Study: Gender equality a problem on campus

Jean Robinson had occupied the position of Dean of the Office of Women's Affairs for only a year when she realized the necessity of conducting the first comprehensive report on the status of women at IU Bloomington. \nFor two and a half years, beginning in 1999, Robinson led a group of people through uncharted waters in the hopes of finding scientific evidence that would legitimately describe the status of women on campus. Her research has identified some specific problems and offered suggestions for improvement.\n"There were conflicting perceptions amidst women. There was no benchmark, no way to measure improvements," Robinson said. "I was uncomfortable going with just anecdotal evidence."\nThe final report, which was released this fall, included a cover letter written by Chancellor Sharon Brehm emphasizing the significance of the report. \n"I hope it will call attention to the status of women on campus and highlight some of the issues we need to address," Brehm said.\nIn addition to identifying specific gender problems, the report carries a number of suggestions to better the campus community. The study focused on the most fundamental issues of gender inequity, such as the shortage of women in the math and sciences, the difficulty for women faculty to balance both a career and family and the lack of safety women feel on campus. \nRobinson said a number of subjects still need to be researched. \n"I don't think this is just one report, and it's never going to happen again," she said. \nShe said certain problem areas in the report, such as salary inequity among the different genders, would be better addressed if there were continuous studies.\nRobinson and the Office for Women's Affairs have been working on implementing a number of the report's recommended initiatives. They were recently granted funds from the federal Department of Justice for new programming to prevent sexual assaults on campus. \nThe office also applied for a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to help with survey studies to increase women and minority participation in the math and science fields.\nBrehm, who said she has been a feminist since her pre-college days, has also looked into a variety of the report's findings.\nProgress is already under way in certain areas, such as the development of "family friendly" programs to combat the dual career difficulties of women. \n"There's been a huge change for women during my lifetime," Brehm said. "I think things are a lot better now. However, it's still not a level playing field; it's not parity."\nThroughout the study, though IUB staff, faculty and students were helpful, Robinson faced a\nchallenge in compiling a massive amount of seemingly unrelated data. \n"Everyone was very supportive," Robinson said. "But lots of departments on campus keep records, they're not all integrated, not all computerized. If the data existed, in almost every case, they were willing to share it."\nPrior to the study, Robinson tried to understand the varying perspectives of women on campus. Though faculty women seemed to bemoan their daily difficulties and staff women seemed to be enclosed within a glass ceiling, students possessed a relatively apathetic attitude toward the status of women on campus.\nFreshman Rose Wongsarnpigoon said beyond the immediate threat of sexual assault she doesn't experience much gender inequity on campus. \n"You never know who is just out to take advantage of a freshman girl," she said. "As a student, (though) I feel like I am treated really well."\nWongsarnpigoon, an education major, has noticed a lot of her classes, especially her gender studies course, are predominantly female.\nAssistant to the Dean for Women's Affairs Carol McCord said students don't realize the full significance of gender inequity because on the IUB campus the population is more than half women. \n"Students don't see the problems," Robinson said. "Adults see the problems -- they live in a world not as equitable as the college campus"