Traditional or Reverse Sex Discrimination? A Case Study of a Large Public University

Abstract

This study assesses the extent and causes of recent sex discrimination in academic positions at a large public university. Performing multiple regression analysis on data for all individuals hired for full-time faculty positions during the academic years 1975–76 through 1978–79 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, the authors find that women are paid less ($2,200 less, on average) than men when such usual criteria as highest degree, experience, number of publications, honors, and field are held constant. They find no evidence that this gap closes over time. Using multiple probit analysis, the authors find, in addition, that women are less likely to be hired in tenure-track positions. Then, using discriminant analysis as an alternate method, they find that articles published is the largest contributing factor to high academic rank, but that sex is also a significant factor. The authors conclude that, despite suspicions to the contrary, their evidence shows no effective affirmative action in faculty employment.