Transcript Women’s Faculty Cabinet Fall Reception, 2009

Inventing
Strategies for Change
Women’s Faculty Cabinet
Fall Reception, 2009
Caroline Hayes
WFC Chair, 2009-2010
Inventive Strategies for Change
Example issue: Career Pipeline
• Young women often fail to choose science and
engineering as a career (Pryor, et al, 2007)*
• Women graduating with PhDs often fail to apply for
faculty positions.
Neil Munro, “Science Faces Title IX Test,
” National Journal Magazine, Saturday, July 4, 2009.
* Pryor, Hurtando, Sharkness & Korn (2007) “The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2007, HERI.
Example strategy
• Nancy Johnson’s (Mechanical Engineering,
Communications Specialist) photographic project:
Inventive Women*
• When shown to the public, such images have
the potential to change how people think about
women and faculty,
• May impact the career choices of young people,
and PhDs entering the job market.
• Funded by the Institute of Technology, and an IDEA Grant from the Office of Equity and Diversity,
Reception Goals
To solicit community input on:
Inventive strategies for change at UMN
However, effective strategies are informed by the
process of change, including:
– Mission,
– Needs and issues at UMN,
– Existing strategies & best practices.
WFC Mission
• To improve and enrich the academic and
professional environments for women faculty at
the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities,
• Ensure that the University continues and
strengthens its commitment to the success of its
women faculty members.
We are beginning the fourth, full-year of operation.
This mission ties directly to the
University’s Strategic Plan
• Gender diversity, and diversity overall, is critical for
being a top research university.
• Relevant to all faculty,
• Critical to the health, productivity, creativity and
excellence of departments, colleges, and the university
as a whole.
Introductions
Cabinet Members:
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Caroline Hayes (Chair)
Mechanical Engineering,
Lisa Channer, Theater Arts and
Dance,
Keya Ganguly, Cultural Studies
and Comparative Literature,
Rhonda Franklin, Electrical and
Computer Engineering,
Patricia A. Frazier, Psychology
Helga Leitner, Geography,
Colleen Flaherty Manchester,
Human Resources and Industrial
Relations.
Ex officio to Cabinet:
• Peg Lonnquist, Director,
Women’s Center.
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Michele Goodwin (Chair-Elect)
Law School,
Nancy Raymond, Psychiatry,
Linda L. Halcón, Nursing,
Roberta M. Humphreys,
Astronomy,
Linda Kinkel, Plant Pathology,
Alice A. Larson, Pharmacology
and Neuroscience,
Vet. and Biomedical Sciences,
Janet Schottel, Biochemistry,
Molecular Biology and Biophysics.
Staff to Cabinet:
• Karen Zentner Bacig, Associate
to the Vice Provost for Faculty.
The process of change
Engage and educate the community & leaders
Identify best practices &
relevant strategies
Identify needs
Assess status
Win resources
Evaluate
Implement
The role of the WFC is not necessarily to do all of these activities ourselves,
But to inform, connect, catalyze and enable groups that can.
Assess Status: Strengths at UMN
• The social sciences at UMN have significantly higher
percentages of women faculty than national norms;
Political Science & Sociology at UMN stand out.
•Joan Burrelli (2008) “Thirty-Three Years of
Women in S&E Faculty Positions”
National Science Foundation, Info Brief.
** NSF categorization of Social Science excludes
Psychology; includes : Economics, Political Sci.,
Sociology, Public Policy, Anthropology,
Geography, Ethnic studies, etc.
Proprotion of Women Faculty
National Norms vs UMN, 2007
50
% Women Facutly
• Can we learn what
they do well, and
replicate it in other
departments?
40
36
40
30
National Norms (NSF)
20
UMN
10
0
National Norms (NSF) *
UMN
Social Sciences **
Needs Identified
• Few women faculty,
especially in engineering
and the physical sciences,
• Female faculty experience
more job stress at UMN
than the male faculty,
• Women and men desire a
better work-life balance.
I feel a great deal of stress because of my
job
5
4.5
*
4
*
*
3.5
Female
3
Male
2.5
2
1.5
1
Assistant
Associate
Full
All ranks
Staff
UMN 2008 Pulse Survey Results
Manchester, WFC Spring Reception Presentation
* Significant difference
Educating & Engaging
the University Community
Past and Future WFC Receptions:
• Fall 2008: Phillys Moen, Sociology, UMN
Work-Life balance
• Spring 2009: Colleen Manchester, Carlson School, UMN
2008 Pulse Survey Data: Climate at UMN
• Spring 2010: Gene Borgida, Psychology, UMN
Implicit biases
Identify Best Practices
Examples Learned from Other Institutions
• Climate survey for departments (U. Wisconsin)
• Evidence-based briefings for search committees
(implemented in IT), new department heads (implemented at Vice
Provost’s level). (U. Michigan)
• Steering Committees addressing gender and climate
issues should be half men, or more. (U. Michigan)
• Theatrical enactments were critical in helping all
faculty understand issues faced by under-represented
faculty (U. Michigan).
Change requires the engagement and efforts of the whole
community!
Implementation
Examples at UMN
• At Vice Provost & Provost Level:
– Workshops: becoming an academic administrator: sessions for women.
– Tenure and promotion workshop, special sessions for women
– New department heads training, diversity training.
• At the College Level:
Examples in IT:
– Evidence-based briefings for search committees,
Change requires the engagement and efforts of
all levels of the community!
Other WFC Change Strategies
• Engagement with Policy Committees:
– Social Senate Concerns: family leave.
– Tenure and Academic Freedom – stopping the
clock, policy, implementation and cultural
acceptance of policies.
• Engagement with University Leaders:
– “Conversations with the Provost” – childcare.
– Council of Deans: strategies for change.
We need community feedback:
What Inventive Strategies for Change
could be used at UMN to improve the work
place for faculty women (and men) ?
These could involve:
–
–
Data collection to clarify issues (such as: Why are senior women
faculty more stressed?)
Activities aimed at recruiting, retention, promotion, climate, etc.
Funding Sources focusing on women & gender
http://www.me.umn.edu/research/faculty/hayes.shtml