The Challenge of Gender Equity Within the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

Abstract

A lack of diversity has long troubled institutions within the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). While the focus on this issue has often been on race and ethnicity, less work has been conducted on gender diversity and equity. Using a 2007 survey of over 1,900 professors who teach at institutions belonging to the CCCU, this essay shows that gender inequities exist in Christian higher education. In general, female faculty lag behind their male counterparts in scholarly accomplishments. Most significantly, female professors are considerably less likely than their male colleagues to agree that female faculty and students are treated equally to male faculty and students. The article theorizes that one cause—among many possible causes—for these inequities concerns the presence on Christian campuses of a theological and political homogeneity that militates against the full agency of females. One strategy for enhancing gender equity thus involves the cultivation of less homogenous, more irenic campus environments, hospitable to those with diverse theological and political commitments.

We would like to thank Palm Beach Atlantic University for awarding us with Quality Initiative grants in 2007 and 2008 to conduct research on Christian higher education. We would additionally like to thank Joshua Firestone, our student research assistant, for his contributions to our work. We are also grateful for the editorial assistance of Allison Sanders.