Consultations with External Advisors

On March 2, 2009, members of the co-PI Team and Steering Committee participated in a 45-minute conference call with three of our External Advisors, Drs. Ronda Callister, Jackie Litt, and Claire Van Ummersen. Prior to the conversation we sent copies of the

Collaborative Transformation Strategies and Outcomes progress report (Appendix 1), the AAUDE Faculty Satisfaction Survey Report Executive Summary (Appendix 2), and links to the Web pages for the Conference on Faculty Flexibility and the ADVANCE Scholar Program. Highlights of the conversation are reported here.

Collaborative Transformation Project Progress: The evaluators felt that we have a very impressive list of accomplishments, including the changes we have already made.

• Suggestions from advisors: Consider presentations to introduce conclusions rather than just disseminating the report. Think about and anticipate broader dissemination of the report.

• Our response: At each stage ADVANCE is trying to have a presentation to the campus. So far there have been presentations to the campus at large, the Dean’s Councils in STEM colleges, the Provost, and the Chairs. We agreed to include more

information about dissemination in the report itself and have done that in the version that is currently being distributed.

• Question from the advisors: The design of this program is very impressive. Are you finding that in the focal departments there is a core that continues to work on

activities? It is important to know how many were on board when the program started compared to how many aren’t on board now.

• Our response: Our Equity Advisors and ADVANCE Professors meet together every other week to discuss issues in their department and our program. The group that is considered the “change agents” within the department has grown as new

departments have been added. Chairs are trying to put in place policies and structures. Within the first round focal departments, we are transitioning from the initial ADVANCE Professor to a new ADVANCE Professor. This transition increases the awareness of our program and expands the group of allies within the focal departments.

• Suggestions from advisors: Transitioning to a new group of ADVANCE Professors is a good idea to keep the program moving. Keep your eye on expanding the core of knowledge and defining it within the departments. Be sure to watch for the turnover of department Chairs. Encourage policies to be written into the governance

documents for the departments.

• Our Response: We agree with the goal of expanding the participants in the program and are seeking opportunities to collaborate with new allies in leadership positions.

Satisfaction Survey Report: The report on faculty satisfaction that was provided to the advisors has already been presented in the Faculty Senate by the Executive Vice President and Provost. ADVANCE presented the report in a campus-wide workshop later in the day on March 2. The same survey will be repeated in a couple of years.

• Comments from advisors: They discussed the finding that overall women and minorities that are tenured or tenure-eligible had few gender differences in

satisfaction. However there are quite a few differences when the data are analyzed by rank. We discussed why women who have made tenure are unhappy, including the possibility that problems build up over time in the tenure process until it becomes overwhelming to the individual. Women are highly successful, but the journey to get there is much more difficult.

• Other points included in the discussion: Women are promoted at the same rate as men; however, we are finding different responses in how people feel about the process. When candidates with partners are questioned about benefits when negotiating, a male typically negotiates higher pay, while a female typically negotiates a job for her partner.

• Suggestion from advisors: The ideal purpose of the survey is to use it to make our case for changes in policy. Be proactive in explaining the data to scientists who don’t understand survey research. They focus on the fact that women are successful and question what the issue is. Explain that we are looking at the barriers to

success, and how to reduce those barriers. This includes the high stress rate and personal sacrifice perceived by women. Although this is not the basis on which departments are motivated to create change, show that it’s a retention factor.

Strategies for institutionalizing our successful initiatives, especially the college-level Equity Advisors: ADVANCE is currently making an effort to give presentations about the program to non-focal departments. More than half of the STEM departments will have been

visited by next fall. This year we also added three more focal departments to the existing three, and the final three will come in year five. We are beginning to bring the final three departments into the program now as representatives on the Council to get them

acclimated.

• Question from the advisors: Are there approximately the same number of women in each of your focal departments?

• Our response: There are fewer women in some of the focal departments than others.

• Questions from advisors: Do you see this as an issue in your research?

• Our response: Not necessarily. We feel we can learn a lot from all the departments.

• Question from the advisors: How much money is spent from the grant to support people working within the program?

• Our response: Currently money from the grant goes to support the partners that work with us through course buyouts. We are funding about $80,000 a year for our college Equity Advisors; senior faculty within the colleges, who work closely with the

Associate Deans. Our program is dependent on these individuals. They are a

constant presence, who communicate with the faculty and provide accountability. We have indications that colleges may support this beyond the grant period.

• Suggestion from advisors: The more you can get into written policy on this issue the better. Make sure the colleges are using these people while ADVANCE is in place, and it will have a better chance to continue after the program is over.

Overall, the advisors were impressed with the structure and progress made by the

ADVANCE program. They feel we are progressing in the right direction. ISU ADVANCE will continue to stay in touch with its advisors along the way for advice on institutionalizing the program.

C.7. Evaluation of Workshops and Networking Events