Gender equity for women professors at research universities

What do women professors perceive as the relationship between involvement in women's issues and opportunities for career advancement? Women professors perceived that there was a relationship between involvement in women's issues and a lack of opportunities for career advancement. Nonetheless, these women professors pursued their interests, whether those interests related to women's issues or not. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with women professors at three selected research universities in four selected departments in the behavioral sciences, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Information was gathered from each professor about her background, professional history, involvement or non-involvement in women's issues, attitudes and perceptions about women's issues and career advancement, and the attitudes she perceived that her colleagues held.;The findings showed a variety of views on feminism. Professors who showed interest in women's issues became involved. Most of the professors set limits to their involvement in women's issues by considering how that involvement would affect their career advancement; however, a few of the tenured professors defined their limits by considering their own moral code. Only a small group of tenured professors helped other individual women without regard for personal gain or loss. Women professors approached women's issues with both idealism and pragmatism.;The research university is undergoing a transformation in women professors' roles and status as patriarchy gives way to equity. This transformation is occurring on the departmental level for women professors. This research suggests that there are four stages in gender equity development in departments. In the first stage women professors are not hired at all. In the second stage departments have a "revolving door" where women enter but do not stay because of the unwelcome or unstable environment they experience. In the third stage the door stands ajar. Women sometimes gain tenure, but usually do not gain the title of full professor. The fourth stage provides an open door where women and men are treated fairly in tenure and promotion decisions.;This research helps to increase understanding of women professors, their perceptions and fears, and of their changing status within the research university.