Gender Bias Awareness in Higher Education

By Rohan Gupta

Throughout the history of higher education in America, the capabilities of women were frequently undermined. In academe, the quality and priority of education for women was secondary to that of men and the acceptance of female professors was met with suspicion and reluctance. Though such times have changed, new stereotypes concerning the capabilities of women are emerging and becoming a major issue facing higher education. Because many members of academe believe that the motherhood of female professors hinders their competence, groups opposed to such criticism are now speaking out to stop such an attitude.

Contemporary critics assert that female professors compromise their judgement and abilities when they have children and believe such professors must not be given major academic duties. The center for WorkLife Law at the University of California's Hastings College developed an online bingo-type game to create awareness about gender bias and help recognize it in academe. The goal of the game is for female or sometimes even male professors with children to identify three types of gender biases in the work place and declare "bingo." The winner of the game receives a free t-shirt by mail. The center hopes that university administrators and other head bureaucrats will visit the website with the game and see the importance of the issue.

The game website also has material that should help female professors survive gender bias. The material includes scenarios, four patterns of bias, and an economic argument for administrators to stop such criticism. Hopefully these efforts by the center for WorkLife can eliminate such discrimination facing female professors and provide them with a more conducive atmosphere at work.