- The gender pay gap between men and women professors. A recent national study ranks the University of California, Santa Barbara as ninth worst offender in gender inequality of professor salaries. The data, gathered by the American Association of University Professors, was reported in The Monthly Forum on Women in Higher Education.. Among professors the male/female margin of difference is $12,900 yearly. The March/April 1994 issue of the journal Academe similarly reported that men professors earned more than women in 1993-94 at all nine UC campuses. The reported male/female margin of salary difference is $8000 among professors. A comparison between Professor Broyles-Gonzilez and similarly situated male professors shows a pattern of unequal pay for equal work.
- Pattern of retaliation and harassment against those who espouse academic and political views contrary to those of administrators. Professor Broyles-Gonzilez was the only Mexican American woman chairing an academic department in any of the nine campuses of the University of California. In 1994 Professor Broyles-Gonzalez was punished by for her academic and political views. The university administration removed her from appointment as Chicano Studies Department Chair. This is but one example of a politically motivated system of reward and punishment.
- The race pay gap that exists at the nine University of California campuses. A 1992 University of California study concluded that minority professors and women get lower pay and fewer promotions than similarly qualified colleagues. Professor Broyles-Gonzalez was the first woman of color ever tenured in UCSB history.
- Thanks to all who have given me counsel and to the Yaqui and Chumash elders for the spiritual powers of ceremony.
- Thanks to my advisory committee of committed civil rights attorneys Mois6s V62quez, Robert Racine, Millie Escobedo, Armando Dur6n, Pat Fukushima, Yvonne Flores, Miguel Caballero, Silvia Argueta, Elliot Grossman, and Jes0s Cruz for their inspirational and unflinching commitment to justice, community empowerment, and a better life for future generations.
- Thanks to a network of women's organizations, especially the University of California women's organization WAGE (We Advocate Gender Equity) and to all the WAGE women who have gone before me.
- Thanks to a coalition of community groups; the members of my fundraising and publicity committees
- Thanks to the legal foundation made possible through the legal victory of Professor Rudy Acuha's discrimination lawsuit against the UC.
- For the first time I also want to publicly thank the many organizations who understood the historical significance of my appointment as chair of an academic department. The following organizations protested Vice Chancellor Donald Crawford's and Dean Don Zimmerman's retaliatory non-reappointment decision:
PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HISTORICAL LAWSUIT CHALLENGES UNEQUAL
PAY FOR WOMEN AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
(310) 698-3704
*Unequal Pay for Equal Work by Women: Recent National Study Ranks University of California, Santa Barbara as Ninth Worst Offender Nationally
* University of California Spends Millions of Tax Dollars on Sex-Bias Cases' Revealed in Recent Investigation
* University of California Admits Women & Minority Professors Paid Less Than White Men
* Retaliation and Political Appointments: Evidence Reveals Dissent is Punished, Compliance is Rewarded
* Professor Yolanda Broyles-Gonzilez remains the only Mexican American woman full professor at UCSB in a faculty of 750 professors.
* Mexican American professors account for less than 3% of the faculty at UCSB and elsewhere in the UC system
* Mexican American women account for less than 1% of the faculty in the University of California
"I undertake this lawsuit against the University of California not as an act of anger, nor as an act of revenge, but as an act in harmony with principles of justice, dignity, and self-respect. I realize that by this lawsuit I expose myself to even more punitive acts by the University of California. Yet I value my freedom of speech, the dream of equality, and my dignity as a woman of color more than I value institutional rewards accorded to those who condone inequality."
PROFESSOR YOLANDA BROYLES-GONZALEZ
LEGAL CAUSES OF ACTION
The particulars of this civil rights lawsuit:
STATEMENT FROM DR. YOLANDA BROYLES-GONZALEZ
For generations the University of California's practices, attitudes, and structures have excluded women from the university--most especially women of color. Women's recent entry to the University of California has not altered their token status as unwelcome guests. Less than 1 % of University of California faculty are Mexican American women. Institutional practices and structures of exclusion continue to impact faculty women and faculty of color, especially those who openly speak out against unfair labor practices. Those who toe the company line are generously rewarded.
To my knowledge, I was the first woman of color ever tenured in UCSB history and remain the only native woman full professor at UCSB. My lawsuit is the first to challenge gender pay inequality in the University of California. Comparisons with similarly situated male professors reveal that male colleagues have been more generously rewarded and more easily advanced during personnel reviews. Comparable files reveal the dynamics of gender inequality in academic salaries reported most recently in The Monthly Forum on Women in Higher Education. The Monthly Forum's national study ranked the University of California Santa Barbara as the ninth worst offender nationally.
A second cause of legal action are the many retaliations and harassments I have faced because of my academic and political opinions, my gender, and my race. The most publicized was my retaliatory removal from the Chicano Studies chairship in 1994. UCSB administrators carried out their retaliatory refusal to reappoint me even though my colleagues--without dissent--recommended my accelerated advancement based on what they described as "exceptional and extraordinary achievements as chair." During my appointment as Chicano Studies chair, I was the only Mexican-American woman chairing an academic department on any of the nine campuses of the University of California system. The many "first-and-onlys" in my career speak not only to my qualifications, indeed much greater those of males in comparable positions, but to the long history of exclusion of women, and, in particular, women of color, from the University of California.
My appointment to the chairship in 1990 was of great public historical significance for all constituencies seeking to diversify and desegregate the University of California. UCSB Vice Chancellor Donald Crawford's retaliatory non-reappointment decision in 1994 generated widespread public outcry and national publicity. The outcry came from members of the California Legislature, from organized labor, from over 30 organizations (local and national), from campus and national student organizations, innumerable taxpayers, professional organizations and individual professors as well as my own colleagues in the Department of Chicano Studies.
I bring this lawsuit against the University of California in the interests of upholding this institution's stated commitment to equality for women, to academic freedom, to free speech, to de-segregation; in short, to the equal treatment of all faculty, regardless of gender, race, political views, sexuality, or creed.
This lawsuit is a challenge to unlawful employment practices. These illegal practices are upheld at great expense to taxpayers, to faculty--particularly women who suffer such practices--and at great expense to the work morale and intellectual life of what should be a great public institution.
In the last months I have taken counsel from my tribal and familiar elders, from esteemed and experienced colleagues at this and other universities, from leading members of my two disciplines, from members of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, and from attorneys of the Mexican American Bar Association. I have taken counsel concerning how best to rectify the inequalities I have faced as the first Yaqui /Chicana tenured in the history of this institution. I have received nothing but encouragement and support towards litigation.
In filing this lawsuit I honor the memory of all who have struggled before me for justice and equal and fair opportunity. As the University of California dismantles affirmative action, civil rights in these times amount to mere coupons redeemable in court. Like many others before me, I reject complicity with injustice, especially in times of retrenchment, scape-goating, fear and backlash. This is the time to stand against injustice, for the sake of other women, other faculty of color, for my students, for my children, and for the generations yet to come.
I undertake this lawsuit against the University of California not as an act of anger, nor as an act of revenge, but as an act in harmony with principles of justice, dignity, and self-respect. I realize that by this lawsuit I expose myself to even more punitive acts by the University of California. Yet I value my freedom of speech, the dream of equality, and my dignity as a woman of color more than I value institutional rewards accorded to those who condone inequality.
A WORD OF THANKS
I am able to file this lawsuit thanks to a strong infrastructure of collective support from organizational networks, a dedicated team of attorneys, colleagues, friends, and family.
Mujeres Unidas
Familias Unidas
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Latinos for Better Government
Mexican American Political Association (MAPA)
United Farmworkers of America, AFL-CIO
American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO
TELACU
California Latino Legislative Caucus
The Honorable Joe Baca, California Assemblyman, 62nd District
The Honorable Richard Polanco, California Assemblyman, 45th District
National Latina Health Association
National Association of Muslim West-Asian Americans
La Casa de la Raza
Maravilia Foundation
One Stop Immigration and Education Center, Inc.
El Congreso UCSB
MUJER
Mexicanos Unidos
El Concilio del Pueblo de Santa Barbara Centro del Porvenir, Inc.
Spanish Speaking Citizens' Foundation Let Isla Vista Eat (LIVE)
Associated Students Women's Commission La Union de Jardineros
Chicano Research and Resource Center
University of California Student Association
University of California Associated Students
Santa Barbara City College MeChA
Chicano Task Force
San Marcos High School MeChA
Radio Vigilantes del Aire de Santa Barbara Central Coast Soccer League
WAGE (We Advocate Gender Equity)
Yolanda Broyles-Gonzalez v. The University of California was filed during spring quarter 1996. The University has offered to settle the case outside of court. Given the uncertain outcome of the settlement negotiations, the Yolanda Broyles-Gonzalez Support Network continues its fundraising activities. Also, a National Support Council of distinguished women is being organized in order to bring attention to the issues raised by this lawsuit. The National Support Council will include nationally and internationally renowned figures from public life such as Dolores Huerta and Maxine Waters.