The thought that gender inequality was a problem solved back in the 1920s is false in numerous ways. It is a current issue that can be found right on Furman University’s campus today.

In the 2012-2013 school year, out of Furman’s 29 departments, women chaired nine of them and two of those women were only serving as chairs for one semester. With 57 percent of Furman’s student body being women it is odd that there are not more women heads of departments for college women to look up to.

A group of concerned faculty has been formed to “conduct a study of gender equity across the university, including promotion, service work, salary, merit designation, job satisfaction and support” (Furman’s Vision 2020 Strategic Plan). This group has met once with John Beckford, Furman’s Dean, and David Bost, Furman’s Faculty Chair, to discuss the concerns of gender equality at Furman University.

“Women faculty leave at a higher rate than the men faculty, the morale of female faculty is down, and salaries are not equitable,” said Dr. Sarah Worth, chair of the Philosophy department.

Dr. Worth participated in the meeting of the concerned faculty members.

“Hiring women to work at Furman is more difficult than other places, because of Furman’s male dominance,” said Worth.

This group of faculty find it in Furman’s best interest to hire an outside consultant to review the University on its level of gender equality.

“We want an outside consultant, not only because he or she would be a professional who does these reviews for a living, but also because they could do their job without a bias,” said Worth.

Although no one has been hired yet, John Beckford is hopeful that this study can be conducted within a year.

Worth has been the head of the Philosophy Department since January of this year, but has been a professor at Furman since 1999.

She has been published numerous times, written books, won awards and is the mother of six-year-old twins. Some may say she “has it all”. However, with all of these accomplishments she sometimes still feels forgotten.

“Often I feel that what I have to say isn’t as important as what men have to say. I am very accomplished in terms of publication, but I feel like I can’t talk about it or brag about it as much as my male colleagues. So, I sit quietly in the background and hope that someone might notice me,” said Worth.

Worth makes deliberate choices when balancing her family and work life. Her teaching position here at Furman is eminently flexible, therefore it allows her to wake up early, do work, and spend time with her children.

Still, “I don’t go to very many CLPs at night, because I choose not to. I know a lot of male faculty who are on campus at night and are not with their kids. It’s a different set of choices,” said Worth.

“Being a woman academic is an all consuming job, it’s hard to be a wife, a mother and a professor at the same time. It’s interesting, there is more pressure on women in those really senior roles to not crash and burn. There is pressure on men too, but more on the women” said Worth.