As a talent pool, women are an undertapped resource. Women today earn nearly half of all doctorate degrees, yet they constitute only 31% of tenured faculty nationwide.[1] In science and engineering, women earn 40% of doctorate degrees but comprise only 28% of tenured or tenure-track faculty.[2] What follows are best practices to enhance academic institutions’ ability to recruit and retain women faculty, both by controlling gender bias and through family-responsive policies.

Competitive universities have recognized that eliminating the chilly climate for women, and effective implementation of family-responsive policies gives them an edge in attracting and retaining talented women faculty. Particularly in this period of sharply declining resources, effective programs to control gender bias and address work-life balance needs can improve faculty satisfaction and reduce costly attrition rates.
 
Effective policies and programs such as those highlighted below will go a long way in facilitating gender equity in recruiting, retaining and advancing women faculty.
[To see how one major university (Duke) actually uses family-responsive practices as a recruiting tool, click here!]

Do you have your own ideas about or examples of effective practices? Tell us what you are doing right here.

Effective Policies and Programs      

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Design Parental Leaves and Stop-the-Clock Policies
   Maternal and Parental Leave
      Treat Pregnancy Leave the Same as Other Kinds of Disability Leave
      Design Parental Leave Policies Based on Caretaking Status, Not Sex
      Provide Central Funding for Leave
   Offer a Stop-the-Clock Option
   Design “Opt-Out” Instead of “Opt-In” Policies

Provide Dual Career Support
   Develop and Publish a Dual Career Academic Couple Hiring Protocol
   Use Wording that Minimizes Discrimination and Stigma
   Designate an Official within the Office of the Provost
   Provide the Official with the Necessary Resources

Establish Mentoring and Networking Programs
   Create Mentoring Programs to Support Junior Faculty
   Institute Professional Networking Opportunities for Women

Address Childcare Needs
   Offer Convenient and Affordable Childcare
   Provide On-Campus Childcare
   Provide Childcare Subsidy Grants
   Secure Childcare Positions for Recruitment Purposes
   Offer Dependent Care Travel Grants

Offer a Part-Time Tenure Track Alternative

Control Bias
   Hiring
      Offer Gender Bias Training to Faculty Search Committees
      Monitor the Faculty Search Process
      Prevent Gender Bias during Negotiation (Double Bind Avoidance)
   Advancement and Retention
      Train Department Chairs to Manage Flexibility
      Eliminate Bias: Clearly Communicate Policies
      Offer Gender Bias Training to Faculty

Design Flexible Benefits Plans
   Provide Cafeteria-Style Benefits

Ensure that Practice Supports Policy
   Leadership From the Top
   Strengthen Transparency, Communication and Outreach
   Monitor Policy Usage