Of Men and Research

Most college and university environments are relatively nonsupportive of women faculty and women students. Women faculty are themselves affirming of women students, just as men faculty are of men students, but the small proportion of women faculty in virtually all types of institutions assures that the views of men faculty dominate the institutional climate. Men faculty subscribe to the research image of an institution as being the predominant basis for generating a high level of self-esteem, which accounts for the low level of self-esteem of men faculty affiliated with “teaching” institutions. Women faculty, who generally feel less successful than men, utilize other value systems by which to define success as an academic professional.