49
30
35
40
45
50
often don’t require a four-year degree
from a university but still
promise good salaries.
The effect of there being more women than men at
colleges has created some noticeable changes. The higher
number of female students has already led to more diverse
classes and programs offered at universities, especially in the
field of Women’s Studies.
And at graduation time, one may
notice a difference in what types of university degrees are
awarded to men and women. While women earn a higher percentage of
bachelor’s and master’s degrees, men still earn a higher percentage of
doctorate
degrees.
But fewer men on campus have not changed the male/female ratios in some
majors. There are still fewer
women in fields such as math, engineering, science,
and computers. Women’s advocacy groups like the American Association of
University Women are urging colleges to make this issue a
priority, but the
focus for many schools still centers on recruiting more men. To increase male
enrollment, some schools have formed partnerships
with male mentoring groups
to encourage younger students to aim for college. Other schools have modified
their recruiting and admissions policies, sending out extra mailings to boys and
paying closer attention to male candidates.
However, public universities may face legal challenges from women about
these recruiting practices that favor males. Recently, the
University of Georgia lost
a
lawsuit filed by female students because of an affirmative action policy that
favored males. As one female junior complained, “It’s not fair that a boy would get
extra
weight (in the admissions index) over a girl, but it would be better if there
were more boys on campus.” This dilemma presents a challenge for colleges: How
can a school attempt to close the gender gap in ways
that ensure that both men
and women have equal access to opportunities in universities?
Reading Time
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598 words
36
bachelor --- a four-year college degree
36
doctorate --- a five-to-seven-year graduate degree
41
priority --- something that takes importance over other things
49
lawsuit --- a legal action in court
51
weight --- importance;
likelihood of selection
