Recruiting and Retaining Women in Science and Institutionalizing Practices

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• Recruiting and Retaining Women in Science and
  Institutionalizing Practices
• Lisa Harlow, Barbara Silver, Helen Mederer,
• Karen Stamm, and Ashima Singh
• University of Rhode Island
• Presented at the 116th annual convention of the
• American Psychological Association
• August 17, 2008, Boston, MA
• Thanks to NSF Grants 0245039 0720063 and
• Students and Faculty at University of Rhode
  Island
• www.uri.edu/advance/

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• Overview
• 1. Background
• 2. Recruitment
• 3. Retention
• 4. Institutionalization
• 5. Summary

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• 1. Background
• a. 20 of STEM faculty are women and minorities
• (NSF, 2000)
• b. Imbalance creates retention problems
• (Rosser, 2003)
• c. Programs are needed to transform institutions
• (Niemeier Smith, 2005)

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• 2. Recruitment Efforts
• a. Best Practices Recruitment Manual
• Developed and distributed to departments
• b. Web site and On-line Recruitment Tutorial
  developed
• List campus events re recruitment and retention
• c. Guidelines for Dual Career Hires developed
• Work with president, provost, union and AA

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• 3. Retention Efforts
• a. Parental Leave Policy approved and implemented
• Faculty time off, with pay, for new child
• b. Mentoring Program
• Developed and implemented, with Brochure
• c. Set up Lactation Room
• Mothers can breast feed infants at work

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• 4. Institutionalization
• a. Two work-life surveys assess campus climate
• Developed, distributed, and analyzed
• b. Collected institutional data through Provosts
  Office
• Track hiring, promotion, resources, pay, etc.
• c. Institutionalizing a Recruitment/Retention
  Center
• Increase numbers and satisfaction of all faculty

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5. Summary - NSF Advance grant evinced

• Recruitment Website, Manual, Dual-Career
  Guidelines
• Retention Parental Leave, Mentoring, Lactation
  Room
• Institutionalization Surveys, Institutional
  Data, Center
• Goal/Outcome Greater Satisfaction for All Faculty