132 lines
4.5 KiB
YAML
132 lines
4.5 KiB
YAML
abstract: 'Overall, the ADVANCE Catalyst program at Western Washington University
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provides the resources and time necessary for us to probe deeply into
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our internal practices, measure outcomes for faculty, and, most
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importantly, find and focus on the barriers that impede the advancement
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of women faculty within the College of Sciences and Technology (CST).
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One component of the project was the development of a climate survey,
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which was based upon previous surveys at ADVANCE (research-intensive)
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universities, but was specifically adapted to address faculty issues
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unique to comprehensive universities. The development of our survey
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involved our Faculty Leadership Team (FLT), our department
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chairs/directors, and several other faculty members. This paper focuses
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on the findings from the comprehensive institution climate survey that
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we developed, which consisted of approximately 100 questions in seven
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areas of climate indicators: employment demographics, job satisfaction,
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mentoring, leadership, department climate, professional development, and
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equal opportunity. Specifically, we were probing whether department
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dynamics stay ``status quo{''''} longer, if perceptions of peers play a
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heavier role in evaluation, if there are more feelings of isolation, and
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if opportunities for collaborative work are greatly decreased in our
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relatively small sized departments (as compared to research-intensive
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institutions). All faculty members within CST were surveyed. The overall
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response rate was 58\%. Tenured women had the highest response rate, at
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87\%, and 73\% of nontenure track (NTT) women responded. After analyzing
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the data from the survey and meeting with our ADVANCE FLT, we identified
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several key areas of climate indicators that were explored further in
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focus groups: balance of work-life and work-load, leadership and career
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development, and equal opportunity.
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Through our survey, town hall meeting, and focus groups, we found that
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the evolution of our comprehensive institution from a primarily teaching
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university to an institution where a research program is expected has
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placed considerable pressure on our faculty, especially those at
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midcareer. Our heavy teaching responsibilities (inflexible lab
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schedules, research with undergraduates, course innovation,
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mentoring/advising), and service commitments constrain time to such an
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extent that many faculty feel that their research programs suffer or
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become second jobs. CST women serve on more committees, perform much of
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the more time consuming service, and have had fewer leadership roles and
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opportunities. Lack of formal mentoring exacerbates these issues for our
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women. While Western has many policies and programs to address such
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obstacles, faculty are often not aware of them or misunderstand them,
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making them, in fact, inaccessible. Until recently, department chairs
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did not have enough leadership training, development, and support.
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Continuing budget cuts and soaring STEM student demand at our
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institution further intensify these key issues. Based upon the survey,
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focus groups, and conversations with our FLT, we believe that a Faculty
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Advancement Center (FACT) focused on career span initiatives and based
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upon ADVANCE best practices would be the next logical step necessary to
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support women at our institution.'
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affiliation: 'Kitto, KL (Corresponding Author), Western Washington Univ, Grad Sch,
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Bellingham, WA 98225 USA.
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Kitto, Kathleen L., Western Washington Univ, Grad Sch, Bellingham, WA 98225 USA.
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Guenter-Schlesinger, Sue, Western Washington Univ, Equal Opportun \& Employment
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Divers, Bellingham, WA USA.'
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author: Kitto, Kathleen L. and Guenter-Schlesinger, Sue
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author_list:
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- family: Kitto
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given: Kathleen L.
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- family: Guenter-Schlesinger
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given: Sue
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book-group-author: ASEE
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booktitle: 2012 ASEE ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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da: '2023-09-28'
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files: []
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issn: 2153-5965
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keywords-plus: GENDER; DISCIPLINES; FACULTY
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language: English
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note: ASEE Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, JUN 10-13, 2012
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number-of-cited-references: '25'
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papis_id: 78e6d78a6cdfa5befc1c84ba2731fafc
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ref: Kitto2012womenwestern
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series: ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition
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times-cited: '0'
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title: 'WOMEN OF WESTERN: THE VOICES OF WOMEN-ADVANCE CATALYST AT A COMPREHENSIVE
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INSTITUTION'
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type: proceedings
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unique-id: WOS:000380253706030
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usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
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usage-count-since-2013: '1'
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web-of-science-categories: 'Education \& Educational Research; Education, Scientific
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Disciplines;
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Engineering, Multidisciplinary'
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year: '2012'
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