Women faculty at Syracuse to get $3.7 million from settlement

University Business
By Chris Burt
October 4, 2021

Syracuse University has agreed to pay more than $3.7 million to settle a class-action lawsuit from five women professors who alleged that they were unfairly compensated compared to men in similar positions.

Syracuse admitted no wrongdoing or liability, instead highlighting that it is “committed to ensuring salary equity through ongoing analysis, new tools and appropriate shared governance.”

The disparity in gender pay gaps for faculty, however, has been well-documented in higher education. An American Association of University Professors study showed that full-time female faculty members earn close to 20% less than men, and the Eos Foundation and American Association of University Women noted that despite women comprising a majority of positions in higher ed, most of the top earners are men.

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