Perceptions of Fairness (Q 25 and 26)
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The next series of six questions examined whether faculty members perceived that lab and office space, support services, and salaries are distributed fairly across their unit. It also examined whether faculty believed that requesting preferential teaching assignments or a tenure clock extension is feasible without accompanying negative repercussions.

Looking first at the distribution of resources, a clear majority believed that office space (82%), support services and other resources (73%), and to a lesser extent lab space (63%) are distributed fairly across the unit. Only half believed that their salary is appropriate compared to others of comparable rank in their unit. (See Table 32)

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Differences by School

Faculty in Technology were more likely than average to believe that office space (96%), support services and other resources (89%), and lab space (80%) are distributed fairly in their units. Management faculty were also more likely than average to believe that support services and other resources are equitably distributed (93%), while Engineering faculty were less likely than average (52%) to perceive that lab space is fairly distributed. Regarding salary, more library faculty than average (67%) perceived that their salary is appropriate compared to others at comparable rank, while only 38% of Education faculty believed this to be true.

Differences by Rank

Faculty across the ranks believed, to approximately the same extent, that office space is distributed fairly. Associate professors were the least likely to believe that the other resources are equitably distributed, followed by full professors. Specifically, distributions by rank are as follows: lab space: 57% of associate, 63% of full, and 69% of assistant professors agreed that this is distributed fairly; support services: 41% of associate, 52% of full, and 58% of assistant professors agreed that this is distributed fairly; and salary: 41% of associate, 52% of full, and 58% of assistant professors agreed that this is distributed fairly.

Differences by Gender

Males and females responded in almost identical ways in terms of their perceptions regarding the equitable distribution of lab and office space. Females were, however, less likely than males to believe that support services (67% vs. 75%) and salary (44% vs. 53%) were distributed equitably.

Differences by Race

In each of these four cases, Caucasians were the most likely to believe that resources are distributed equitably. In the case of lab space and support services, underrepresented minorities were the least likely to agree. (Fifty-three percent of underrepresented minorities and 56% of Asian Americans, compared to 64% of Caucasians believe lab space is equitably distributed, and 59% of underrepresented minorities and 61% of Asian Americans, compared to 74% of Caucasians, believed support services are equitably distributed). Asian Americans were the least likely to believe that office space (72% vs. 82% of underrepresented minorities and 83% of Caucasians) and salaries (26% vs. 44% and 52% respectively) are equitable.

Shifting now to the two questions regarding special work requests, 63% of those with an opinion believed that they could request preferential teaching assignments at a critical phase of their career development without fearing negative repercussions. An additional 18% reported that they did not know the answer to this question, with equal proportions of males and females unsure. Only 40% of those with an opinion believed that they could request a tenure clock extension without fearing negative repercussions. In this case, 46% indicated that they did not know whether they could do so or not without experiencing negative repercussions and males were more likely to not have an opinion than were females (53% vs. 31%).

Faculty in CFS (50%), Health Sciences (50%), and Education (36%) were the least likely to believe that they would feel comfortable requesting a preferential teaching assignment without fearing negative repercussions, while Science faculty were the most likely (79%). Health Sciences faculty were also the least likely to believe that they would feel comfortable requesting a tenure clock extension without fearing negative repercussions (29%), while Technology faculty were the most likely to feel comfortable doing so (52%).

Associate professors were the least likely to feel comfortable requesting a preferential teaching assignment (54% vs. 62% of assistant and 69% of full professors), while assistant professors were the least likely to feel comfortable requesting a tenure clock extension (32% vs. 39% of associate and 51% of full professors). In both cases, females were substantially less likely than males to feel comfortable asking for a preferential teaching assignment (52% vs. 67%) or a tenure clock extension (33% vs. 44%). Responses varied by race only with regard to a tenure clock extension – Asian Americans were the least likely to feel comfortable requesting this (31% vs. 36% of underrepresented minorities and 41% of Caucasians).