Nearly 44 years after the Equal Pay Act of 1963, gender disparities at work still exist-even in New York.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a class-action suit at neighboring Adelphi University in Garden City, alleging female professors are paid less than males for doing the same type of work.

Judith Cohen, an education professor at Adelphi, filed the suit and has worked for the university for around 30 years. After filing a disparity complaint, she felt “excited” about taking on unlawful pay equity issues-not only at home, but for women nationwide.

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Equal Pay Act of 1963 requires employers to provide equal pay to men and women for jobs that are “substantially equal.”

But considering that it’s 2007 and not 1963, the education gap between the genders is still embedded within Western society, as evidenced by Cohen’s case.

Historically, women have jumped hurdles higher than this one-getting the right to vote and overcoming oppression-have brought women into the workforce (and one potentially in the White House). However, even with these advances, gender stereotypes are still reinforced on daily basis-(i.e., boys wear blue, girls wear pink)-making it harder to break out of them.

At Hofstra, differences in salaries are cited by experience and type of degree obtained, according to an Oct. 2 Newsday report. In 1991, the University and the American Association of University Professors agreed to sign a contract for salary adjustments to make up for gender inequalities and pay differences for other factors. This not only made up for women being underpaid-but men as well.

To end salary inequality, work should be measured by experience, not gender.