Paleonet: Professor in Earth Science, Geography or Atmospheric Science (Women only) @UniMelb

Thu Mar 24 04:00:56 UTC 2022

I hear you John, but a cat is a cat. This is still, even with the best intentions, discriminatory and, in my view, unethical. You might as well write (White only).

Don't forget also that you're making this an international call. And it's hard for most in the field, regardless of gender. I'm a man. I'm even white. I've been doing research for 12 years and I can't even get a post-doc interview. What am I supposed to think and do when seeing this and all other ads stating that, at the same skill level, women will be preferred? Is it not, as I said, and as you seem to argue in your email, having to pay the price of social caveats of the past?

Or perhaps not entirely in the past. Forced parity is like balm on an open wound. Maybe you will bend your graph to a more acceptable midline by enforcing the quotas, regardless of ethical considerations. But then, what of the source of the problem? The "systemic barriers". What's the meaning of enforcing parity in a system where only those who can afford, by debt or otherwise, tens of thousands of dollars of tuition can get a degree anyway? What about aboriginal young men in Australia, are they plotted too? I believe it is obvious that inequalities run much deeper than men-women considerations, and promoting a well-off, well-educated young lady with a personal career interest before the next lad who struggled his way out of the ghetto in the name of a passion for science is no liberal victory.

My reaction was admittedly impassioned, but I stand by the judgment that an injustice is not the solution to unbalanced gender quotas, especially not from an institution promoting, in principle, critical thinking.

Cedric

-------- Original Message --------
On Mar 23, 2022, 22:51, John Pandolfi wrote:

> Unfortunately, you can’t bring a knife to a gunfight. We have a dismal Higher Education situation here in Australia with female representation in the Natural and Physical Sciences at Associate Professor and Professorial levels (combined) at about 25% (with males at about 75%).
>
> This graph from The Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) website (https://sciencegenderequity.org.au/about/gender-equity-in-higher-education/#tab-15051)
>
> illustrates the situation:
>
> [This image shows a line chart with 4 lines. The chart compares the proportion of men and women, by level, in the natural and physical sciences in 2014 and 2019. The horizontal axis has 6 levels: undergraduate student, postgraduate student, Level A academics, Level B academics, Level C academics, Above Level C academics. The vertical axis shows percentage of gender at each level. The category legend has 4 items: 2019 male percentage, 2019 female percentage, 2014 male percentage, 2014 female percentage. There is gender balance from undergraduate to Level B academic levels. From Level C onwards though, the proportion of women drops below 40%. The gender gap at Level C and above narrowed slightly in 2019.]
>
> The SAGE website also states that ‘systemic barriers have a negative effect on the attraction, retention and progression of women in academic and research careers’. We don’t seem to be very good at implementing the structural change needed to right this imbalance, despite having maternity leave and other measures.
>
> Sometimes, it just seems like the only thing that can be done is to provide room at the table for underrepresented groups. This is no different from the current US Supreme Court nomination – it’s not that Uni Melbourne are discriminating against men, they are trying to seek balance for a group of people who clearly are as well qualified as the rest, but for historical and current reasons are being wrongly excluded.
>
> Moreover, this is an appointment at the highest level in Australian academia – Level E Professor. The appointment is not at the more introductory levels where there still seems to be parity among men and women in Australia (see graph). But something negative is happening that women in Australian higher education are not breaking through to the higher academic levels.
>
> John Pandolfi
>
> From: Paleonet <paleonet-bounces+j.pandolfi=uq.edu.au at paleonet.org> on behalf of Cédric Aria <cedric.aria at protonmail.com>
> Reply to: Cédric Aria <cedric.aria at protonmail.com>, PaleoNet <paleonet at paleonet.org>
> Date: Wednesday, 23 March 2022 at 10:22 am
> To: PaleoNet <paleonet at paleonet.org>
> Subject: Re: Paleonet: Professor in Earth Science, Geography or Atmospheric Science (Women only) @UniMelb
>
> I did not want to voice it over the entire mailing list at first - and initially expressed my owe to the sender -, but it is so appalling, unethical and philosophically naïve that I can hardly stay silent. You don't fight a history of patriarchy and a galaxy of discriminations by creating more discrimination. Because it is ethically wrong and because men aspiring to a scientific career from any social background should not be taken hostage of what some of their forefathers did.
>
> If you want equity, then respect what this really means.
>
> Cedric
>
> _______________________________________________________
>
> Dr. Cédric Aria
>
> cedric.aria at protonmail.com
>
> ------- Original Message -------
> On Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022 at 7:52 AM, Patricia J Standring <patty.standring at utexas.edu> wrote:
>
>> There is an explanation in the qualification section of the attached brochure in the original email:
>>
>> "The Faculty of Science and the School of Geography, Earth
>>
>> and Atmospheric Sciences is committed to improving the
>>
>> representation of women and other under represented groups
>>
>> at all academic levels. This professorial position is restricted
>>
>> to applicants who identify as women, in line with the special
>>
>> measure provided for under section 12 of the Equal Opportunity
>>
>> Act 2010 (Vic)."
>>
>> I hope this helps!
>>
>> Aspiring well-qualified woman,
>>
>> Patty
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 22, 2022, 18:28 Clair Ossian <clastic at verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>>> How do you get away with a blatantly discriminatory deal like this...women only? I hope you find a well-qualified woman, since that is your wish, but good grief...this is the twenty-first century.
>>>
>>> Cheers...Clair Ossian
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Anne-Marie Tosolini <a.tosolini at unimelb.edu.au>
>>> To: PaleoNet <paleonet at paleonet.org>
>>> Sent: Tue, Mar 22, 2022 5:33 pm
>>> Subject: Paleonet: Professor in Earth Science, Geography or Atmospheric Science (Women only) @UniMelb
>>>
>>> Dear Paleonet,
>>>
>>> Applications are now open for a newly created position:
>>>
>>> Professor in Earth Science,Geography or Atmospheric Science (Women only)
>>>
>>> School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences,
>>>
>>> The University of Melbourne,
>>>
>>> Australia
>>>
>>> Brochure attached with link to apply here:
>>>
>>> [Click to apply](https://jobs.unimelb.edu.au/caw/en/job/908285/professor-in-geography-earth-science-or-atmospheric-science-women-only)
>>>
>>> ---
>>>
>>> Dr Anne-Marie Tosolini
>>>
>>> Palaeobotanist,
>>>
>>> First Year Coordinator,
>>>
>>> School of Earth Sciences,
>>>
>>> The University of Melbourne
>>>
>>> VIC 3010
>>>
>>> AUSTRALIA
>>>
>>> [Email: a.tosolini at unimelb.edu.au](mailto:a.tosolini at unimelb.edu.au)
>>>
>>> *Work days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
>>>
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>>>
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