Eye on Education
 

Proportion of Female Faculty Continues to Increase While Proportion of Underrepresented Minority Faculty Remains Almost Unchanged

Print this Article | Send to Colleague

Proportion of Female Faculty Continues to Increase While Proportion of Underrepresented Minority Faculty Remains Almost Unchanged

Female faculty comprise 60.4% of total faculty at the U.S. schools and colleges of optometry in 2021-22, according to ASCO’s 2021-22 Annual Faculty Data Report, rising from 59.3% last year and 54.8% five years ago. At the same time, the percentage of full-time Black or African American faculty increased to 3.8% from 3.6% last year but has hovered between 3.5% and 3.8% over the past five years. The percentage of full-time Hispanic or Latino faculty increased from 5.7% to 5.8%. Five years ago the percentage was 5.4%.

In addition, over the past year:

  • The total number of full-time faculty decreased 1.4%, from 804 to 793. Five years ago there were 755 full-time faculty.
  • Residency programs continue to be the primary source of new faculty, providing 40.5% of the new full-time faculty in the past year. Other academic institutions continue to be a major feeder but fewer full-time faculty joined from optometry practices this year.
  • The percentage of full-time faculty with PhD and other non-OD doctoral degrees rose from 24.8% last year to 27.2%. Five years ago it was 28.0%.

The report also shows:

  • 31.8% of full-time faculty have tenure and 14.3% are on a tenure track at the 19 institutions offering tenure.
  • The average age of didactic full-time professors is 59.0 years of age; 53.5 years for clinical full-time professors.
  • The average full-time didactic professor has been with the school for 21.5 years; the average full-time clinical professor for 20.4 years.

For more information, contact Joanne Zuckerman, ASCO’s Manager, Data Services and Special Projects, at jzuckerman@opted.org.

 

Back to Eye on Education

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn