All,
I have watched and assisted a great many young faculty – men and women alike – as they have strived to earn tenure and be promoted at several Canadian and American universities where I have worked. Most have been successful but not without some sacrifices and unusual stress.
I was explaining this arduous process to my father-in-law, who is a senior partner in a law firm. He thought that the promotion-and-tenure process at the university was not unlike the process that young lawyers in his firm go through when seeking to become a partner. They too have to deal with sacrifices and stress. Consequently, he did not know what the fuss was all about given the rewards that came with it. You can imagine the look on his face when I told him that being promoted and tenured did not significantly affect your rewards, at least not the financial ones. Becoming a partner in a law firm was very different, of course. Your pay could easily double, and then there are the other perks that often come with the promotion.
What is my point? The university is an unusual cultural milieu and therefore comes with certain conditions, not all of which make sense. Those of us who have remained in this milieu have learned to resign ourselves to some of the less than logical conditions. Others – perhaps more women than men – have recognized that the university may not be the best place to evolve. Is anyone to blame for the condition? No, not really. Can the culture change? Yes, of course. But it will take people from within to make it happen.
Just a few thoughts as I get ready for a stimulating hour with my PhD students. Beats any perk from a law firm!
Jacques Giard PhD
Professor of Design
The Design School
480.965.1373
http://jrgiard.macmate.me/jrgiard/Welcome.html
Go Green! Please do not print this e-mail unless it is completely necessary.
On 10/31/12 9:06 AM, "Gopinaath Kannabiran" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
Hello everyone,
I am in agreement with the views expressed so far - it's definitely harder
for women for a multitude of reasons.
However, at the risk of shifting the focus of the article, I would like to
hear your opinions about the below quote from the same article.
"88% of the women don't even want academic careers, nor do 79% of the men!
How can it be this bad? Why are universities such unattractive workplaces?"
Most of us, if not all, decide to do our PhD's because we are passionate
about something. Then there is the terrifying and dehumanising baggage that
comes as a part of academia.
"Every job has its baggage. Deal with it or quit." Can we attempt to have a
better response than this?
Regards,
Gopi
2012/10/31 Filippo Salustri <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
> The question that leaps to my mind is: If working conditions were
improved
> to address the concerns indicated in the article, to encourage more women
> to enter academia, wouldn't that also improve working conditions for men
-
> thus possibly negating any expected benefits?
>
> I do wish there were greater gender equality amongst academics. I'm just
> not sure how to go about achieving it.
> /fas
>
> On 31 October 2012 03:38, stefanie di russo <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> >wrote:
>
> > Hello list members,
> >
> > I just came across this article in the Guardian which may be of
interest
> > and/or a topic of conversation:
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2012/may/24/why-women-leave-academia?CMP=twt_gu
> >
> > The comments are also particularly disturbing. This article is one of
> many
> > reflecting the kind of work environment researchers face. As a current
> PhD
> > student contemplating a career in academia, this trend is disappointing
> and
> > frightening.
> >
> > Why does academia have such a terrible reputation? Should/will it
change?
> >
> > Thoughts..?
> >
> > --
> > *Stefanie Di Russo*
> >
> > PhD Student
> > Faculty of Design
> > Swinburne University
> > *twitter:* @stefdirusso <https://twitter.com/#!/stefdirusso>
> > *linkedin: public
> > *profile<http://www.linkedin.com/pub/stefanie-di-russo/35/16/a84>
> >
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------
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> > Subscribe or Unsubscribe at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/phd-design
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> >
>
>
>
> --
> \V/_
> Filippo A. Salustri, Ph.D., P.Eng.
> Email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> http://deseng.ryerson.ca/~fil/
>
>
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Regards,
Gopinaath K.
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