THE X FACTOR: Progress reassuring to female employees

Gender equality at University has 'come a long way'

By: CAROLYN CRIST

Posted: 12/3/08

Editor's Note: This is the third in a five-day series exploring the status of women at the University. Thursday's story will discuss women's health options.

Though women across campus acknowledge gender gaps and take a stand on concerns such as pay equity, child care and maternity leave, women in the senior administration are calling for relatively little change.

"There are definitely improvements and we still have a ways to go regarding diversity and equity at UGA, but we have a supportive administration of the president's and provost office, and deans who are committed to seeing more progress in these areas," said Cheryl Dozier, associate provost and chief diversity officer.

Dozier said there are visible signs of progress in the past 10 years. Since 1998, female faculty has increased from 26 percent to 31 percent. Of the 16 dean positions, four women fill the roles now versus two who took on the jobs in 1998. Of the 37 positions considered senior administration, 12 women fill the shoes - six are part of the president's 16-member cabinet.

THE ISSUES

Pay equity: Nationally, 78 percent of women at doctoral universities earn comparatively the same amount as their male counterparts. About 85 percent of University female faculty report the same.

Child care: In a University survey, 74 percent said they would be very likely to use a child care center on campus.

Maternity leave: The University follows the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the "birth and care of the newborn child of the employee." Faculty can use sick leave or leave of absence with partial pay, or they can rearrange teaching duties to be on research assignment.

The numbers show women fill fewer than half the faculty and leadership roles on campus, but senior administrators say they continue to look at the positives.

"Having been on this campus for 14 years, I have seen a lot of progress in many areas of diversity as it relates to women," Dozier said. "Would we like to see more female faculty? Of course we would, but when we compare the growth, we've come a long way and still have a long way to go."

Some female administrators even pushed against the idea of a statistical problem.

"There's a suggestion that the administration seems to be devoid of women, which is not necessarily true," said Chris Miller, associate provost for academic fiscal affairs. "There are lots of women deans, the controller [who maintains business accounts], lots of visible, viable women in positions of authority and positions of decision making, so I don't give credence to the idea that there aren't enough women."

Call to attention: The problems

Of the University policies that most concern women faculty and staff, pay equity, child care and maternity leave rise to the top.

In a 2001 Deloitte & Touche consulting survey, though many faculty "believe that pay is generally comparable across the university, there was a feeling that some organization units pay higher than others to avoid losing staff to other units."

The majority of staff also noted pay discrepancies were more obvious at lower level positions. The survey didn't break down the comments and whether any were related to gender.

Nationally, 78 percent of women faculty at doctoral universities earn about the same pay as their male counterparts, according to a 2006 report by the American Association of University Professors. About 85 percent of University female faculty report the same. "It's important to note that in salary studies, it doesn't look at length of service, what kind of research you do and what kind of publishing you do," Miller said.

"Unless you look at covariance, you can't say results are good or bad."

Women on campus have cited a need for child care, and in 2007 the University hosted a child care needs assessment survey of more than 4,300 faculty, staff and students.

About 74 percent of respondents said they would be very likely to use the center and another 17 percent said they would be somewhat likely to do so.

Provost Arnett Mace and Tim Burgess, senior vice president for finance and administration, planned to promote local child care facilities this fall, but have cited the budget as a crunch on priorities.

"Financially, we have been in a very difficult position because state funding has been steadily dropping, and costs to sustain an institution as large as UGA continue to escalate ... which has been a very constrictive force out of the control of the University," said Robin Tricoli, associate provost for institutional strategic planning.

Administration response to maternity leave seems to fall along the same lines.

"Those voices have been heard," Dozier said. "If we didn't have budget cuts, the University would be moving far more rapidly. It's a factor of the economic climate, not a lack of initiative."

Under maternity leave guidelines for the University, "disability due to pregnancy shall be considered as any other disability and appropriate sick leave provisions of these policies shall apply."

The Federal Family and Medical Leave Act states employees can receive 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the "birth and care" of a newborn.

The University follows this requirement but offers little else. Faculty can use sick leave or a leave of absence with partial pay. A faculty member also can work with a department head to rearrange teaching duties to be on research assignment when childbirth is expected.

The best for the job: Filling positions nationally

Universities and colleges across the nation are taking steps to increase all aspects of diversity, and University senior administration said it's not much different here.

"One can look across the country and see that institutions are at various stages in meeting these and other challenges tied to the concept of diversity," said Barbara White, associate provost and chief information officer, who has served at four land grant research universities. "UGA does not appear to be any different or facing challenges different from other institutions."

Laura Meadows, associate vice president for economic development, said "not too long ago" her field was dominated by men.

"You need not look much further than my own position and field to see how far we've come," Meadows said. "Have we made all the progress we need to make in diversity from every perspective here at UGA? I don't know anyone who believes this to be 100 percent true, but I believe that we have come a long way."

Tricoli said the number of women in major leadership roles on campus is key. She said jobs held by herself, Meadows, White and Miller are usually filled by males.

"More and more women are garnering the top positions in arts and sciences, but there are still a fair number of men in those roles as well," she said. "My experience at other universities tells me that UGA is choosing the best people for the job and most of them have been women."

Several female senior administrators are part of the Diversity Advisory Council, an advisory board to the provost of more than 30 members who address all aspects of diversity.

"There is a lot of focus on UGA diversity initiatives," said Holley Schramski, associate vice president and controller. "The work of the DAC is broad but includes concerns specific to women."

Looking ahead

Female senior administration all seem to agree - gender doesn't make a difference for their jobs at the University.

"I've always felt well-respected and valued," Schramski said.

"I love my job because of all the women I get to work with," Miller said.

"I don't know that there has been a time while here at UGA that I felt I was ever considered differently because I am a woman," White said.

But there's still work to be done.

"I do feel that my voice is heard but there are still areas where we can improve," Dozier said. "I have to be the voice to the voiceless also ... the voice of our lowest paid female or minority workers are not heard like faculty or deans. For those of the least administrative 'status,' we have to make sure we're representing their voices in the same way."

Dozier cited the concerns of female Food Services or Physical Plant workers.

"They think, 'Who's gonna listen to me?' and in my position I'm aware that those voices need to be heard as well," she said.

"But I do think we have a campus that if you come to the table and raise questions ... I do believe those get heard."

A concrete idea for taking a step toward the future? Mentoring.

"Time is always a factor, but providing examples of role models for our young women and others on campus is important and I see opportunities at UGA for further expansion and enhancement," White said.