The Economic Policy Institute declared April 10 as Equal Pay Day, a “reminder that a significant pay gap still exists between men and women in our country. On average, women are paid 22 percent less per hour than men, even after controlling for race and ethnicity, education, age, and location.”

Women leaders in the College of Liberal Arts posed for a photo today to call attention to the gender pay gap and stand in solidarity with the movement.

“Eliminating the gender wage gap is a social justice issue as well as an economic issue,” said Alex Bernasek, Associate Dean in the College of Liberal Arts. “There is no justification for women earning less than men when they are doing the same work. When you consider the gender wage gap is so much larger for women of color than white women it is even more of an imperative for them that we make progress on this issue. “

They are joining women across the country in wearing red to symbolize how women are “in the red with their salaries, compared to men’s,” as coined by Michele Leber, the chair of the National Committee on Pay Equity, the group that organizes Equal Pay Day each year.

“Women leaders in the College of Liberal Arts wanted to make a statement today that we are committed to working to achieve pay equity for all women working in our college,” said Bernasek.

To see more about Equal Pay Day, browse #EqualPayDay on Facebook or Twitter.