Strategies for Effecting Gender Strategies for Effecting Gender Equity and Institutional Change:Equity and Institutional Change:

Lessons from ADVANCE InstitutionsLessons from ADVANCE Institutions

Ann Austin & Sandra LaursenAnn Austin & Sandra LaursenAAC&U Annual Meeting-- January 2015AAC&U Annual Meeting-- January 2015

Acknowledgments: Missy Soto, Dali Martinez,Acknowledgments: Missy Soto, Dali Martinez,Study participants, Advisory Board, ColleaguesStudy participants, Advisory Board, Colleagues

ADVANCE PAID grant #HRD-0930097ADVANCE PAID grant #HRD-0930097

The Issue:The Issue:The Need to Recruit and Retain Women The Need to Recruit and Retain Women

Faculty in STEM FieldsFaculty in STEM Fields

Underrepresentation of womenUnderrepresentation of women

Why is underrepresentation a problem?Why is underrepresentation a problem?

– Importance of diverse perspectives to address questionsImportance of diverse perspectives to address questions

– Impact on talent pool available to address societal problemsImpact on talent pool available to address societal problems

– Availability of female faculty influences choices of young female Availability of female faculty influences choices of young female scholars considering careers in STEM fields, including academescholars considering careers in STEM fields, including academe

The ChallengeThe Challenge

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

The NeedThe Need

Understand how universities can create Understand how universities can create institutional institutional environmentsenvironments that support the success of women that support the success of women scholars in engineering and other STEM fieldsscholars in engineering and other STEM fields

Need for Need for systemic efforts toward organizational changesystemic efforts toward organizational change that:that:

Remove organizational constraints contributing to Remove organizational constraints contributing to gendered biasesgendered biases

Create institutional environments that support the Create institutional environments that support the recruitment, retention, and success of women faculty recruitment, retention, and success of women faculty

Purpose of this SessionPurpose of this Session

Highlight key findings from NSF-supported ADVANCE Highlight key findings from NSF-supported ADVANCE institutions on organizational change strategies to create institutions on organizational change strategies to create institutional environments, supportive of women institutional environments, supportive of women scholars, especially in STEM fieldsscholars, especially in STEM fields

Provide an overview of the StratEGIC ToolkitProvide an overview of the StratEGIC Toolkit

Facilitate discussion of ways to use the StratEGIC Facilitate discussion of ways to use the StratEGIC Toolkit to support change initiatives responsive to unique Toolkit to support change initiatives responsive to unique institutional contextsinstitutional contexts

Our ADVANCE PAID StudyOur ADVANCE PAID Study Research QuestionsResearch Questions

What strategies have been used to create institutional What strategies have been used to create institutional environments to encourage the success of women scholars?environments to encourage the success of women scholars?

Which strategies work and which don’t? Why?Which strategies work and which don’t? Why? What are the affordances and limitations of particular What are the affordances and limitations of particular

strategies?strategies? How does organizational culture relate to change How does organizational culture relate to change

interventions?interventions?

Study DesignStudy Design 19 ADVANCE IT institutions funded in Rounds 1-2 (2001-2003)19 ADVANCE IT institutions funded in Rounds 1-2 (2001-2003) Document reviewDocument review Interviews with leadersInterviews with leaders Intensive case studies at 5 universitiesIntensive case studies at 5 universities

Theoretical PerspectivesTheoretical Perspectives

Universities as complex systems—successful change efforts Universities as complex systems—successful change efforts are non-linearare non-linear

Bolman & Deal’s multi-frame model of organizational analysisBolman & Deal’s multi-frame model of organizational analysis

Four perspectives that serve as “lenses” through which to Four perspectives that serve as “lenses” through which to consider potential strategic interventions to promote change:consider potential strategic interventions to promote change:

– StructuralStructural

– Human resourcesHuman resources

– PoliticalPolitical

– SymbolicSymbolic

StructuralStructural Strategic Interventions Strategic Interventions

Emphasis on identifying and improving formal Emphasis on identifying and improving formal policies and organizational arrangementspolicies and organizational arrangements

Examples:Examples:– Analysis, revision, and tracking of tenure and promotion Analysis, revision, and tracking of tenure and promotion

policiespolicies– Creation, dissemination, and tracking of work/life policiesCreation, dissemination, and tracking of work/life policies– Analysis and adjustment of space allocationAnalysis and adjustment of space allocation

PoliticalPolitical Strategic Interventions Strategic Interventions

Emphasis on issues of leadership, power, and Emphasis on issues of leadership, power, and resource allocation and how these can be deployed in resource allocation and how these can be deployed in support of the intended changesupport of the intended change

Examples:Examples:– Leadership development for deans, chairs, and committee Leadership development for deans, chairs, and committee

chairschairs– College-level equity advisorsCollege-level equity advisors– Institution-level policy or action committeesInstitution-level policy or action committees– Institutional data-gathering and disseminationInstitutional data-gathering and dissemination

Human ResourceHuman Resource Strategic Interventions Strategic Interventions

Emphasis on addressing the demographics, Emphasis on addressing the demographics, experiences, needs, and aspirations of the people in experiences, needs, and aspirations of the people in the organizationthe organization

Examples:Examples:– Pipeline professional developmentPipeline professional development– Mentoring and coaching programsMentoring and coaching programs– Skill development workshopsSkill development workshops– Career and life stage-oriented grants Career and life stage-oriented grants – Networking and support grantsNetworking and support grants– Support for personal needsSupport for personal needs

SymbolicSymbolic Strategic Approaches Strategic Approaches

Emphasis on issues of meaning within an Emphasis on issues of meaning within an organizationorganization

Examples:Examples:– Publicity and communicationPublicity and communication– AwardsAwards– EventsEvents– Visiting and in-house scholarsVisiting and in-house scholars

The StratEGIC ToolkitThe StratEGIC Toolkit Users’ GuideUsers’ Guide

Description of the researchDescription of the research Key points on org change from social science researchKey points on org change from social science research Suggestions for using the Toolkit to support organizational change to support Suggestions for using the Toolkit to support organizational change to support

the advancement of STEM women scholarsthe advancement of STEM women scholars

BriefsBriefs Frequently used interventions are described and analyzed to help institutions Frequently used interventions are described and analyzed to help institutions

construct their own change portfoliosconstruct their own change portfolios

Institutional narrativesInstitutional narratives

ExamplesExamples of how specific institutions have developed comprehensive of how specific institutions have developed comprehensive strategic change plansstrategic change plans

Organization of each BriefOrganization of each Brief

IntroductionIntroduction

RationaleRationale

PurposePurpose

AudienceAudience

ModelsModels

ExamplesExamples

EvaluationEvaluation

Affordances and LimitationsAffordances and Limitations

Using the ToolkitUsing the Toolkit

Intended to support institutional change initiatives Intended to support institutional change initiatives to support the advancement of STEM women to support the advancement of STEM women scholarsscholars

Designed for practical useDesigned for practical use Developing proposalsDeveloping proposals Developing an institution-appropriate change planDeveloping an institution-appropriate change plan Charging task forcesCharging task forces Designing & implementing specific change interventionsDesigning & implementing specific change interventions Refreshing or expanding existing programsRefreshing or expanding existing programs

Intervention BriefsIntervention Briefs

11 Faculty professional Faculty professional development programsdevelopment programs

22 Grants to individual facultyGrants to individual faculty

33 Mentoring & networking Mentoring & networking activitiesactivities

44 Development of institutional Development of institutional leadersleaders

55 Inclusive recruitment & hiringInclusive recruitment & hiring

66 Equitable processes of Equitable processes of tenure & promotiontenure & promotion

77 Strengthened accountability Strengthened accountability structuresstructures

88 Flexible work arrangementsFlexible work arrangements

99 Practical family-friendly Practical family-friendly accommodationsaccommodations

1010 Support for dual-career couplesSupport for dual-career couples

1111 Strategies for improving Strategies for improving departmental climatedepartmental climate

1212 Visiting scholarsVisiting scholars

1313 Enhanced visibility for women Enhanced visibility for women and womenand women’’s issuess issues

Small Group DiscussionSmall Group Discussion

Choose oneChoose one of the following Briefs: of the following Briefs:2 - individual grants2 - individual grants 5 - recruitment & hiring5 - recruitment & hiring

8 - flexible work arrangements8 - flexible work arrangements 12 - visiting scholars12 - visiting scholars

11 - improving departmental climate11 - improving departmental climate

DiscussDiscuss::What ideas in the Brief are exciting or useful to you?What ideas in the Brief are exciting or useful to you?How might you use the Briefs in your own setting?How might you use the Briefs in your own setting?

Summarize key ideasSummarize key ideas & share key discussion & share key discussion points with the whole grouppoints with the whole group

Looking AheadLooking Ahead

Approaches to Approaches to combining interventions combining interventions to create to create effective and systemic organizational change effective and systemic organizational change plansplans

Cross-cutting issues Cross-cutting issues to consider in developing to consider in developing organizational change initiatives to advance organizational change initiatives to advance STEM women scholars (e.g., leadership, STEM women scholars (e.g., leadership, identifying allies, evaluation)identifying allies, evaluation)

Related ResourcesRelated Resources

Bilimoria, D., & Liang, X. (2011). Bilimoria, D., & Liang, X. (2011). Gender Equity in Science and Gender Equity in Science and Engineering: Advancing Change in Higher Education.Engineering: Advancing Change in Higher Education.

Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2013). Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2013). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership. Choice, and Leadership.

Bystydzienski & Bird, Eds. (2006). Bystydzienski & Bird, Eds. (2006). Removing Barriers: Women in Removing Barriers: Women in Academe Science, Technology, Engineering, and MathematicsAcademe Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics..

Stewart, Malley, & LaVaque-Manty (2007). Stewart, Malley, & LaVaque-Manty (2007). Transforming Science Transforming Science and Engineering: Advancing Academic Women.and Engineering: Advancing Academic Women.

Sandra LaursenSandra Laursen

Ethnography & Evaluation ResearchEthnography & Evaluation Research

University of Colorado BoulderUniversity of Colorado Boulder

303-735-2942303-735-2942

Sandra.Laursen@colorado.eduSandra.Laursen@colorado.edu

Ann E. AustinAnn E. Austin

Higher, Adult, & Lifelong EducationHigher, Adult, & Lifelong Education

Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University

517-355-6757517-355-6757

aaustin@msu.eduaaustin@msu.edu

www.strategicToolkit.orgwww.strategicToolkit.org