A new study published by researchers from the University of Canterbury used mathematical models to highlight the prevalence of the gender pay gap at the University. The authors of the study, Dr. Alex James and Professor Ann Brower had done a previous study back in 2020 that showed female academics at New Zealand Universities will earn $400,000 less than their male counterparts over a lifetime.
Regarding the recent study, Dr. James told the Herald that “For the majority of the population that focus as much on teaching as they do on research, men are far more likely to be promoted, and so they reach the higher ranks quicker than women”. The study outlines that a future focus on hiring and promoting is needed to make sure women are reaching higher level positions, otherwise some Universities may not ever see 50% of their highest-ranking jobs being held by females. However, the study only detailed the gender pay gap seen between male identifying and female identifying staff and doesn’t include non-binary people, or represent statistics from other genders.
One University of Auckland researcher who didn’t wish to be named said, “I don’t know how far the issue extends at the University, but I do know of women who are earning less than their male colleagues overall despite the amount of work they do. It’s frustrating watching your colleagues work diligently [and] passionately, and yet they’re still being underpaid because of an archaic view that men are more suited to higher power roles”. Currently, no public information regarding the extent (if at all) the University of Auckland has a gender pay gap is available. However, AUT recently published their second annual Pay Gap Report reviewing 2021. It showed that the median pay gap at the institution was 9.5%, higher than the New Zealand average of 9.1%.
