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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
Penn faculty not immune to gender wage gap Findings show 2-3 percent disparity in wages MADELEINE LAMON Staff Reporter
The gender wage gap has emerged as a major issue in national politics this year — but it’s also an issue at Penn. According to the recently announced goals and priorities of the Faculty Senate for the coming year, Penn hopes to focus on the “economic status of the faculty in terms of salaries and selected benefits.” One current goal of the Senate is to address the wage gap that exists between male and female faculty. Earlier this year, the Senate Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty released its annual report for the University’s 2015 fiscal year. Along with many other important observations, the
report revealed that the University pays male and female faculty unequally at all levels. Using data provided by the administration, the committee found that when the statistics were corrected to account for differences in department, rank and tenure there was an unsettling pay gap of 2-3 percent between male and female faculty. Sociology professor Janice Madden, whose research has focused on gender wage gaps, said that the gap could be attributed to the issue of outside offers. In prior research she found that women “were much less likely to pursue outside offers, or when they got them to have them taken seriously because they had partners and families and were less likely to leave. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if that were the case here.” While the 2-3 percent gap is not considered statistically significant,
CINDY CHEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Penn faculty wage gap impacts not only take-home pay, but access to retirement benefits as well.
its effects can be extremely consequential for women over the course of their careers, according to the report.
The gap “has implications not only for their take-home pay, but also for benefits, in particular retirement,” said Reed Pyeritz,
genetics professor and Faculty Senate Past Chair. While there is no gender inequity in average salary increases, the committee revealed that the average starting salaries were different for men and women at the assistant and associate professor levels. At the assistant professor level, which is 27 percent female, the average salary for women is $11,954 less than the average salary for men. At the associate professor level, which is 40 percent female, the average salary for women is $20,854 less than the average salary for men. “My interpretation of it is that the primary driving difference between the male and female pay stems from the fact that for whatever reason, men tend to go into different professions than others, that men tend to stay in the positions, and then may be more likely
to become tenured and become full professors,” said accounting professor Wayne Guay. When correcting their statistics for differing gender ratios in different schools, the committee concluded that the wage gap persists in male-dominated fields. They said in the report that “the widening gap between weighted and unweighted values reflects that Penn is losing ground in diversifying the most highly paid fields.” In response to these findings, the committee recommended that the administration pay close attention to starting salaries at the assistant professor level and that they ensure women are being promoted from associate to full professor at a reasonable pace. “A 2-3 percent pay difference accumulated over the course of a career is huge,” Madden said. “It is not a trivial distinction.”
Despite right to unionize, Penn grad student union unlikely Ruling sparks debate among studnets M. EARL SMITH Staff Reporter
Some graduate students at Penn say they will not be unionizing anytime soon, despite their newly christened legal right to do so. On Aug. 23, the National Labor Relations Board, in a case involving graduate students at Columbia University, ruled that graduate students have the right as employees to unionize. The ruling said that students working as teachers or as research assistants are certified as employees, and with that comes all the rights and responsibilities of employment, including the right to form a union to collectively bargain in matters such as wages and benefits. In ruling in favor of the students, the NLRB stated that earlier rulings had “deprived an
entire category of workers of the protections of the (Fair Employment) Act, without a convincing justification in either the statutory language or the policies of the act.” Graduate students at Penn had a measured response to the report. “While some graduate students at the University may benefit from forming a union, I’m not convinced that Engineering students would benefit from it,” Luke Valenta, vice president of the Graduate Student Engineering Group , wrote in an emailed statement. “Based on conversations I’ve had with fellow engineering students, Ph.D. students in SEAS are generally well-funded throughout their Ph.D. careers and do not have any major complaints that forming a union would solve.” This does not mean that unionizing is off the table completely. “If an argument for unionizing
CARSON KAHOE | PHOTO EDITOR
Graduate students at Yale and Columbia universities have already made moves to unionize since their right to do so was affirmed.
was presented with clear motivation and a well thought-out plan, I believe that the faculty and University administrators would be willing to engage in conversation about the subject,” Valenta wrote. “However, I do not think that the
process would necessarily be fast or easy, and there would no doubt be many loopholes to jump through.” Valenta also noted that this is not the first time that graduate students at Penn have discussed
forming a union. “There was discussion last semester during a town hall forum with SEAS and SAS students, where we discussed the ongoing Columbia case and weighed the pros and cons of forming a union. Most of the discussion on this front was led by SAS students. I did not hear any SEAS students speak up in favor of unionizing.” While there may not be any immediate plans to form a union among Penn students, at other Ivy League schools, students have jumped at the chance to unionize.
Columbia, which was at the center of the NLRB case, looks to be the first to unionize, although they’re not alone. According to The Washington Post, graduate students at Yale University filed their petitions to unionize within a week of the NLRB decision. Yale Graduate Employees and Students Organization Chair Aaron Greenberg told the Post, “We look forward to winning our election and beginning to negotiate our contract and resolving some issues that are important to our members.”
Work Study Opportunities for Students University of Pennsylvania Smell and Taste Center www.med.upenn.edu/stc Independent Research Opportunities!! Possible Publication!! Work with patients 3 days a month through clinical testing!!
Call Crystal Wylie @ 215.662.6580 for an interview WELCOME CLASS OF 2020
WELCOME MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES PROGRAM CLASS OFCLASS 2020 NINETEENTH
Announcing the twelfth group of winners of the Announcing the twelfth group of winners of ROY the AND DIANA VAGELOS SCHOLARS
WELCOME Roy and Diana Vagelos CLASS OF 2020 WELCOME Announcing the twelfth group of winners of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Nikita Maheshwari, Livingston, N Saad Albawardi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia CLASS OF 2020 Science Challenge Award Announcing the twelfth group of winners of the AND VAGELOS SCHOLARS Ho Wa Jonathan Mak, Hong Kong Adam Alghalith,ROY Kirksville, MO DIANAWELCOME
Science Challenge Award Roy and Diana Vagelos Srinivas SCHOLARS Mandyam, Basking Ridge Emily Augustine, BethelAND Park, PA ROY DIANA MOLECULAR LIFEVAGELOS SCIENCES PROGRAM
ROY AND DIANA VAGELOS S MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES P CLASS OF 2020
Shaylin Marn, Honolulu, HI Alexander Belanger, Wallingford, PA Science Challenge AwardBiochemistry Kevin Y. Chen, ’18,and Physics, Biophysics, NINETEENTH CLASS MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES PROGRAM ROY AND DIANA VAGELOS SCHOLARS Roy Diana Vagelos Caroline McGeoch, Dallas, TX Announcing the twelfth group of winners ofBlaze the Bernstein, Foothill Ranch, CA NINETEENTH CLASS MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES PROGRAM Jordan ’17, Biochemistry Marc Maheshwari, Nagib, Towson, MD NJ Ranvir Bhatia, Livingston, NJSaudi Arabia Nikita Livingston, Saad Albawardi, Riyadh, Kevin Y. Kevin Chen, ’18,Doman, Physics, Biophysics, Biochemistry Challenge Award NINETEENTH CLASS Y.Science Chen, ’18, Physics, Biophysics, Biochemistry Ho Wa Jonathan Mak, Hong Adam Alghalith, Kirksville, Maxwell Norleans, Fort Kong Myers, FL Anirudh Bikmal, Cumming, GAMOArabia Congzhou Mike Sha, ’18, Physics, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Nikita Maheshwari, Livingston, NJ NJ Saad Albawardi, Riyadh, Saudi Jordan Doman, ’17, ’17, Biochemistry Jordan Doman, Biochemistry Srinivas Mandyam, Basking Ridge, Emily Augustine, Bethel Park, PA Saad Albawardi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Nikita Maheshwari, Livingston, NJ Katherine Novak, Chatham, NJ HenryAdam Bliss,Alghalith, New York, NY MO Ho Wa Jonathan Mak, Hong Roy and Diana Vagelos Mathematics, Computer Science Kevin Y. Chen, ’18,’18, Physics, Biophysics, Biochemistry Adam Kirksville, Alghalith, Kirksville, MO Ho Wa Jonathan Mak, Hong Kong Congzhou Mike Sha, Physics, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Shaylin Marn, Honolulu, HI KongPA Alexander Belanger, Wallingford, PA Rachel Orth, Himmelstown, Gavin Bond, Exton, PA Srinivas Mandyam, Basking Emily Augustine, Bethel Park, gzhou Mike Sha, ’18, Physics, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Emily Foothill Augustine, BethelPA Park, Srinivas Mandyam, Basking Ridge, TX NJRidge, NJ Caroline McGeoch, Dallas, Blaze Bernstein, Ranch, CAPA Jordan Doman, ’17, Biochemistry Mathematics, Computer Science onathan Zauberman, ’18, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Physics AlexanderMD Belanger, Wallingford, PA Shaylin Marn, Honolulu, HI Robert Paslaski, Milwaukee, WI Science Challenge Award Eric S.Alexander Chen, Rockville, Shaylin Marn, Honolulu, HI Belanger, Wallingford, PA Marc Nagib, Towson, MD Ranvir Bhatia, Livingston, NJ
NINETEENTH CLASS
Congzhou Mike Sha, ’18, Physics, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Blaze Bernstein, Foothill Ranch, CA Caroline McGeoch, Dallas, TX Jonathan Zauberman, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Physics Mathematics, Computer Science Caroline McGeoch, Dallas,NJ TX FL Blaze Bernstein, Foothill Ranch, CA Jai Nagib, Patel, Hightstown, Asha Dahiya, Bethesda, MD Maxwell Norleans, Anirudh Bikmal, Cumming, GA Ranvir Bhatia, Livingston, NJ Marc Towson, MDFort Myers, Mathematics, Computer Science Marc Nagib, Towson, MD Ranvir Bhatia, Livingston, NJ MD Anirudh Bikmal, Cumming, GA Maxwell Norleans, Fort Chatham, Myers, FL NJ Shankar Pattabhiraman, New Alba Nathan Dangle, University Park, Katherine Novak, Henry Bliss, New York, NY athan Zauberman, ’18, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Physics Jonathan ’18, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Physics Kevin Y. Zauberman, Chen, ’18, Physics, Biophysics, Biochemistry HenryCumming, Bliss, New York, NY Katherine Novak, Chatham, NJ Myers, FL Maxwell Norleans, Fort Anirudh Bikmal, GA Rachel Orth, Himmelstown, Bond, Exton, PA Javier Perez, Pharr,PATX PA SabrinaGavin DaSilva, Warren, Gavin Bond, RI PA Rachel Orth, Himmelstown, Katherine Novak, Chatham, NJ Henry Bliss, New York,Exton, NY Jordan Doman, ’17, Biochemistry Continuing: Robert Paslaski, WI Eric S. Chen, Rockville, MD Eric S. Chen, Rockville, MD Robert Paslaski, Milwaukee, WI Johnathan H. Milwaukee, Phillips, McKinney, T Paulina Gazin, Vico Morcote, Switzerland Continuing: Rachel Orth, Himmelstown, PA Gavin Bond, Exton, PA Asha Dahiya, Bethesda, Jai Patel, Hightstown, NJ Jai Patel, Hightstown, NJ Asha Dahiya, Bethesda, MD MD Congzhou Sha, ’18,’17, Physics, Biochemistry, Elizabeth J.Mike Dresselhaus, Physics and ElectricalBiophysics, Engineering Grace Ringlein, Lancaster, PA Michael Goutnik, Sunny Isles Beach, FL Nathan Dangle, University Shankar Pattabhiraman, New Albany, OH Robert Paslaski, Milwaukee, Eric S. Chen, Rockville, MD zabeth J. Dresselhaus, Physics and Electrical Engineering Shankar Pattabhiraman, NewWI Albany, OH Nathan Dangle, University Park, Park, MD MD Continuing: Alex Y. Liao, ’17,’17, Physics and Computer Science Mathematics, Computer Science Sabrina DaSilva, Warren, RI Javier Perez, Pharr, TX Mustafa Salim, Flanders, NJ Dominic Gregorio, Du Bois, PA Jai Patel, Hightstown, NJ Asha Dahiya, Bethesda, MD Javier Perez, Pharr, TX Sabrina DaSilva, Warren, RI Elizabeth J. Dresselhaus, ’17, Physics andComputer Electrical Engineering Paulina Gazin, Vico Morcote, Switzerland Johnathan H. Phillips, McKinney, TX Ashley N. ’17, Sartoris, ’17, Biochemistry and Physics Alex Y. Liao, Physics and Science Jonathan Zauberman, ’18, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Physics Continuing: Shankar Pattabhiraman, New Albany, Brandon Santhumayor, Piscataway University Park, MD MahipNathan Grewal, Roslyn Heights, NY Johnathan H. Phillips, TX O PaulinaDangle, Gazin, Vico Morcote, Switzerland Michael Goutnik, Sunny Isles Beach, FL Grace Ringlein, Lancaster, PAMcKinney, Alex Y. Song, Liao, ’17, Physics and Computer Science Sabrina Chunzi ’17, Biochemistry and Biophysics Dominic Gregorio, Du Bois, PA Mustafa Salim, Flanders, NJ Javier Perez, Pharr, TX DaSilva, Warren, RI Namita Saraf, Colleyville, TX Pavithran Guttipatti, Lakeville, MN Grace Ringlein, Lancaster, PA Michael Goutnik, Sunny Isles Beach, FL Ashley N. Sartoris, ’17, Biochemistry and Physics Ashley N. Sartoris, ’17, Biochemistry andElectrical Physics beth J. Dresselhaus, ’17, Physics and Engineering Mahip Grewal, RoslynSwitzerland Heights, NY Brandon Santhumayor, Piscataway, Johnathan H.Acton, Phillips, McKinney, TX Paulina Gazin, Vico Morcote, Mustafa Salim, Flanders, NJNJ Dominic Gregorio, Du Bois, PA Eric Shan, MA Noah Hoffman, Fairfield, PA Pavithran Guttipatti, Lakeville, MN Namita Saraf, Colleyville, TX Chunzi Song, ’17, Biochemistry andand Biophysics Chunzi Song, ’17, Biochemistry Biophysics Grace Ringlein, Lancaster, PA Michael Goutnik, Sunny Isles Beach, FL Brandon Santhumayor, Piscataway, Mahip Grewal, Heights, NY NoahRoslyn Hoffman, Fairfield, Eric Shan, Acton, MA Yui Shimokobe, Petaluma, CANJ Kafkes, Western Springs, ILPA Alex Y.The Liao, ’17, Physics Computer Continuing: award consists of fulland tuition and feesDiana untilScience Mustafa Salim, Flanders, Dominic Gregorio, DuLakeville, Bois, PASprings, Diana Kafkes, Western Yui Shimokobe, Petaluma, CA NJ Namita Saraf, Colleyville, TX Pavithran Guttipatti, MN IL Stewart Silver, Columbus, OH Saarang Karandikar, Avondale, PANY PA ElizabethN. J. Dresselhaus, ’17, Physics and Electrical and Engineering Saarang Karandikar, Stewart Silver, Columbus, graduation. Brandon Santhumayor, Mahip Roslyn Heights, Eric Shan, Acton, MAOH Piscataway, NJ Noah Grewal, Hoffman, Fairfield, PAAvondale, Ashley Sartoris, ’17, Biochemistry Physics The award consists of full tuition and fees until Seyoung Kim, Chesterbrook, PA Irene Su, Pleasanton, CA Irene Su, Pleasanton, CA Seyoung Kim, Chesterbrook, PA Namita Saraf, TX Guttipatti, Lakeville, MN Alex Y. Liao, ’17, Physics and Computer Science Pavithran YuiTeichner, Shimokobe, Petaluma, CA Diana Kafkes, Western Springs, IL Marc Klinger, Dix Hills, NY Eric GlenColleyville, Allen, VA The award consists of full tuition and fees until graduation. Eric Teichner, Glen Allen, Marc Klinger, Dix Hills, NY Eric Shan, Acton, MA Noah Hoffman, Fairfield, PA Chunzi Song, ’17, Biochemistry and Biophysics Stewart Silver, Columbus, Avondale, PA Valley, PA Gregory Kofman, Huntingdon Rohith Thaiparambil, Philadelphia, OH PA VA Ashley N. Sartoris, ’17, Biochemistry and Physics Saarang Karandikar, Sampath Kumar, Tallahassee, FL Nicha Thongtanakul, Singapore To qualify, College students major in Physics, Chemistry, Yui Shimokobe, Petaluma, CA Diana Kafkes, Western Springs, IL Irene Su, Thaiparambil, Pleasanton, CA Philadelphia Kim, Chesterbrook,Valley, PA Rohith GregorySeyoung Kofman, Huntingdon PA Chunzi Song, ’17,graduation. Biochemistry and Biophysics Reginald Lamaute, Chapel Hill, NC Rekha Vegesna, Secunderabad, India Stewart Silver, Columbus, OH Saarang Karandikar, Avondale, PA Eric Teichner, Glen Allen, Singapore VA Marc Klinger, Dix Hills, NY Biophysics or Biochemistry and will submatriculate inSampath the Physics Nicha Thongtanakul, Kumar, Tallahassee, FL Christopher C. Lee, New York, NY David Yang, Cherry Hill, NJ To qualify, College students major in Physics, Chemistry,Seyoung Irene Su, Pleasanton, CA Rohith Thaiparambil, Philadelphia, PAInd Kim, Chesterbrook, PA Gregory Kofman, Huntingdon Valley, PA Jeewon Rebecca Lee, Pittsburgh, PA Omar Zaher, Windsor, Ontario or Chemistry graduate groups. Rekha Vegesna, Secunderabad, Lamaute, Chapel Hill, NC Biophysics or Biochemistry and will submatriculate inReginald the Physics Justin Linetski, Upper Saddle River, NJ Alexander Zhou, Yorktown, VA VA Nicha Thongtanakul, Singapore Sampath Kumar, Tallahassee, FL Eric Teichner, Glen Allen, Marc Klinger, Dix Hills, NY The award consists of full tuition and feesChristopher untilGregory David Yang, Cherry C.Kofman, Lee, York, NY AliceNew Liu, West Chester, PANC Alice Li Zhou, Shanghai, China Hill, NJ Rekha Vegesna, Secunderabad, IndiaPA Reginald Lamaute, Chapel Hill, or Chemistry graduate groups. Rohith Thaiparambil, Philadelphia, Huntingdon Valley, PA ManluPittsburgh, Liu, Middleton, WI Jonathan Zou, JamaicaWindsor, Plain, MA Ontario To qualify, College students major in Physics, Chemistry, Omar Zaher, Jeewon Rebecca Lee, PA graduation. David Yang, Cherry Hill, NJ Christopher C. Lee, New York, NY Nicha Thongtanakul, Singapore Sampath Kumar, Tallahassee, FLTX The next round of these annual awards will Sarah Llewellyn, Argyle, Alexander Zhou, Yorktown, VA Justinin Linetski, UpperLee, Saddle River, NJ Omar Zaher, Windsor, Ontario India Jeewon Rebecca Pittsburgh, PA Rekha Vegesna, Secunderabad, Reginald Lamaute, Chapel Hill, NC physics or Biochemistry and will submatriculate the Physics be made in May 2017. The next round of these annual awards willAlice Liu, Alexander Zhou, Yorktown, Justin Linetski, Upper Saddle River, NJ GROUNDDavid Alice Li Zhou, Shanghai, China West Chester, PA Yang, Cherry Hill, NJ VA Christopher C. Lee, New York,HIT NY THE RUNNING! Chemistry groups. be made graduate in May in 2017. 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http://www.college.upenn.edu/vagelos-challenge http://www.sas.upenn.edu/biochem/challenge_award.html
See:
Manlu Liu, Middleton, WI Sarah Llewellyn, Argyle, TX
Jonathan Zou, Jamaica Plain, MA