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At first glance, women faculty at Pitt fare well. At the rank of Assistant Professor, the ratio of women’s to men’s salaries is 90%, and for Lecturers and Instructors the numbers are even better, women making 92% of what their male counterparts earn. Yet overall, the disparity between what men and women get paid at the University of Pittsburgh is considerably greater, women making only 79% of what their male counterparts pull in,[1] a number very much in line with national averages.[2]
This is because those at the top of the pay scale at the University of Pittsburgh are still mostly men, while those at the bottom are mostly women. In fact, only 26% of full Professors at Pitt are women, while women make up 56% of Lecturers and Instructors.[3] And in departments where women typically make up a larger percentage of the faculty, pay is lower. For example, the median pay for an Assistant Professor in the Humanities is $69, 902, compared to $81,154 for an Assistant Professor in the Natural Sciences.[4] That’s an $11,000 difference—troubling numbers to say the least. The picture gets even bleaker as pay at Pitt is compared to 33 peer AAU institutions. Once again, where women make up a significant portion of the faculty, pay at Pitt is low. For Lecturers Pitt ranks 28th, for Assistant professors, 52% of which are women, pay ranks a dismal 29 out of 34.[5] And despite the University’s pledges to do better, not only have these numbers not improved, in some cases they’ve gotten worse.[6] Certainly, the University of Pittsburgh has plenty to be proud of, yet as an institution committed to equality and diversity, Pitt needs to do better. Transparency is a good first step, but it’s not enough. By forming a union, we can make sure tenure and promotion criteria are applied consistently to all, regardless of gender. When we need it, we’ll have a mechanism for addressing biased or inequitable decisions by way of a grievance procedure that culminates in impartial arbitration. With a union contract, we’ll also have the ability to negotiate better family leave and childcare programs, helpful to all but especially to women faculty as they balance the demands of work and family. That women in unions fare better is borne out by the numbers: not only are women in unionized work places more likely to have access to things like family leave and childcare, but they’re also paid better, making on average 94% of what their male counterparts earn.[7] With a union, we can hold the administration accountable for Pitt’s gender pay gap. We can make sure they do more than issue reports, and so effect real change. |
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[1] These numbers drawn from the Provost Office’s report, Economic Status of Women Faculty at Pitt: 2016. The report compares the overall salaries of female and male faculty, as well as average salary broken down by rank. These numbers are benchmarked against 33 comparable public research universities that are members of the Association of American Universities. Part-time faculty are not included in the report.
[2] See the Economic Policy Institute’s Unions Help Narrow the Gender Wage Gap.
[3] Economic Status of Women Faculty at Pitt: 2016.
[4] From the University of Pittsburgh’s Mean and Median Salaries of Full-Time Employees: AY 2016.
[5] From the University of Pittsburgh’s Average Salaries of Faculty: A Peer Group Analysis 2016-17. The report compares pay at Pitt to 33 public research universities that are members of the Association of American Universities. Numbers are for salaries at the Pittsburgh campus only and do not include salaries of librarians. Once again, only full time faculty are included in the report.
[6]See coverage in The University Times, October 1 2015. Lecturers’ salaries were ranked 28th in 2015 and remain there according to the university’s latest report, Average Salaries of Faculty: A Peer Group Analysis 2016-17. Salaries for full Professors at Pitt have actually dropped in the rankings since 2015, moving down from 16th to 18th when compared to similar institutions.
[7] See Unions Help Narrow the Gender Wage Gap.
[2] See the Economic Policy Institute’s Unions Help Narrow the Gender Wage Gap.
[3] Economic Status of Women Faculty at Pitt: 2016.
[4] From the University of Pittsburgh’s Mean and Median Salaries of Full-Time Employees: AY 2016.
[5] From the University of Pittsburgh’s Average Salaries of Faculty: A Peer Group Analysis 2016-17. The report compares pay at Pitt to 33 public research universities that are members of the Association of American Universities. Numbers are for salaries at the Pittsburgh campus only and do not include salaries of librarians. Once again, only full time faculty are included in the report.
[6]See coverage in The University Times, October 1 2015. Lecturers’ salaries were ranked 28th in 2015 and remain there according to the university’s latest report, Average Salaries of Faculty: A Peer Group Analysis 2016-17. Salaries for full Professors at Pitt have actually dropped in the rankings since 2015, moving down from 16th to 18th when compared to similar institutions.
[7] See Unions Help Narrow the Gender Wage Gap.
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