Faculty Work-Family Issues: Faculty Work-Family Issues: Finding the Balance at a Finding the Balance at a

Liberal Arts CollegeLiberal Arts College

SUZANNE AMADOR KANE, Physics Department, SUZANNE AMADOR KANE, Physics Department, Haverford CollegeHaverford College

MARISSA GOLDEN, Political Science MARISSA GOLDEN, Political Science Department, Bryn Mawr CollegeDepartment, Bryn Mawr College

or: or: Would You Watch my Kids for Would You Watch my Kids for

Me While I Give This Talk?Me While I Give This Talk?

Don’t worry—Charlie’s got it covered!

OutlineOutline

Small (liberal arts colleges) vs. large Small (liberal arts colleges) vs. large (research universities): an alternative (research universities): an alternative career track & its outlook for womencareer track & its outlook for women

What are the Work/family issues for What are the Work/family issues for faculty?faculty?

RecommendationsRecommendations Some off-the-cuff concluding remarksSome off-the-cuff concluding remarks

Why Liberal Arts Colleges?Why Liberal Arts Colleges?Bachelor’s-only institutions are Bachelor’s-only institutions are

30% of the physics faculty 30% of the physics faculty nationwidenationwide

Larger departments have lower Larger departments have lower percentages of female faculty (10% at percentages of female faculty (10% at Harvard, 7% at MIT)Harvard, 7% at MIT)

Main reason: larger departments tend to Main reason: larger departments tend to have more senior facultyhave more senior faculty

Small numbers mean many small Small numbers mean many small departments have none at all (but the % departments have none at all (but the % climbs steeply as women are hired)climbs steeply as women are hired)

“Where are the female physicists?” Robert Ehrlich, CWSP Gazette, pg. 3, Fall 2007.

“Women in Physics & Astronomy, 2005” AIP

Bachelor’s-only departments have a larger % female faculty

% women in physics & % women in physics & astronomy at some of our peer astronomy at some of our peer

colleges:colleges:

Carleton 43% Carleton 43% 3 F / 73 F / 7 Haverford 33% Haverford 33% 2 F / 6 total2 F / 6 total Swarthmore 22% Swarthmore 22% 2 F / 92 F / 9 WilliamsWilliams 14% 14% 1 F / 71 F / 7 Reed 11%Reed 11% 1 F / 91 F / 9 Wesleyan 0%Wesleyan 0% 0 F / 90 F / 9 Amherst 0%Amherst 0% 0 F / 60 F / 6

Differences…Differences…

2 courses / year (fewer in 2 courses / year (fewer in some cases)some cases)

Few new course prepsFew new course preps High publication rate in top High publication rate in top

journals required for journals required for tenuretenure

Expectation of significant Expectation of significant grant fundinggrant funding

Service load & student Service load & student advising spread over a advising spread over a larger # facultylarger # faculty

Access to grad students Access to grad students and postdocsand postdocs

Lower tenure rates typicalLower tenure rates typical

e.g., 5 courses / year (one e.g., 5 courses / year (one may be student research)may be student research)

Teach across the curriculumTeach across the curriculum Research productivity Research productivity

required for tenure (but required for tenure (but average publication rate of average publication rate of 0.5 to 1 article /year 0.5 to 1 article /year (Research Corp.)(Research Corp.)

Less funding pressure (and Less funding pressure (and no need to cover salaries) no need to cover salaries) with alternative funding with alternative funding sourcessources

More service load & student More service load & student advising per facultyadvising per faculty

Work primarily with Work primarily with undergraduatesundergraduates

Higher tenure rates typicalHigher tenure rates typical

Research University Liberal Arts College

Are work/family issues Are work/family issues important for (women) faculty?important for (women) faculty?

Main studies based on surveys of doctorate Main studies based on surveys of doctorate recipients (160,000 PhD recipients in all disciplines) recipients (160,000 PhD recipients in all disciplines) and 4,400 UC faculty & 800 UC Berkeley postdocs and 4,400 UC faculty & 800 UC Berkeley postdocs (bio & physics)(bio & physics)

Similar patterns found in humanities, social sciences Similar patterns found in humanities, social sciences & natural sciences, and across institution type& natural sciences, and across institution type

But…these results apply up to 1995 PhD’s, and most But…these results apply up to 1995 PhD’s, and most have not been extended more recently!have not been extended more recently!

Haverford data cited here is for all natural science Haverford data cited here is for all natural science faculty in 2008faculty in 2008

Mason, M.A. & M. Goulden (2004), "Do Babies Matter (Part II)? Closing the Baby Gap", Academe, November—December 2004. Mason, M.A., & Goulden, M., "Do Babies Matter: The Effect of Family Formation on the Lifelong Careers of Academic Men and Women", Academe, November—December 2002, 88(6).

Earlier studies found work-Earlier studies found work-family conflicts…family conflicts…

Do Babies Matter:Do Babies Matter: Women who have children Women who have children within 5 years of their PhD are less likely within 5 years of their PhD are less likely (56%) to get tenure than men who do the (56%) to get tenure than men who do the same (77%)same (77%)

Haverford Science:Haverford Science: same tenure rates (85% same tenure rates (85% often quoted as institutional average)often quoted as institutional average)

Do Babies Matter:Do Babies Matter: Women with tenure are less Women with tenure are less likely to be married (63%) or have children likely to be married (63%) or have children (55%) than men (85% & 74%)(55%) than men (85% & 74%)

Haverford Science:Haverford Science: 100% women and men 100% women and men tenured faculty are married; rates similar for tenured faculty are married; rates similar for junior faculty; junior faculty; All but 1 female / 1 male tenured faculty have children (70% F, 78% M all faculty)

Do Babies Matter:Do Babies Matter: Women faculty Women faculty spend more time on family-related spend more time on family-related

work than do menwork than do men

How do liberal arts colleges How do liberal arts colleges differ on work-family issues?differ on work-family issues?

Research expectations (grants, publication rates) Research expectations (grants, publication rates) more consistent with periods of variable more consistent with periods of variable productivity because of major family eventsproductivity because of major family events

More teaching can be constraining (you can put More teaching can be constraining (you can put off a meeting with a grad student more easily off a meeting with a grad student more easily than a class)than a class)

But smaller departments can mean more But smaller departments can mean more flexibility (swapping class coverage; flexibility in flexibility (swapping class coverage; flexibility in scheduling teaching & committees)scheduling teaching & committees)

Some places require less postdoc experience—Some places require less postdoc experience—fewer dual-career couple moves?fewer dual-career couple moves?

Main issue: all institutions require the same Main issue: all institutions require the same support structures for success!support structures for success!

Core work/family policies need Core work/family policies need to be in placeto be in place

Childbirth, adoption, new parent and Childbirth, adoption, new parent and eldercare leave policies in writing (not eldercare leave policies in writing (not just possibly negotiable)just possibly negotiable)

Tenure-clock stoppage for major eventsTenure-clock stoppage for major events Readily-available, nearby childcare Readily-available, nearby childcare Signs that current faculty use these Signs that current faculty use these

policiespolicies

22ndnd & 3 & 3rdrd wave ideas are wave ideas are helpful, but less likely to be in helpful, but less likely to be in

place:place: Family/self illness & emergency leave Family/self illness & emergency leave

optionsoptions Afterschool programs & summer for school-Afterschool programs & summer for school-

age childrenage children Emergency & drop-in childcareEmergency & drop-in childcare Coordination of local school district and Coordination of local school district and

institution calendars (holidays, start & stop institution calendars (holidays, start & stop dates in agreement)dates in agreement)

Technician help to smooth over life eventsTechnician help to smooth over life events Help when sabbatticals get sabotaged by Help when sabbatticals get sabotaged by

major life eventsmajor life events

Dual-career CouplesDual-career Couples Extensive networks/databases of local jobs Extensive networks/databases of local jobs

for relocationfor relocation Policies to facilitate hiring partners (career Policies to facilitate hiring partners (career

counselors, openness to hiring for counselors, openness to hiring for nonacademic jobs in the institution)nonacademic jobs in the institution)

Coordination with other academic Coordination with other academic institutions in hiringinstitutions in hiring

Temporary postdoc style support for Temporary postdoc style support for partners to smooth over transitionspartners to smooth over transitions

Openness to dual-couple job-sharing Openness to dual-couple job-sharing arrangements where there is interest (e.g., arrangements where there is interest (e.g., two 2/3 positions)two 2/3 positions)

How do liberal arts colleges do in How do liberal arts colleges do in all this? Results from a informal all this? Results from a informal

2007 survey of 14 selective COFHE 2007 survey of 14 selective COFHE schoolsschools

100% offer parental/maternity leave100% offer parental/maternity leave 100% offer tenure clock stoppage options100% offer tenure clock stoppage options 4/14 offer part-time tenure-track, unpaid leave 4/14 offer part-time tenure-track, unpaid leave

options for flexibilityoptions for flexibility 10 have on-campus (or nearby) daycare 10 have on-campus (or nearby) daycare

centerscenters 6 offer drop-in childcare options6 offer drop-in childcare options 4 have summer childcare programs4 have summer childcare programs 10 have networks to help dual-career couples10 have networks to help dual-career couples

Climate: sympathetic, inclusive senior Climate: sympathetic, inclusive senior colleagues colleagues & administration& administration

Family-friendly department & college Family-friendly department & college schedules (e.g., few events after 5pm)schedules (e.g., few events after 5pm)

Women shouldn’t be overloaded with Women shouldn’t be overloaded with service relative to male peersservice relative to male peers

OTHER WOMEN FACULTY (in physics or OTHER WOMEN FACULTY (in physics or other natural sciences, at least in the other natural sciences, at least in the building)building)

What else to look for…What else to look for…

Plan ahead:Plan ahead:

Don’t blaze a trail: find a department Don’t blaze a trail: find a department that has already worked this out ahead that has already worked this out ahead of time!of time!

Locate mentors in your home institution Locate mentors in your home institution & elsewhere—before you need them!& elsewhere—before you need them!

Select teaching & committee Select teaching & committee assignments that offer more flexibility assignments that offer more flexibility (e.g., a teaching schedule that (e.g., a teaching schedule that coordinates with a partner’s, one coordinates with a partner’s, one intense period of committee work / intense period of committee work / semester vs. weekly 4-6pm meetings)semester vs. weekly 4-6pm meetings)

Plan ahead (part 2)Plan ahead (part 2) Find projects that you can work on during Find projects that you can work on during

events like childbirth & new parenting events like childbirth & new parenting overloadoverload

E.g., write up papers, even a book while on E.g., write up papers, even a book while on pregnancy bedrest or maternity leave, write a pregnancy bedrest or maternity leave, write a grant proposal when you can’t get into the lab grant proposal when you can’t get into the lab as much; think of projects for students that as much; think of projects for students that can be managed more easily in this modecan be managed more easily in this mode

Stockpile service and other assignments Stockpile service and other assignments against future disruptionsagainst future disruptions

Focus on what you can do to offset what you Focus on what you can do to offset what you can’t docan’t do

Ditto afterwork commitmentsDitto afterwork commitments

And now for the tacit And now for the tacit knowledgeknowledge

Negotiate! Salary, startup, summer Negotiate! Salary, startup, summer salary, office/lab space, teaching & salary, office/lab space, teaching & service reductions…service reductions…

Your future raises & other support are Your future raises & other support are conditioned on thisconditioned on this

Childcare, flexibility, etc. are all easier Childcare, flexibility, etc. are all easier to navigate with more money!to navigate with more money!

Especially important because women Especially important because women are less likely to relocate later to are less likely to relocate later to increase their salaries & other supportincrease their salaries & other support

More tacit knowledgeMore tacit knowledge Don’t work in a place that has (too many) Don’t work in a place that has (too many)

jerksjerks If you must work with jerks, try to insulate If you must work with jerks, try to insulate

yourself with supportive colleaguesyourself with supportive colleagues Also, make sure one senior person knows Also, make sure one senior person knows

about any bad treatment; document about any bad treatment; document egregious examplesegregious examples

Don’t get dragged into internal politics if you Don’t get dragged into internal politics if you can avoid it (don’t take sides needlessly)can avoid it (don’t take sides needlessly)

Learn alpha behavior (like the “hard stare”) Learn alpha behavior (like the “hard stare”) to confront inappropriate actions or remarksto confront inappropriate actions or remarks

Still more tacit knowledgeStill more tacit knowledge Make sure present junior faculty aren’t Make sure present junior faculty aren’t

too intimidated to make use of official too intimidated to make use of official policies and resourcespolicies and resources

Notice whether existing faculty actually Notice whether existing faculty actually know about and utilize family-friendly know about and utilize family-friendly policies themselvespolicies themselves

Don’t do unimportant stuff when you can Don’t do unimportant stuff when you can get away with itget away with it

Dial back on as much service as Dial back on as much service as possible--have you every heard of possible--have you every heard of someone getting tenure based on someone getting tenure based on extraordinary service?extraordinary service?

Learn to see the equivalents between what Learn to see the equivalents between what you need and what others assume they get you need and what others assume they get by right (e.g., lifelong healthcare for by right (e.g., lifelong healthcare for nonworking spouses is a given, but less nonworking spouses is a given, but less expensive maternity leave for employees is expensive maternity leave for employees is an unfair perk? Years off for military service an unfair perk? Years off for military service is OK—but not maternity leave?)is OK—but not maternity leave?)

Make sure everyone knows about what you Make sure everyone knows about what you do contribute—talk this up so it’s not do contribute—talk this up so it’s not forgotten when you have to take a day off to forgotten when you have to take a day off to stay home with a sick childstay home with a sick child

Make room for blocks of family and personal Make room for blocks of family and personal time, not just slivers (an entire month over time, not just slivers (an entire month over the summer, a week off over December, the summer, a week off over December, etc.)etc.)

Take care of your friends, health and Take care of your friends, health and integrity too…integrity too…

Make sure you have on your Make sure you have on your end:end:

Peers/friend support network (can be Peers/friend support network (can be informal or institutional)—moral support informal or institutional)—moral support plus on-the-ground logistics (trading off plus on-the-ground logistics (trading off last minute help, giving advice about last minute help, giving advice about specific decisions, etc.)specific decisions, etc.)

Help when you need it: take advantage of Help when you need it: take advantage of services for housekeeping, yardwork, etc.services for housekeeping, yardwork, etc.

No Super Woman level expectations from No Super Woman level expectations from you, your family or your colleagues!you, your family or your colleagues!

And finally…when you make And finally…when you make itit

Make it clear that you, the senior Make it clear that you, the senior person, still have to navigate these person, still have to navigate these issues; let others see howissues; let others see how

RETURN THE FAVOR TO OTHER JUNIOR RETURN THE FAVOR TO OTHER JUNIOR COLLEAGUES (Male & Female) AS A COLLEAGUES (Male & Female) AS A MENTORMENTOR

CHANGE THE SYSTEM WHEN IT NEEDS CHANGE THE SYSTEM WHEN IT NEEDS ITIT

Selected ResourcesSelected Resources

““Hunting for Jobs at Liberal Arts Colleges” Suzanne Hunting for Jobs at Liberal Arts Colleges” Suzanne Amador Kane & Kenneth Laws, Amador Kane & Kenneth Laws, Physics TodayPhysics Today November 2006 November 2006 59 (11)59 (11) 38. 38.

Dual-Career Couples website by Laurie McNeil and Dual-Career Couples website by Laurie McNeil and Marc Sher Marc Sher http://www.physics.wm.edu/dualcareer.htmlhttp://www.physics.wm.edu/dualcareer.html

Mothers on the fast track : how a new generation Mothers on the fast track : how a new generation can balance family and careers,can balance family and careers, Mary Ann Mason Mary Ann Mason and Eve Mason Ekman, Oxford University Press, and Eve Mason Ekman, Oxford University Press, 2007.2007.

Getting to Yes: negotiating agreement without giving in, Roger Fisher, William Ury, Bruce Patton, 2003.

Eric Jensen’s site on Resources for Academic Couples at: http://astro.swarthmore.edu/~jensen/couples.html