Junior and senior faculty women: commonalities and differences in perceptions of academic life

The purpose of this study was to explore the commonalities and differences in the perceptions of senior and junior faculty women regarding the barriers to success experienced early in academic careers. The population consisted of 22 pairs of junior and senior faculty women who participated in a mentoring program at a major public research university. Descriptive data indicate close agreement among junior and senior women faculty regarding the importance of the majority of potential barriers. Nonetheless, important differences exist. An exploratory factor analysis identified four underlying dimensions: personal security, work priorities, sense of belonging, and scholarly accomplisment. There was a significant difference between the two groups in their perceptions of personal security.