences). Minority representation decreased in Engineering and the College of Education.

Between 2008 and 2013, many departments improved the percentage representation of women and minority group members among their tenure system faculty. These changes are detailed in the following text. Please note that some departments, schools and colleges were affected by organizational changes during this time period, so that certain summary statistics may not be comparable. Of note, a new College of Natural Sciences (CNS) was created in 2009 as part of an academic reorganization that included the closure of the College of Natural Resources and the Environment and the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics.

In Humanities & Fine Arts, the representation of women faculty increased from 41.8% in 2008 to 48.1% in 2013, and the representation of minority faculty increased from 19.1% in 2008 to 21.7% in 2013. The following departments increased the percentage representation of women among their tenure system faculty: Afro-American Studies; Art, Architecture & Art History; English; History; Languages; Literatures & Cultures; Linguistics; Philosophy and Theater. Over this five year period, minority percentage representation improved in the following departments: English; History; Languages, Literatures & Cultures; Linguistics; Music & Dance; Philosophy; and Theater. In 2013, there were no minority faculty in the department of Judaic & Near Eastern Studies.

In the College of Natural Sciences (CNS), there were 92 (26.9%) women faculty and 61 (17.8%) minority faculty in 2013. The college level data reported for 2008 is from Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Due to differences in organizational structure, overall statistics for CNS in 2013 and NSM in 2008 are not fully comparable. The percentage representation of tenure system women increased in the following CNS units: Astronomy; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Environmental Conservation; Food Science; Geosciences; Mathematics & Statistics; Physics; Psychology; and Veterinary & Animal Sciences. The representation of women decreased in Biology and Polymer Science & Engineering. Minority representation of tenure system faculty improved in the following departments within CNS: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Food Science; Geosciences; Mathematics & Statistics; Microbiology; Physics; Psychology; and Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Minority representation decreased between 2008 and 2013 in Biology; Environmental Conservation; and Veterinary & Animal Sciences.

In Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS), the representation of women faculty increased from 45.9% in 2008 to 49.0% in 2013, and the representation of minorities increased from 19.5% in 2008 to 29.5% in 2013. Organizational changes also affected SBS during this time period, so that overall college statistics between 2008 and 2013 are not fully comparable. With the exception of the department of Communication, there was an increase in the percentage representation of tenure system women faculty in all departments. Minority representation in the tenure system faculty improved in all seven departments within SBS.

In the Isenberg School of Management, the representation of tenure system women faculty increased from 23.8% in 2008 to 27.3% in 2013; minority faculty representation increased from 20.6% in 2008 to 25.8% in 2013. The percentage representation of female faculty increased in four departments (Accounting & Information Systems; Finance & Operations Management; Marketing and Sport Management), and decreased in one (Management). Minority representation improved in four departments: Accounting & Information Systems; Finance & Operations Management; Hospitality & Tourism Management; and Sport Management. Minority representation decreased in Management and Marketing.

In the College of Engineering, the representation of tenure system women faculty increased from 11.1% in 2008 to 14.6% in 2013; minority faculty representation decreased from 23.3% to 22.9% over this five year period. From 2008 to 2013, the number of female faculty stayed the same in two departments (Electrical & Computer Engineering and Mechanical & Industrial Engineering) and increased in two (Civil & Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering). For minority faulty, increases were seen in two departments: Chemical Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering. The number of minority faculty decreased in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering.

In the School of Public Health & Health Sciences the representation of women among the tenure system faculty increased over the five-year period, from 58.3% in 2008 to 60.0% in 2013. Minority representation increased from 22.9% in 2008 to 23.3% in 2013. Female and minority representation increased in Communication Disorders. In Kinesiology, the number of women faculty increased from three in 2008 to five (41.7%) in 2013, while the number of minority faculty remained at one (8.3%) in 2013. In Nutrition, the representation of women faculty increased to 60%, while that of minority faculty decreased to 30%. In Public Health, the percentage of women faculty decreased to 57.7% over the period, while the percentage of minority faculty rose to 26.9%.

The School of Nursing increased its representation of minority tenure system faculty members from 12.5% in 2008 to 30.0% in 2013. The tenure system faculty in the School of Nursing continued to be all female.