Faculty women in the American university: Up the down staircase

This paper compares the status of academic women in the United States, particularly at the most prestigious institutions of higher education, to that of faculty men. Inequalities in rank, prestige, rewards, work environment, and social expectations are discovered. The paper next traces the organization of women within academia professional organizations in the late sixties and ties these developments to the larger women's movement nationally. Finally, the impact of these organizations on government policy and on university personnel practices is assessed. The future status of academic women in a country with a declining birthrate, a sluggish economy, and diminishing financial support for higher education is considered.