Promoting Success of Women

Faculty Through a

Psychologically Healthy

Workplace

Rebecca J. Thompson, Amber L. Smittick,

Amanda Pesonen, Stephanie C. Payne,

Mindy E. Bergman, & Kathi Miner-Rubino

Texas A&M University

OVERVIEW

• Texas A&M University

• NSF ADVANCE-IT

• TAMU ADVANCE-IT

• ADVANCE Programs

• Social Science Research

3 Texas A&M at a Glance

•Sixth-largest

university in the

country

•38,000+

undergraduates

•9,000+ graduate

students

•250+ degree

programs in 10

colleges

4

Research & Academics

•$652 million invested in research

•Land-, sea- and space-grant university

5

Faculty: Demographics •N~4000

•66% White

•66% Male

•34% Female

•Age (M=44)

•Tenured (M=55)

•Tenure track (M=38)

•Non-Tenured (M=35)

6

Retention of Diverse

Faculty

• 2003- 2008 “Faculty

Reinvestment” program

• The faculty expansion effort has

resulted in 447 new faculty

positions since 2003

• 2006 Faculty climate survey

• Attrition rates

7

" The goal of the ADVANCE

program is to

develop systemic approaches

to increase the representation

and advancement of women in

academic science, technology,

engineering and mathematics

(STEM) careers, thereby

contributing to the

development of a more diverse

science and engineering

workforce. ”

–www.nsf.gov

NSF ADVANCE-IT

8

TAMU ADVANCE-IT

The TAMU ADVANCE-IT initiative

incorporates the facets of APA’s

model of a Psychologically Healthy

Workplace (PHW) to guide the

activities towards creating a work

culture that is supportive and free

from bias for all individuals.

The goal of the TAMU ADVANCE-

IT grant is to make a better

workplace for women STEM faculty

and, by doing so, to have a better

workplace for all of the community.

9

1. Change the campus climate

2. Promote women STEM

faculty

3. Recruit the next generation

of women STEM faculty

4. Increase accountability for

diversity

TAMU ADVANCE-IT

10

1. Growth and

Development

2. Health and Well-Being

3. Involvement

4. Recognition

5. Work-Life Balance

Psychologically Healthy

Workplace Framework

11

ADVANCE Programs

1. Climate Change • Department Head Workshops

• Staff Development Training

• Student Diversity Workshops

• Merit Pool Incentive Program

• Departmental Mini-grants

2. Success Enhancement

• ADVANCE Scholar Program

• Rotating Administrator Program

• Success Circles

• Eminent Speaker Series

3. Recruitment and Retention • Workshops-Future Women Faculty

• Award & Search Committee Training

• Target-of-Opportunity Speaker Series

• Faculty Recognition Program

12

• Target: Climate

Change

• Objectives:

– Support

diversity efforts

– Provide avenue

for innovative

strategies

• PHW focus:

– Growth and

Development,

Involvement, &

Recognition

Departmental Mini-Grants

13

• Target: Success Enhancement

• Objectives:

– Foster faculty success

through opportunity

– Increase visibility of

women among leaders

– Change mental model

• PHW focus:

– Growth and Development,

Health and Well-Being,

and Involvement

Rotating Administrator

Program

14

• Target: Recruitment and

Retention

• Objectives:

– Provide additional vehicle

for recruiting

– Provide networking

opportunity

• PHW focus:

– Growth and Development

Target-of-Opportunity

Speaker Series

15

• Six studies as part of the

TAMU ADVANCE-IT – Examine how the

programs lead to

certain critical

outcomes

– Investigate the

conditions that

heighten or hinder the

success of the activities

– Variety of

methodologies

Social Science Research

16

Conclusions

Long-term Goals:

– Double the

representation of

tenured women STEM

faculty

– Significantly increase

the number of STEM

women faculty at all

levels of organization

by promoting a

psychologically healthy

workplace

– Beyond the 5 year plan