Closing the Gender Gap

1. Closing the Gender Gap Laurie A. Schreiner, Ph.D. Critical Issues for Christian Higher Education Conference March 2002

2. Gender Differences in Students • What is most important to them about their educational experience • Satisfaction with the college experience • How they spend their time • Important life objectives • Self-perceptions and characteristics at entrance and exit • The impact of a CCCU education

3. More important to women: Safety and security of the campus Gender equity Advising relationship Campus climate Career services Racial harmony Opportunities for ministry More important to men: Spiritual growth Caring staff Commitment to academic excellence Relationships with faculty Campus maintenance Computer labs Campus “run-around” Quality of the library Student disciplinary procedures Freedom of expression Food Student activities fees Gender Differences in What is Most Important

4. More satisfying to women: Campus maintenance Availability of faculty Commitment to academic excellence Campus climate Experiences with the admissions office Student center More satisfying to men: Advising Safety and security Quality of instruction Quality of majors Gender equity Athletics Library Health center Financial aid Gender Differences in Satisfaction

5. Women CCCU students: studying involved in campus groups helping with household chores and childcare working for pay volunteering reading for pleasure praying and meditating Men CCCU students: socializing with friends exercising involved in sports partying watching TV *Note: the gender gap in how time is spent is greater on CCCU campuses than on other types of campuses How Men and Women Spend Their Time

6. Women report as more important to them: helping others in difficulty participating in community action promoting racial understanding influencing social values Men report as more important to them: becoming an authority in their field obtaining recognition from colleagues influencing the political structure being very well off financially having administrative responsibility contributing to the science world being successful in their own business developing a philosophy of life keeping up to date with politics becoming a community leader Gender Differences in Important Life Objectives

7. Gender Differences in Self-Perceptions • Male students are more competitive and more confident • Female students are more passive and less confident • There are key differences in self-confidence that persist through graduation—especially in key leadership skills

8. academic ability competitiveness creativity emotional health intellectual self-confidence leadership ability math ability physical health popularity public speaking ability social self-confidence More males than females rate themselves above average in:

9. More Females Than Males Rate Themselves Above Average in: • understanding of others • writing abilities

10. There are significantly more women than men on CCCU campuses--moreso than at other private Protestant colleges No differences in ACT scores or verbal SAT, but men score significantly higher on the math SAT Women bring significantly higher high school GPAs to college More men than women intend to seek a doctorate Women are 5 times as likely to pursue an education major; men are more likely to pursue business, theology, and science majors 73% of women chose us first; 69% of men did Men are less likely to work on or off campus Gender Differences at Entrance…

11. More men than women plan to pursue doctorates—although there has been a significant increase in the number of women planning to go to graduate school Women earned higher grades Women were more likely to have discussed academic work with other students; men were more likely to discuss politics Men were more likely to have challenged a professor’s ideas in class Men were more likely to have participated in intercollegiate athletics or intramural sports Men were more likely to have not completed homework on time or to have overslept and missed classes More men report transferring in from another college More women took ethnic or women’s studies courses Women report better relationships with faculty More women report being lonely or homesick** More women report feeling overwhelmed** …and at Exit

12. Women students report greater gains in: knowledge of a particular field knowledge of different races and cultures religious beliefs and convictions Men students report greater gains in: critical thinking ability leadership abilities public speaking ability mathematical skills The Impact of a CCCU Education

13. Closing the Gap for our Students • Confidence levels • Leadership qualities and self-perceptions • Goals and life ambitions • Gendered experiences in the classroom and on the campus

14. CALLING “where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need” “gifts, not gender” SELF-EFFICACY Expectations More Likely to Approach a Task Persistence in the Face of Obstacles SUCCESS

15. Sources of Self-Efficacy • Modeling Role models Women speakers Mentors Platform dynamics • Accomplishments Classroom dynamics Research team Leadership practica • Verbal Exhortation Advising Messages about leadership Conversations about calling Encouragement to pursue leadership positions • Control Emotional Arousal Teach women students what confidence looks like • Strengths Awareness Identify specific gifts and strengths Help students develop their strengths Teach students to use strengths to overcome obstacles

16. Gender Differences: CCCU Faculty • Number of women faculty • Rank, tenure, pay equity • Marital status, family situation • Values and opinions • How they spend their time • Teaching style • Stress levels • Research productivity

17. CCCU Faculty Compared to Faculty at Other Institutions • Overwhelmingly male and older—only 33% of CCCU faculty are women • Greater discrepancy in rank between men and women—significantly more men are full professors and significantly more women are instructors/lecturers • Females are paid significantly less than males, and less than females at other colleges -- even after controlling for rank and experience • Females less likely to hold doctorates; more likely to be in a doctoral program while working full-time • Females tenured at a significantly lower rate than males and than females elsewhere

18. CCCU 19% of Chief Academic Officers are women 2% of College Presidents are women Nationally: 25% of Chief Academic Officers are women 16% of College Presidents are women Women in Leadership: The CCCU Compared to Higher Education Nationally

19. The Double Bind of Leadership • All else being equal, women are rated just as positively as leaders as men are BUT • In settings where men predominate, women leaders are evaluated more negatively and perceived as less effective than men • When women exhibit a directive, task-oriented leadership style, rather than a participatory style, they are perceived much more negatively by both men and women. This is not the case for men leaders. (Eagly & others, 1995)

20. A Double Bind in the Classroom • If women professors are too warm and nurturing, they are not behaving as a professor should and do not get respect from male students • If women profs are not nurturing enough, they are not behaving as a woman should and are devalued by women students

21. Faculty Differences • Males much more likely to rate raising a family as important • Fewer married female faculty with children; more divorced or single • Females much more stressed out than males or females elsewhere

22. Faculty Differences in Teaching and Research • Women faculty spend less time doing research and more time advising students • Women faculty are more interested in teaching • Women faculty are more likely to use collaborative and active learning strategies • Men faculty are twice as likely to lecture extensively • Men faculty are more likely to do research with students

23. “Gender discrimination most often occurs as a long series of micro-inequities or unintended slights that create a more stressful, less rewarding environment for women and that can undermine their mental health. For most women, it is the disadvantage that accrues over time that is most harmful to their professional achievement and their quality of life at work.” (Kite, et al., 2002)

24. Good will is not sufficient to produce change—proactive efforts are required at the institutional level. Those in positions of power within our institutions must be the ones to implement the changes.

25. VISION President’s “front burner” Connected to mission VALUING Accountability Active recruitment of women Pay equity Support Research Space and equipment Travel funds Flexible contracts and paths to tenure and promotion VISIBILITY Women in leadership Women speakers brought to campus Promotion and tenure VOICE Curriculum Faculty Senate Committee balance Gender Issues Task Force Mentors for new faculty Closing the Gap for our Faculty