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Using discriminant analysis to predict faculty rank

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Abstract

Past attempts to predict the salary of faculty have been flawed by the use of rank, a potential source of bias, but removing rank from the equation seriously reduces prediction. This research studies the degree of bias in rank. Discriminant analysis produced a solution that correctly predicted rank 69% of the time for the 1083 faculty members used in the study. Among teaching and research faculty, there was a significant relationship between the direction of prediction error and gender. For women, the number of times they were predicted to have a rank higher than their actual rank exceeded the opposite condition by 2 1/2 times; for men, there was a slight tendency for the opposite. Methods were suggested for using the information administratively to correct problems. Further, recommendations are made to use the results to study salary-bias problems.

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Riggs, M.L., Downey, R.G., McIntyre, P.E. et al. Using discriminant analysis to predict faculty rank. Res High Educ 25, 365–376 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992132

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992132

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