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

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.