Female professors sue Vassar, alleging pay discrimination

A group of female professors at Vassar College announced Wednesday they are suing the school over alleged discrimination in pay. 

The plaintiffs, consisting of Vassar professors ranging from the English to physics departments, say the college has known for years there was a growing gap in pay between male and female educators. 

“Through this action, we seek to achieve what we were prevented from accomplishing through private internal channels: gender equity for ourselves and other female full faculty, and the adoption of fair processes to ensure that future generations of faculty are paid, promoted, and evaluated fairly,” the plaintiffs said in a statement. 

The lawsuit alleges women are paid less in their starting Vassar salaries compared to men, that the Poughkeepsie, N.Y., liberal arts school’s merit-rating system is biased and that receiving promotions is more difficult and takes longer for women than for men. 

The complaint shows that in the 2021-22 school year, male professors were making 10 percent more than female professors, at an average of $153,238 compared to $139,322.

The Hill has reached out to Vassar for comment. 

The female professors say they have tried working with the college for 15 years to correct the issue before deciding to pursue legal action. 

The lawsuit aims to establish a new system for promotions and receive back pay for all current and former full-time female professors back to 2015.

“Plaintiffs—and all Vassar female full professors—are leaders in their fields and highly regarded by both their contemporaries and their students,” attorney Kelly Dermody said. “For too long, Vassar has refused to equitably value their contributions to the College. We hope this case will prompt Vassar to finally live up to the storied role in the movement for gender equality that it so publicly claims.”