9 to 5 in Academia: Addressing Barriers for Women

Many of us know that academics certainly do not work the hours 9 to 5, but those of us who appreciate Dolly Parton know that the focus of the song and movie is not about an 8-h workday. It is about the challenges women encounter - barriers that are also present in the academic environment. For example, Wood et al. cite that the odds of sexual harassment are increased compared to their male counterparts 86% for female faculty and an astounding 147% for female students. Further, if we look at the metrics used to judge promotion and tenure, women receive fewer or reduced awards, teaching scores, NIH dollars, publications, invitations to speak at colloquiums, and citations in publications than their male counterparts - this accounts for nearly all metrics for tenure and promotion. Additionally, women also focus more on service to the detriment of their research, as compared to their male counterparts (Figure 1), with research being a primary<br />factor that leads to tenure and promotion in contrast to service.