What’s in a Title? Gender Micro-Inequities in a University Human Resources Database

Abstract

Men and women are perceived differently, and those perceptions can be damaging in a professional context. Unconscious bias expressed within work environments can introduce “micro-inequities” that impede career progression for women compared to men. This study examines title prefixes for faculty in the human resources database of a large comprehensive university. The findings identify widespread differences in the assignment of prefixes with respect to the gender of faculty members. Men faculty are more likely to have the prefix “Dr.” than are women, while women are more likely to have gendered prefixes (Mrs., Ms., Miss). These disparities are evident at multiple levels of organization (different faculty tracks, departments and colleges, etc.) and suggest the existence of a gender micro-inequity.