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 and Students and Faculty at University of Rhode Island

2 1.Background 2.Survey Findings 3.Recruitment 4.Retention 5.Summary Overview

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 Academic Work Environment Survey Some Resistance to Change shown 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 Survey Highlights

6 Some Gender Attitudes Not Changed across 2004 & 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 Survey Highlights...

7 Positive Career Attitude Changes between 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 Survey Highlights

8 Faculty Fellows Recruitment Program 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 Recruitment Efforts

10 Faculty Recruitment Handbook A Research-Based Guide for Active Diversity Recruitment Practices See:

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

12 Retention Efforts WORK-LIFE BALANCE EFFORTS Benefit all URI employees Paid Parental Leave Policy Dual Career Policy Work-Life Website ( 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

Many visible products, but An Institution Transformed? Summary