University Service Work in STEM Departments: Gender, Perceived Injustice, and Consequences for Faculty

ABSTRACT

Using expectancy theory as a framework, we use focus group and climate survey (N = 114) data from a midsize university to explore the gendered nature of university service work among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty. Focus group data highlighted the divergent perceptions of STEM faculty women and department chairs about the importance of service work and its outcomes. Climate survey data indicated that STEM women faculty were more likely than men to perceive injustice in service loads, and perceived injustice was associated with reduced job satisfaction, and increased scholarly isolation, interpersonal workplace conflict, and job stress, regardless of gender.

Notes

¹ Because the purpose of the climate survey was to identify avenues for creating institutional change, the broader conceptualization of STEM adopted by the National Science Foundation was used. This allowed for a more systemic view. The climate survey was conducted as a follow-up to the focus groups, with the intention of better understanding issues faced by women faculty across a broader range of STEM departments than was represented in the focus groups.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daphne E. Pedersen

Daphne E. Pedersen is Professor of Sociology at the University of North Dakota. Her scholarship focuses on gender and health, particularly stress processes. Recent manuscripts have appeared in Marriage & Family Review, Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, Journal of Family and Economic Issues, and Family Science. She is President-Elect of Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honors Society.

Krista Lynn Minnotte

Krista Lynn Minnotte is Professor of Sociology at the University of North Dakota. Her teaching and research centers on examining the interrelationships among gender, work, and family, with an emphasis on understanding how workplace cultures shape people’s experiences navigating paid work and family. She may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].