SAM: This is the first woman to be considered for tenure in over ten years and she's really good. I've got to get this right. Okay, I've got the time and place of the meeting to discuss her case. I've got the room reserved. The files are ready. Ah, now to the memo to the tenured faculty about the meeting. [Turns to the computer and begins to make typing motions with his fingers.] The meeting to discuss the tenure and promotion of Sally will be . . . [stops typing, looks uncertain.] Sally seems too informal. . . . [begins typing again] . . . to discuss the tenure and promotion of Sally Smith will be . . . [stops typing, again looks uncertain] . . . No, other promotion memos I have seen here use more formal address than that. Okay, try again . . . [resumes typing] . . . Mrs. Sally Smith . . . [stops typing] . . . Oops, Mrs. indicates her marital status. That's also a no-no. . . [resumes typing, but this time with a look of self-satisfaction] Just remove the r, so it's Ms. Sally Smith. [continues to type the rest of the memo as he speaks jubilantly] That's it. That's today's proper way to refer to women.

NARRATOR: Later that day after the memo has been distributed to the tenured faculty in the department, Jane visits Sam in his office. Jane is the only female tenured faculty member in the department.

JANE: Hi, Sam. I came to talk with you about your memo. Why did you call Sally Ms. when all the other memos are about Dr. John or Dr. David? We really need to treat everyone equally. Please fix the memo immediately and get a fresh copy out to everyone.

SAM: [Crestfallen.] But I tried. I worked hard on picking Ms. I even showed the memo to two people and they didn't notice.

JANE: You probably showed it to two men. Why didn't you run it by me as we'd discussed? Besides, if you'd just looked at last year's memos, you would have seen that gender has nothing to do with the proper honorific. Now will you fix it?

SAM: Aren't you making mountains out of molehills. What difference does it make anyway?

JANE: Some people have asked me if Sally has never gotten a Ph. D. Also it seems to say that she is not as qualified as the rest of us. I wish it didn't make a difference, but we aren't there yet. Though I doubt that Sally would do so, this kind of mistake is what law suits are made of, because this mistake may not give Sally as much chance as she would have if it had been done with Dr. Now will you fix it?

SAM: [with light dawning in his eyes] You bet. Right away.

NARRATOR: The corrected memo was out within the hour. The discussion of her case was professionally done. By the way, Sally; who is excellent in research, teaching, and service; received an overwhelmingly positive vote for promotion and tenure. The file was forwarded to the dean and higher administrators with a strong recommendation for positive action.