A Sensitive Census

The revelation last autumn that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) had made offers of tenured professorships to only four women during...

The revelation last autumn that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) had made offers of tenured professorships to only four women during academic year 2003-2004—fewer than in any year save one during the preceding decade—set off the debate about the composition of the faculty that rocked Harvard for much of the past winter and spring (see “Tenure and Gender,” January-February, page 64, and coverage in subsequent issues). How has FAS fared since? It is too early to calculate the yield—the percentage of acceptances—for offers extended during the academic year ended June 30, but the number of offers extended to women at both the tenured and junior-faculty levels did increase, as shown in these data from FAS’s faculty-development office.

Tenured faculty offers 2004-2005 Total 33, women 9, 28% women 2003-2004 Total 32, women 4, 12% women   Non-tenured faculty offers 2004-2005 Total 66, women 25, 38% women 2003-2004 Total 51, women 18, 35% women

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