Rutgers, the New Jersey state university, has begun its own investigation, the McClatchy-Tribune News Service reported.

"I'm looking into absolutely everything in this report," said Douglas Greenberg, who was recently named dean of the school of arts and sciences. "Before I act, I have to be sure I understand the situation as fully and

completely as I possibly can."

The political science department, based at Rutgers' New Brunswick campus, has 18 male faculty members and nine women. The women complain that they do not get paid as well as the men and that male members of the department make policy over men-only dinners.

Women in the department complained of bias last year, first to the Rutgers administration and then to the New Jersey attorney general. Their complaint is in mediation.

In one cited example of pay discrimination, a woman who has been at Rutgers for 35 years receives $10,000 less a year than a man with 16 years seniority, the report said.