how sisters are doing it for themselves

11

How sisters are doing How sisters are doing it for themselvesit for themselves

The impact of professional The impact of professional development programs for development programs for

womenwomen

Maura J. Murphy NC/SC AIR March 2008Maura J. Murphy NC/SC AIR March 2008

North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University

22

IntroductionIntroduction

Programs like Higher Education Programs like Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) were Resource Services (HERS) were created to address the concern of created to address the concern of gender parity in Higher Education in gender parity in Higher Education in 19721972

Bryn Mawr College (summer) & Bryn Mawr College (summer) & Wellesley (academic year)Wellesley (academic year)

How does institutional culture create How does institutional culture create barriers for women? barriers for women?

33

The purpose of the studyThe purpose of the study

To examine how having a To examine how having a professional development program professional development program designed to encourage and promote designed to encourage and promote women’s leadership may or may not women’s leadership may or may not create the critical mass needed to create the critical mass needed to overcome the barriers to change. overcome the barriers to change.

44

Eastern State CollegeEastern State College

Sent more women to HERS training than Sent more women to HERS training than any other college or universityany other college or university

Created a local chapter of HERS to a Created a local chapter of HERS to a create a “more democratic academic and create a “more democratic academic and social environment.”social environment.”

55

Theoretical FrameworkTheoretical Framework

Liberal Feminist TheoryLiberal Feminist Theory– Unequal social & legal Unequal social & legal

practices create barriers for practices create barriers for women's advancementwomen's advancement

– Allows critique of dominant Allows critique of dominant masculine constructsmasculine constructs

66

Research questionResearch question

How does a having a critical mass of How does a having a critical mass of women who have attended a women who have attended a professional development program professional development program shape the culture for women at a shape the culture for women at a four year institution? four year institution?

77

MethodologyMethodology

Participant SelectionParticipant Selection– 10 ESC/ HERS members- White, Up/Mid 10 ESC/ HERS members- White, Up/Mid

SESSES– Age range: 30-70 yearsAge range: 30-70 years– Years at institution: 2-22 yearsYears at institution: 2-22 years

Data CollectionData Collection– Semi-structured interviews, focus group, Semi-structured interviews, focus group,

observations, document analysisobservations, document analysis

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Findings: What the documents Findings: What the documents revealreveal

Organization structureOrganization structure– Difficult for women to penetrate the Difficult for women to penetrate the

upper layers of the hierarchical upper layers of the hierarchical structure, although well represented at structure, although well represented at the lower levelsthe lower levels

Campus Diversity ReportCampus Diversity Report– Unresponsive AdministratorsUnresponsive Administrators– Participants note concerns with Participants note concerns with MaternityMaternity Policy Policy

College WebsiteCollege Website– President’s Office- distinguished lecture President’s Office- distinguished lecture

series features 9 men, no womenseries features 9 men, no women

99

Findings: Institutions change Findings: Institutions change over timeover time

Percent Women Professors

2001

Women

2001

Women

2001

Women

2005

Women

2005

Women

2005

Women

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Assistant Professor Associate Professor Professor

1010

Findings: Impact of Findings: Impact of professional development professional development

training on individualstraining on individuals

““I learned about all the I learned about all the different parts of the different parts of the academic city.”academic city.”

1111

Findings: Impact of Findings: Impact of professional development professional development

training on individualstraining on individuals

“…“…you gain this self confidence you gain this self confidence realizing that you could do realizing that you could do anything”anything”

1212

Findings: Impact of Findings: Impact of professional development professional development

training on individualstraining on individuals

““The career mapping is better than I The career mapping is better than I expected it to be….it provided time expected it to be….it provided time to reflect on … what I wanted to do… to reflect on … what I wanted to do… what were the things that I needed to what were the things that I needed to gain to get where I wanted to go.”gain to get where I wanted to go.”

1313

Findings: Impact of Findings: Impact of professional development professional development

training on campustraining on campus““Lift as you climb, find some one Lift as you climb, find some one

who has not been to the program who has not been to the program and help them.”and help them.”

““It made sense, when your It made sense, when your institution sends you to institution sends you to something like this and you want something like this and you want to give back, it makes sense.”to give back, it makes sense.”

1414

Findings: Impact of Findings: Impact of professional development professional development

training on campustraining on campus““It takes time, bringing other people It takes time, bringing other people

along, and I learned techniques of along, and I learned techniques of what I can do to help others.”what I can do to help others.”

““All of that is the part of institutional All of that is the part of institutional culture because there is a certain culture because there is a certain way of doing business.”way of doing business.”

1515

Findings: Impact of Findings: Impact of professional development professional development

training on campustraining on campus

““We [HERS] have tentacles out all over We [HERS] have tentacles out all over campus. If it was just [the campus. If it was just [the presidential leadership] it wouldn’t presidential leadership] it wouldn’t be sustained and it [HERS influence] be sustained and it [HERS influence] would not be as realwould not be as real.”.”

1616

Findings: Limitations of Findings: Limitations of professional development professional development

programsprograms

““.…everybody sees it, but .…everybody sees it, but nobody questions it...”nobody questions it...”

1717

Findings: Limitations of Findings: Limitations of professional development professional development

programsprograms

““Other places have much more Other places have much more generous policies. No one has generous policies. No one has really stepped up about it.”really stepped up about it.”

1818

Findings: Reflective Findings: Reflective AssessmentAssessment

““Hey, the Emperor is naked!”Hey, the Emperor is naked!”

1919

Implications for PracticeImplications for Practice

Professional Development Professional Development ProgramsPrograms– Encourage investment in Encourage investment in

employeesemployees– Career mappingCareer mapping– Address concerns about attritionAddress concerns about attrition– Post event follow up is criticalPost event follow up is critical

2020

Implications for PracticeImplications for Practice

Women’s initiativesWomen’s initiatives– Use reflective assessment to evaluate Use reflective assessment to evaluate

institutioninstitution– Reach out to othersReach out to others

Campus initiativesCampus initiatives– Diversity is more than social justice- Diversity is more than social justice-

it works to create excellenceit works to create excellence– “…“…it is the campuses- not the it is the campuses- not the

women- that need fixing.”women- that need fixing.”

2121

ConclusionConclusion Consistent with other studies, participants Consistent with other studies, participants

experienced increased self confidence, experienced increased self confidence, benefits from networking and career mappingbenefits from networking and career mapping

Women actively engaged in sharing the story, Women actively engaged in sharing the story, and encouraging others to participate in and encouraging others to participate in professional developmentprofessional development

““Reflective assessment” can help individuals Reflective assessment” can help individuals and campuses increase their commitment to and campuses increase their commitment to diversity through examination of what the diversity through examination of what the “unconscious ways of thinking” are that still “unconscious ways of thinking” are that still create barrierscreate barriers

Questions?

Please feel free to contact me with follow up thoughts or

ideas at murf@email.unc.edu