Recruiting and Retaining Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

1. Recruiting and Retaining Women in • Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM) • THE ADVANCE PROGRAM AT URI: • AN INSTITUTION TRANSFORMED? • (in alphabetical order) • Faye Boudreaux-Bartels, Laura Gostin, Lisa Harlow, Helen Mederer, Nancy Neff, • Joan Peckham, Mercedes Rivero-Hudec, Marimer Santiago, Barbara Silver, • Ashima Singh, Karen Stamm, Judith Swift, Nancy Fey Yensan, & Karen Wishner • October 3, 2008 • University of Rhode Island • Thanks to: National Science Foundation Grant 0245039 and • Students and Faculty at University of Rhode Island

2. Overview • Background • Survey Findings • Recruitment • Retention • Summary

3. Background • 20% of STEM faculty are women and minorities • percentage is misleading - includes social sciences • 9.5 % Physics, 13.7% Chemistry, 11% Engineering • Imbalance creates retention problems • (Rosser, 2003) • Programs are needed to transform institutions • (Niemeier & Smith, 2005)

4. STEM Faculty?

5. Survey Highlights • Academic Work Environment Survey Some Resistance to Changeshown in 2004 & 2007 surveys: • Compared to Men’s Work-Interpersonal Relationships: • Women still report more work-life conflict • Women still report receiving less respect and collegiality • Compared to Attitudes in Men: • Women still report less perceived gender equity • Women still report greater experience of discrimination

6. Survey Highlights . . . • Some Gender Attitudes Not Changed across2004 & 2007 surveys: • More so than Men, • Women still delay having children • Women still believe in both career and parent-child relationships • Women still will give their male partner career priority in a move • More so than Women, • Men still see stronger separation of roles between genders

7. Survey Highlights Positive Career Attitude Changesbetween 2004 & 2007 surveys: • Men reported greater influence & satisfaction in 2004 • No gender differences reported on these constructs in 2007 • Positive Perceived Changes Attributed to Advance in 2007: • STEM faculty see more mentoring & resources than non-STEM • Women see more faculty development & work-life influence than men

8. Faculty Fellows Recruitment Program Recruitment Efforts

9. Recruitment Efforts • Best Practices Search Presentations, Recruitment Manual, On-Line Web Tutorial • Guidelines for Dual Career Hires developed • Work with president, provost, union and AA • Developed and distributed to departments

10. Faculty Recruitment Handbook A Research-Based Guide for Active Diversity Recruitment Practices See: www.uri.edu/advance/recruitment.html

11. Retention Efforts • FACULTY DEVELOPMENT • Career Workshops • Topical Lunches • Incentive Fund for Women STEM Researchers • Faculty Mentoring Program

12. Retention Efforts • WORK-LIFE BALANCE EFFORTS • Benefit all URI employees • Paid Parental Leave Policy • Dual Career Policy • Work-Life Website • (www.uri.edu/wlfc) • Lactation Program • State Senate Resolution • Workshops, presentations, literature, AWARENESS !!!

13. Mark Wood, Professor of Psychology, Grace's Dad and first faculty member to utilize URI's Parental Leave Policy

14. Summary Many visible products, but An Institution Transformed?