April 14, 2003


EOP plan shows gains by women

By Eric Rangus

When the University’s Affirmative Action Plan 2003 is released later this month it will reflect a workplace that is steadily becoming more diverse not only at all levels among its staff—but also its faculty.

“I think the [higher] representation of women faculty is a pleasant surprise,” said Robert Ethridge, vice president of Equal Opportunity Programs. His office completes the plan each year, using statistics provided by Human Resources. The plan serves as an administrative manual for all areas of the University and outlines the approach used to achieve Emory’s affirmative action goals.

As of Sept. 30, 2002, Emory’s faculty workforce consisted of 2,231 regular full-time faculty members. Minorities made up 22.4 percent of that workforce (up 0.8 percent from the previous year) and the percentage of female faculty climbed one point to 33 percent.

The representation of women also showed a steady increase in middle- and high-level staff positions as well. The rate of women in executive/administrative/managerial positions was 62.7 percent, up from 60.8 percent the previous year. That rate has climbed by more than 10 percentage points since 1995 (see First Person). The percentage of minorities in this category also rose—from 19 to 20 percent.

“I didn’t expect the increase in the representation of women at the senior administrative levels,” Ethridge said. “I thought maybe we would hold steady, but there is an increase.”

The full breakdown of minority—which encompasses African Americans, Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans—and female representation among faculty follows, including percentage changes from the previous year:

• all faculty: 32 percent female; 22.4 percent minority

• full professor: 15.2 percent female; 9.3 percent minority

• associate professor:28 percent female; 16.1 percent minority

• assistant professor: 36.5 percent female; 28.2 percent minority

• tenured faculty: 21.8 percent female; 12.1 percent minority

• tenure track faculty: 33.7 percent female; 25.7 percent minority

• research track faculty: 38.8 percent female; 39.8 percent minority

• clinical track faculty: 35.9 percent female; 25.9 percent minority

The representation of women on Emory’s faculty increased across the board, while the numbers of minority faculty were slightly more inconsistent.

“We still need to increase the representation of minorities in higher-level positions,” Ethridge said. “Women continue to show improvement, which is very good to see, especially at that level.”

Among the various staff positions across the entire University, including the hospitals, the breakdown follows:

• executive/administrator/manager: 62.7 percent female; 20 percent minority

• professional nonfaculty: 76.7 percent female; 39.3 percent minority

• secretarial/clerical: 90.4 percent female; 77.5 percent minority

• technical/paraprofessional: 65.6 percent female; 61 percent minority

• skilled craft: 4 percent female; 43 percent minority.

• service/maintenance: 60 percent female; 87.2 percent minority.

Minority gains in staff positions are more apparent than in faculty appointments. Women, meanwhile, show gains in some categories and slight losses in others. The 1 percent drop in female skilled-craft workers is noted in the plan, which states that

Emory’s employment of women in this area “remains significantly lower than external availability.”

“We want to be sure that as we recruit women and minorities that the environment within the University is positive so they stay here, and help us by recruiting other people like them to come to the University,” Ethridge said.

Each spring, EOP releases an updated plan; however, one was not distributed for 2002. That plan will be made available at the same time the 2003 plan is sent out.
Plans dating back to 1999 can be viewed online at www.emory.edu/EEO/AAPLAN.