Jackson added that she left Harvard because she was convinced she would it would be "very difficult" to receive tenure, an atmosphere she called "demoralizing."
Radcliffe spokesperson Michael A. Armini defended the fellowship, saying that tenure parity "doesn't happen overnight."
"It's not a short-term process," he said.
And Jackson agreed that the significance of the fellowship varies widely in different departments.
"It would be an influential factor in departments who are willing to be influenced," she said. "[Jarrard] is in a very supportive department...I think it would be very influential in her case."
But Jarrard said the question of tenure is not yet her main concern anyway.
"I'm not focusing on the whole tenure process," Jarrard said. "I'm just trying to do the work as I can. I know that having a whole year will help."