UCLA Graduate School professor Linda Sax will be speaking in the Flintridge room March 15 to discuss her newest research book, “The Gender Gap in College.”
Sax, who is the faculty director of the UCLA graduate school of education and information studies, specializes in the study and research of the gender gaps and differences in higher education.
“She is in a lot of our readings for gender and women’s studies classes,” said Juliane Perez, assistant director of the Women’s Resource and Research Center (WRRC) at CSUN.
Though the event is based around gender and women’s studies issues, anyone is invited to come, Perez said, and the event is free. However, the seating is limited to about 80 people.
Perez, who is a senior majoring in gender and women’s studies, said that there has been a debate on what sex is left more disadvantaged in higher education. Sax’s research, Perez said, discusses the breakdown of genders through statistics and what majors each gender chooses.
Along with discussing her recent book from two years ago, Sax is also speaking in part to respond to “The War Against Boys” by Christina Hoff Sommers, Perez said. This is a book that states there are more women in college than men, and that men are at more of a disadvantage in higher education.
“I just kind of want to hear her response and her perspective on it, and I think it’s very interesting,” said Perez, who started volunteering at the WRRC last year.
Sax teaches classes in higher education and organizational change at UCLA, and she has written about eight publications since 2004 on the topic of sex and gender in higher education.
The speaker will be discussing the contents of her research, Perez added, which include facts such as the tendency for women to major more in liberal studies or child development, as opposed to a more male-dominated major like engineering.
“I really like her writing,” Perez said. “I’m just really excited to listen to her.”
Shira Brown, faculty director for the WRRC, said she wants students to consider what side of the gender gap they are on.
“I like that we are bringing in scholars from different places,” Brown said. “I want students to have access to great scholars.”
Brown also said that though students don’t need specific information when going to see Sax, they should realize that there is a debate going on about education. One side thinks that men have more opportunities, Brown added, and another side thinks that women are at more of an advantage.
“It’s important to understand how women and men understand education,” said Brown, who teaches various gender and women’s studies courses. “It’s not necessarily about taking sides.”
The event, which was organized by the WRRC, will include a powerpoint presentation by Sax, Brown added, followed by Sax discussing her research findings. At the end of the event, there will be time for open discussion and questions from the audience, and Brown said she hopes students will have questions before then.