Why are women and minority groups not eligible for the jobs and with the highest salaries?

"although the discrepancies have existed for at least 30 years. One explanation is that male and female candidates have different behaviors and expectations in the job application and interview process.
Ten years later, by examining the pattern of salaries by gender at our institution and by looking at the data published in Academe , the journal of the AAUP, we realized the consequences of our failure to adequately bargain fair and comparable starting salaries. Not only were our salaries unfairly low, but so were those of other women in our institution. By examining national averages at all levels of colleges and universities, we learned that this was a national pattern. If a class of people starts with a low base rate salary, even high percentage raises will not allow them to catch up with peers in other groups.

In view of our experience, we offer the following advice to young women and minorities who are applying and interviewing for academic jobs:

Consult Academe for the average salaries of the institution in question.Know your worth in your field.Ask your interviewer about the salary range for the position that you hope to be offered.Discover other aspects of the institution.Before going to the campus, talk to other faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates about the treatment and feelings of minorities on campus.Include the salary you expect in your cover letter.Be aware that you may get a stock reaction from a discriminatory institution, in that they will not meet your fair salary request."