No solution to the gender wage gap at flagship Orthodox university

Female faculty employed by New York’s Yeshiva University receive between 12-17 percent less than men, according to a report compiled by the school’s Faculty Council.

But a salary freeze that has been in effect at the university since 2013 prevents Modern Orthodoxy’s flagship educational institution from bringing parity to professors’ paychecks.

The 2012 report, obtained by the YU Observer, puts the gender-based differential close to the national average of 83 cents on the dollar.

Despite what can be seen as a sort of academic hierarchy – business faculty earn the most, followed by sciences, and then humanities – the report says female faculty consistently earn less regardless of discipline.

What’s more, the imbalance at YU-affiliated Stern College for Women affects all faculty, male and female. Faculty salaries at Stern’s Beren campus are on average 10% less than at the uptown Wilf campus.

One contributing factor might be tenure. The Observer found that the fields offering more tenured positions are more likely to be occupied by men: 76% of the business faculty is male and in general, male faculty outnumber female two-to-one.

Compounding this is the fact that the male-dominated disciplines which offer more tenure-track positions also pay higher salaries.

On average, a male associate professor makes $97,600 compared to the female average of $79,900. And male instructors earn $57,500 where women earn $53,400, says The Observer.

However, what was supposed to be a two-year austerity measure implemented in 2008 has kept salaries static – with the exception of a 2% raise in 2013 – for nearly eight years.

With a salary freeze in effect, all female faculty can do is wait for the ice to thaw.