Despite decades of effort by federal science funders to increase the numbers of women holding advanced degrees and faculty jobs in science and engineering, they are persistently underrepresented in academic STEM disciplines, especially in positions of seniority, leadership, and prestige. Women filled 47% of all US jobs in 2015, but held only 24% of STEM jobs. Barriers to women are built into academic workplaces: biased selection and promotion systems, inadequate structures to support those with family and personal responsibilities, old-boy networks that can exclude even very successful women from advancing into top leadership roles. But this situation can'and must'change.
In Building Gender Equity in the Academy, Sandra Laursen and Ann E. Austin offer a concrete, data-driven approach to creating institutions that foster gender equity. Focusing on STEM fields, where gender equity is most lacking, Laursen and Austin begin by outlining the need for a systemic approach to gender equity. Looking at the successful work being done by specific colleges and universities around the country, they analyze twelve strategies these institutions have used to create more inclusive working environments, including
implementing inclusive recruitment and hiring practices
addressing biased evaluation methods
establishing equitable tenure and promotion processes
strengthening accountability structures, particularly among senior leadership
improving unwelcoming department climates and cultures
supporting dual-career couples
offering flexible work arrangements that accommodate personal lives
promoting faculty professional development and advancement
Laursen and Austin also discuss how to bring these strategies together to create systemic change initiatives appropriate for specific institutional contexts. Drawing on three illustrative case studies'one focusing on Case Western Reserve University, a second on the University of Texas at El Paso, and a third on the University of WisconsinGÇôMadison'they explain how real institutions can strategically combine several equity-driven approaches, thereby leveraging their individual strengths to make change efforts comprehensive. Grounded in scholarship but written for busy institutional leaders, Building Gender Equity in the Academy is a handbook of actionable strategies for faculty and administrators working to improve the inclusion and visibility of women and others who are marginalized in the sciences and in academe more broadly.
IntroductionPart I: The Problem, the Solution, and the Study1. What's the Problem?Underrepresented, Out of SightBarriers for Women on STEM FacultiesThe Importance of Representation2. Fix the System, Not the Women.Studying Systemic Change to Advance Gender EquityThe Content and Structure of the BookAudiences for this BookLimitations of the BookAcknowledgmentsPart II: Strategies for ChangeIntroduction to Part II3. Interrupt Biased Processes.Strategy 1: Inclusive recruitment and hiringStrategy 2: Equitable processes of tenure and promotionStrategy 3: Strengthened accountability structures4. Reboot Workplaces.Strategy 4: Development of institutional leadersStrategy 5: Approaches to improving departmental climateStrategy 6: Enhanced visibility for women and women's issues5. Support the Whole Person.Strategy 7: Support for dual-career couplesStrategy 8: Flexible work arrangementsStrategy 9: Practical family-friendly accommodations6. Foster Individual Success.Strategy 10: Faculty professional development programsStrategy 11: Grants to individual facultyStrategy 12: Mentoring and networking activities7. New Frontiers: Emerging Concepts and StrategiesPart III: Building and Enacting a Change Portfolio8. Put It All Together.Introduction to the Case StudiesCase Study 1: Case Western Reserve UniversityCase Study 2: University of Texas at El PasoCase Study 3: University of Wisconsin-MadisonLessons from the Case Studies9. Design a Change Portfolio to Create More Inclusive Academic Workplaces.Taking a Systemic and Strategic Approach to TransformationImplementing the Strategic Change PlanReflections and Next Steps
