Many academics view the tenure-track and full professor titles as the end goal of many academics, yet these appointments are constantly dwindling and being replaced<\/a> by contingent positions<\/a>. Amid these discussions of tenure are conversations about equality within higher education \u2014 massive gaps remain for women<\/a> and minority faculty. These gaps are often attributed to institutional prestige<\/a> and networking advantages<\/a> that favor graduates from elite universities. The University of Michigan is among the five doctoral-training universities \u2014 also including the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, and Stanford University \u2014 that collectively represent one in eight<\/a> faculty members who studied at U.S. institutions.\u00a0<\/p>\n There are other advantages to attending one of these five universities. The concept of \u201cself-hiring,\u201d or universities hiring students who have completed their Doctor of Philosophy program at that same university, is not new. At the University, associate and full professors generally receive tenure<\/a> while assistant professors are on the tenure track. To be considered for tenure, a committee completes a thorough review<\/a> of the faculty member to ensure their scholarship, research, teaching and service meet the highest standards<\/a> and are congruent with the needs of the institution. For most colleges at the University, the review process is completed in the sixth or seventh year<\/a> of an untenured faculty member\u2019s period. However, large gaps persist in the rate<\/a> at which underrepresented faculty are advancing to higher faculty ranks.<\/p>\n A study<\/a> found that a major determinant in whether one receives a tenure-track faculty position is where one received their PhD. This influences the underrepresented minority representation within tenure-track faculty. In fall 2023, URM groups made up less than 15%<\/a> of the graduate and professional students in Ann Arbor. This data tracks similarly at the<\/a> other<\/a> top<\/a> four<\/a> doctoral-training universities.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dependence on instructional staff who lack tenure track access for teaching has increased<\/a> at colleges over the past 10 years, with the percentage of faculty members in full-time tenured positions dropping from 39% in 1987 to 24% in 2021<\/a>. This has affected who is receiving tenure. Because increased reliance on contingent faculty by colleges has heavily impacted the tenure process<\/a>, it has disproportionately affected<\/a> women and minority faculty.\u00a0<\/p>\n Male professors have continued to outnumber female full professors at the University. While the percentage of female professors has increased by 6% from 2015 to 2024, there remains a larger gender disparity in full professorship compared to associate and assistant professors, and especially in comparison to contingent positions<\/a>, such as lecturers.<\/p>\nNon-Tenure Track Faculty Has Increased in the Past Decade<\/em><\/h2>\n
Female Lecturers Outnumber Male Lecturers by 75% on Average<\/em><\/em><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n