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Strategies for Effecting Gender Equity and Institutional Change: Lessons from ADVANCE Institutions

Learn effective strategies for recruiting and retaining women faculty in STEM fields. Explore the StratEGIC Toolkit and organizational change approaches. Get insights from successful ADVANCE institutions.

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Strategies for Effecting Gender Equity and Institutional Change: Lessons from ADVANCE Institutions

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  1. Strategies for Effecting Gender Equity and Institutional Change:Lessons from ADVANCE Institutions Ann Austin & Sandra Laursen AAC&U Annual Meeting-- January 2015 Acknowledgments: Missy Soto, Dali Martinez,Study participants, Advisory Board, Colleagues ADVANCE PAID grant #HRD-0930097

  2. The Issue:The Need to Recruit and Retain Women Faculty in STEM Fields • Underrepresentation of women • Why is underrepresentation a problem? • Importance of diverse perspectives to address questions • Impact on talent pool available to address societal problems • Availability of female faculty influences choices of young female scholars considering careers in STEM fields, including academe

  3. The Challenge • “There is increasing recognition that the lack of women’s full participation at the senior level of academe is often a systemic consequence of academic culture. To catalyze change that will transform academic environments in ways that enhance participation and advancement of women in science and engineering, NSF seeks proposals for institutional transformation.” • (NSF ADVANCE, 2001)

  4. The Need • Understand how universities can create institutional environments that support the success of women scholars in engineering and other STEM fields • Need for systemic efforts toward organizational change that: • Remove organizational constraints contributing to gendered biases • Create institutional environments that support the recruitment, retention, and success of women faculty

  5. Purpose of this Session • Highlight key findings from NSF-supported ADVANCE institutions on organizational change strategies to create institutional environments, supportive of women scholars, especially in STEM fields • Provide an overview of the StratEGIC Toolkit • Facilitate discussion of ways to use the StratEGIC Toolkit to support change initiatives responsive to unique institutional contexts

  6. Our ADVANCE PAID Study • Research Questions • What strategies have been used to create institutional environments to encourage the success of women scholars? • Which strategies work and which don’t? Why? • What are the affordances and limitations of particular strategies? • How does organizational culture relate to change interventions? • Study Design • 19 ADVANCE IT institutions funded in Rounds 1-2 (2001-2003) • Document review • Interviews with leaders • Intensive case studies at 5 universities

  7. Theoretical Perspectives • Universities as complex systems—successful change efforts are non-linear • Bolman & Deal’s multi-frame model of organizational analysis • Four perspectives that serve as “lenses” through which to consider potential strategic interventions to promote change: • Structural • Human resources • Political • Symbolic

  8. Structural Strategic Interventions • Emphasis on identifying and improving formal policies and organizational arrangements • Examples: • Analysis, revision, and tracking of tenure and promotion policies • Creation, dissemination, and tracking of work/life policies • Analysis and adjustment of space allocation

  9. Political Strategic Interventions • Emphasis on issues of leadership, power, and resource allocation and how these can be deployed in support of the intended change • Examples: • Leadership development for deans, chairs, and committee chairs • College-level equity advisors • Institution-level policy or action committees • Institutional data-gathering and dissemination

  10. Human Resource Strategic Interventions • Emphasis on addressing the demographics, experiences, needs, and aspirations of the people in the organization • Examples: • Pipeline professional development • Mentoring and coaching programs • Skill development workshops • Career and life stage-oriented grants • Networking and support grants • Support for personal needs

  11. Symbolic Strategic Approaches • Emphasis on issues of meaning within an organization • Examples: • Publicity and communication • Awards • Events • Visiting and in-house scholars

  12. The StratEGIC Toolkit • Users’ Guide • Description of the research • Key points on org change from social science research • Suggestions for using the Toolkit to support organizational change to support the advancement of STEM women scholars • Briefs • Frequently used interventions are described and analyzed to help institutions construct their own change portfolios • Institutional narratives • Examplesof how specific institutions have developed comprehensive strategic change plans

  13. Organization of each Brief • Introduction • Rationale • Purpose • Audience • Models • Examples • Evaluation • Affordances and Limitations

  14. Using the Toolkit • Intended to support institutional change initiatives to support the advancement of STEM women scholars • Designed for practical use • Developing proposals • Developing an institution-appropriate change plan • Charging task forces • Designing & implementing specific change interventions • Refreshing or expanding existing programs

  15. Intervention Briefs • Faculty professional development programs • Grants to individual faculty • Mentoring & networking activities • Development of institutional leaders • Inclusive recruitment & hiring • Equitable processes of tenure & promotion • Strengthened accountability structures • Flexible work arrangements • Practical family-friendly accommodations • Support for dual-career couples • Strategies for improving departmental climate • Visiting scholars • Enhanced visibility for women and women’s issues

  16. Small Group Discussion • Choose one of the following Briefs: 2 - individual grants 5 - recruitment & hiring 8 - flexible work arrangements 12 - visiting scholars 11 - improving departmental climate • Discuss: • What ideas in the Brief are exciting or useful to you? • How might you use the Briefs in your own setting? • Summarize key ideas & share key discussion points with the whole group

  17. Looking Ahead • Approaches to combining interventions to create effective and systemic organizational change plans • Cross-cutting issues to consider in developing organizational change initiatives to advance STEM women scholars (e.g., leadership, identifying allies, evaluation)

  18. Related Resources • Bilimoria, D., & Liang, X. (2011). Gender Equity in Science and Engineering: Advancing Change in Higher Education. • Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2013). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership. • Bystydzienski & Bird, Eds. (2006). Removing Barriers: Women in Academe Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. • Stewart, Malley, & LaVaque-Manty (2007). Transforming Science and Engineering: Advancing Academic Women.

  19. Sandra Laursen Ethnography & Evaluation Research University of Colorado Boulder 303-735-2942 Sandra.Laursen@colorado.edu Ann E. Austin Higher, Adult, & Lifelong Education Michigan State University 517-355-6757 aaustin@msu.edu www.strategicToolkit.org

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