March, 2003
As the 21st century begins, academic health
centers face the challenge of increasing the diversity of their
faculties. Because these faculties currently do not represent the
diversity of American society, these institutions fail to take advantage of the
full range of talent available and fail to offer their students and patients an
environment that is representative of our country. The
A major component of faculty diversity involves the representation of women and the need to achieve full inclusion of women in the leadership of academic medicine and academic health centers.
The single most important asset of any organization is its people. They provide the knowledge, initiative, and hard work necessary for success. Health care must recruit, retain, and make full use of talented individuals. Women make up almost 50% of students entering medical school and well over half of those entering the health professions. They compose a great proportion of the pool from which the health professions will draw its future leaders.
What follows is an action plan for the development and
advancement of women faculty at UTMB. It is presented by the Core
Committee for the Advancement of Women Faculty and Administrators with the
overarching goal of achieving the full inclusion of women in the structure,
function, and leadership of the
Opportunities |
Interventions
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Measurement/Outcome |
Accountability/Monitoring |
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I. Increase representation of women faculty in tenure track positions and leadership roles across all schools at UTMB. |
A clear statement by the informed, action oriented leadership of UTMB, including Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs that achievement of gender equity is an institutional priority. |
Public statement by each Dean, Director, and Chair that they are personally committed to this effort and that they will invest significant time and energy in this initiative
Departmental goals, annual reports, and departmental reviews include elements specifically related to achievement of these outcomes. |
President Stobo
Monitoring by: Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, Human Resources, Core Committee for Advancement of Women Faculty and Administrators.
Deans Department Chairs
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Enhanced search process to include: • Diversity in search committee • Educate search committees on opportunities for recruiting women |
Annual reviews include assessments of success in accomplishing these initiatives
Leaders’ self-assessment, on such questions as “Do I … • develop accountability within the institution for gender equity, including rewards for successful attainment of goals? • identify areas where gender equity is likely to be a problem? • explicitly identify women to mentor for leadership positions? • nominate women for highly visible posts? • listen to men’s and women’s suggestions equally and ensure equal participation of women and men in public settings? • review proposed policies and procedures to ensure there will not be unintended gender related consequences. • consider everyday behavior and the environment for the occurrence of micro-inequities.
Women comprise 25% of all search committees |
DeansDepartment Chairs PresidentDeans Chairs
Division Chiefs Senior Faculty
Deans and Chairs
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• Develop a list of “talking points” to be used in interviewing candidates for leadership positions to include questions that examine their commitment to achieving diversity and gender equity and their histories of monitoring junior and women faculty.
Offer substantive incentives (faculty salary lines, space, start-up funds) and base a portion of each Dean, Chair, and Directors annual evaluation and salary negotiation on the number of women faculty successfully recruited, promoted, tenured, and serving in leadership positions.
Establish an institutional data base with annual reporting of number of women recruited, retained, years in rank, promoted, tenured, and approved to leadership positions within the institution. |
Number and diversity of candidates applying for the positions.
Number of searches identifying women among final candidates
List is prepared and given to each search committee and its use is requested when each committee receives its charge from the Dean or Chair.
Number of women recruited. Number of women who are promoted to full or associate professor. Number of women who hold leadership positions.
Report is produced, circulated, and reviewed with each Chair by their Dean, and with each Dean by the President. Where deficiencies occur, an action plan is to be prepared to provide tailored interventions and monitor progress. |
Deans and ChairsDeans and Chairs mandate inclusion of women on “short list”.• Educate search committees on opportunities
President, Deans, Chairs
President, Deans, Chairs |
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Promote equity within the hiring process by requiring each department to provide a comprehensive list of negotiable items available as part of new-hire start-up packages.
Systematically monitor all start-up packages for equity by reviewing the letters of offer across departments and institutions.
Revise and stabilize APT guidelines for all schools to reflect alignment with mission and goals of the institution and the school. • Plan for transition from old to new guidelines. • Plan for regular distribution of guidelines to all faculty. • Plan for reevaluating guidelines every 5 years. • Plan for reporting APT actions on a yearly basis to all faculty. • Plan for holding periodic educational workshops that are available to all faculty. • Inclusion of “stop the clock”provisions in the guidelines underwhich faculty whose family circumstances so warrant are\ allowed an interruption in programs toward promotion and tenure. • Automatically extend the tenure clock by one year for both male and female faculty to accommodate the birth or adoption of a child. |
Each Department Chair submits report to their Dean each year and is reviewed by the Academic Executive Council.
Each Dean presents annual report to President summarizing data compiled from review of the letters. President reports results to Faculty Senate and Core Committees.
For the with developing guidelines for presentation and ratification by January, 2004. For the schools of Allied Health and Nursing appoint task forces to develop guidelines for presentation and ratification by January, 2004. Availability of part-time tenure track, family leave, tenure clock stopping. |
President
Deans, President
President, Deans
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Opportunities
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Interventions |
Measurement/Outcome |
Accountability/Monitoring |
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II. Increase retention of women faculty
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Implement career development initiative in the following areas:
• Mentoring Programs
• Orientation Programs
• Leadership Development Program • Annual Reviews
Development and implement a policy for part-time tenure track positions that permit flexible work hours for women with pre-school and school age children.
Provide affordable day-care and after hours care for children of faculty.
Exit interview for all departing faculty.
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Identified mentors for each faculty Number of women retained, promoted, tenured.
Monthly sessions sponsored by each school to provide information and skills to all women faculty and one-on-one programs for junior faculty.
Formal process of orientation for new and junior faculty introducing them to the resources of UTMB.
Regular seminars for women and men faculty as preparation for assuming leadership roles. Documentation of face to face conversations at least annually for all faculty with their Chair to receive feedback and expectations for the future, and to express concerns, seek clarification and discuss resource needs.
Each department has a plan in place by January, 2004.
Expand capacity for UTMB Day Care to accommodate children of faculty and provide the service available after hours (both early morning and late evening).
By January, 2004, all departing faculty have an exit interview performed by an outside firm.
Information concerning the factors that influence their decision to leave is summarized and provided on an annual basis to the President and Dean of each school and is presented annually to the Faculty Senate. |
Chairs, Deans Monitoring by: Office of Equal Opportunity, HR, Core Committee for Advancement of Women
Chairs, Deans
Deans
Deans Chairs
Deans
President President’s Council
Human Resources
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Interventions |
Measurement |
Accountability/Monitoring |
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III. Build a more supportive professional environment for women and diminish micro-inequities such that: 1) Daily practices in the way women experience opportunities for contributing to important decision- making about resource allocation will increase. 2) Daily practices in the ways that advancement, promotion, and leadership opportunities are decided upon will change so that women’s styles, characteristics, and circumstances are understood, accommodated, and valued.
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Periodic faculty surveys that gather relevant data addressing subtle discrimination and sexual harassment.
Conduct departmental and division specific analyses of gender based obstacles to success of women faculty and develop goals and interventions to address them.
Clearly communicate that subtle discrimination and other disrespectful behavior is not acceptable and will not be tolerated at any level.
Require training for all deans, chairs, division directors, and administrators on a continuing basis in the recognition and prevention of subtle discrimination and sexual harassment and the promotion of diversity as an asset.
Thoroughly
investigate patterns or complaints against any faculty and remove from
position of leadership if necessary.
Endow a President’s Diversity Initiative Fund to support newinitiatives brought forth by faculty related to: • increasing diversity at UTMB • providing seed money for recruitment that supports diversity • funding single events, programs, or projects that increase diversity. |
Conduct
surveys biannually.
Use survey data to identify problem areas. Develop tailored intervention and monitor progress.
Each chair reports results of analyses each year at time of annual review along with plans for intervention and progress over the past year.
Incorporate as one of the criteria for performance evaluation and merit raises.
Yearly training beginning July, 2003. Improved faculty satisfaction survey results. Decreased formal complaints.
Improved faculty satisfaction survey results. Decreased formal complaints
Allocate an initial endowment of $5,000,000Publish process for application Charge President’s Council with review of proposals and selection of recipients. |
President’s Council Academic Executive Council
Deans
President Deans Chairs
President President’s Council
President Deans Chairs
President President’s Council |
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Interventions |
Measurement /Outcome
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Acountability/Monitoring
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IV. Identify and rectify salary inequities |
Biannual salary equity review using a centralized faculty data base. |
Gender does not affect faculty salaries in any discernable way. No gender effects are found in any statistical analyses of salary data. When found, salary inequities are addressed within the fiscal year. Results of the salary equity review are distributed to all Deans, Chairs, and Division Chiefs and available for review on the UTMB website.
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President Deans Chairs
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March 2003