Professor Santa Barbara, a Harvard University graduate, began teaching at the University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB) in 1998. In her lawsuit, she claims a basic salary disparity of approximately 2,96 million USD (nearly 77 billion VND) between herself and a male colleague, referred to as "Professor Y", who has eight fewer years of seniority.

The female lecturer also accuses the university of favoring Professor Y during the 2021 appointment for a professorship within the MacArthur Foundation UC Endowed Chair program. She argues that she possessed equivalent, if not superior, qualifications and experience but was denied the position. The lawsuit describes Professor Y's research works as "not on the same level" as Barvosa's.

In the previous academic year, the faculty council unanimously voted 100% in favor of Barvosa's promotion from level 4 to level 5 professor, which included a corresponding salary increase. However, the university administration refused to approve this proposal.

When Barvosa raised concerns about the pay disparity with a university leader, the individual cited that her book manuscript had not been fully approved by Cambridge University Press and that she had not completed four years at her current rank. However, just a few months prior, this same leader had approved Professor Y's promotion, even though his book was also incomplete.

Since 2018, Barvosa has repeatedly filed complaints with the university and directly expressed her dissatisfaction to its leaders. The recent lawsuit was filed in june and amended on 31/8.

In addition to these accusations, Barvosa alleges the university engaged in "retaliatory actions" after her repeated complaints about inequality in salary evaluations and promotions. These actions included: pressuring her to vote for a salary increase for a department head, making plagiarism accusations to hinder the publication of research on discrimination in STEM fields, and delaying her sabbatical leave.

Barvosa states that her situation is not an isolated case, but rather that the University of California and UCSB are deliberately maintaining "a pattern and practice of discriminating against women".

The unhealthy work environment and prolonged stress have affected the professor's career, finances, and health. She reported suffering a heart attack in 12/2024.

Currently, she is demanding back pay, compensatory damages, and punitive damages, while also requesting the court to prevent the university from claiming ownership of her academic research works. The case is ongoing.

Established in 1909, the University of California-Santa Barbara is a leading public institution in the US. According to data research and analysis platform Insurance Dimes, for the academic year 2024-2025, the university ranked among the top 20 highest-paying universities for professors and lecturers in the US, with an average salary of 248,100 USD per year.

Campus of the University of California-Santa Barbara. Photo: UC Santa Barbara Fanpage

Campus of the University of California-Santa Barbara. Photo: UC Santa Barbara Fanpage

By Hai Yen