Minnesota settles gender-bias suits

Academe, May/Jun 2003

Minnesota Settles Gender-Bias Suits

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System will pay almost $2 million to settle class-action salary-bias lawsuits with female faculty at Minnesota State University at Mankato and at Winona State University. The state settled similar lawsuits filed by women faculty against Bemidji State University; Minnesota State University, Moorhead; and St. Cloud State University in 2001 and 2002. All the cases alleged that women professors were paid less than their male counterparts. In settling the suits, the university system did not admit to intentional discrimination.

The Mankato settlement awards $360,000 in back pay to 324 nonadjunct faculty members, and $146,000 in pay raises for 38 of those women who remain on the faculty. The original plaintiff will receive an additional $15,000. The Winona State settlement awards $150,000 in back pay to 208 faculty members and $51,808 in pay increases to 14 current female faculty members. The named plaintiff will receive an additional $15,000. The remainder of the settlement will pay attorneys' fees and costs.