Science and the Science and the Life/Work BalanceLife/Work Balance

Shelley AdamoShelley Adamo

Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie University

Women Faculty in BiologyWomen Faculty in Biology

CAUT 2009

Average Salary in Biology in Average Salary in Biology in CanadaCanada

CAUT 2009

Leaks in the Academic Leaks in the Academic PipelinePipeline

US Faculty, Mason & Goulden, 2003

Women Faculty – Job or Family?Women Faculty – Job or Family?

Wolfinger et al. 2008

Women faculty have fewer Women faculty have fewer children than male facultychildren than male faculty

““Rather than blatant discrimination against Rather than blatant discrimination against women, it is the long work hours and the women, it is the long work hours and the required travel, precisely at the time when required travel, precisely at the time when most women with advanced degrees have most women with advanced degrees have children and begin families, that force children and begin families, that force them to leave the fast-track professions” them to leave the fast-track professions” (Mason and Goulden, 2004)(Mason and Goulden, 2004)

Who Gets Tenure?Who Gets Tenure?

% Ph.D.s with Young Children Who Gain Tenure

0

20

40

60

80

100

% Ph.D.s

Men Women

US Faculty, Mason & Goulden, 2003

Wolfinger et al., 2008 show that family and Wolfinger et al., 2008 show that family and children account for the lower rate at children account for the lower rate at which women obtain tenure-track jobs. which women obtain tenure-track jobs. Marriage also presents a barrier to Marriage also presents a barrier to securing tenure-track positionssecuring tenure-track positions

Stress, Family Life and Stress, Family Life and AcademiaAcademia

CAUT studyCAUT study Winner of the “Most Stressed Academic Winner of the “Most Stressed Academic

Award” are women in tenure-track Award” are women in tenure-track Stressed due to attempts to balance work with Stressed due to attempts to balance work with

family commitmentsfamily commitments Full professors least stressedFull professors least stressed

Women, Children and ScienceWomen, Children and Science “…“…The tenure system was set up for male The tenure system was set up for male

faculty, whose wives provided all the faculty, whose wives provided all the homemaking so their husbands could homemaking so their husbands could devote their energies solely to academic devote their energies solely to academic career advancement” (Bronstein, career advancement” (Bronstein, Rothblum and Solomon, 1993).Rothblum and Solomon, 1993).

Married women are less mobile than Married women are less mobile than single women. Being less mobile is single women. Being less mobile is detrimental to an academic career. Mobile detrimental to an academic career. Mobile faculty are more likely to hold a tenure-faculty are more likely to hold a tenure-track position and hold higher academic track position and hold higher academic rank. (Trower, 2001).rank. (Trower, 2001).

Men, Children and ScienceMen, Children and Science Having children does not reduce a man’s Having children does not reduce a man’s

competitiveness compared with childless competitiveness compared with childless men. Same percentage find a tenure track men. Same percentage find a tenure track position and receive tenure. position and receive tenure.

For men, whether or not have children For men, whether or not have children does not impact careerdoes not impact career

56% of male faculty members have 56% of male faculty members have spouses that are employed full-time, spouses that are employed full-time, compared to 89% of female faculty compared to 89% of female faculty members (Jacobs, 2004).members (Jacobs, 2004).

Who Does the Child Care?Who Does the Child Care?

Women Faculty – Job or Family?Women Faculty – Job or Family?

“…“…while focusing on professional while focusing on professional outcomes as the measure of gender outcomes as the measure of gender equality, women have failed to notice that equality, women have failed to notice that the gap between the family outcomes of the gap between the family outcomes of men and women, as measured by men and women, as measured by marriage and children, has greatly marriage and children, has greatly widened.”widened.”

Women should be able to have a family Women should be able to have a family and scientific career, just as men areand scientific career, just as men are

Mason and Gouldson, 2003Mason and Gouldson, 2003

Child Care at Canadian Child Care at Canadian UniversitiesUniversities

DalhousieDalhousie 4 mos - 9 years4 mos - 9 years All yearAll year After school programAfter school program Summer schoolSummer school Subsidized (grad students)Subsidized (grad students)

Some university daycares have very Some university daycares have very extensive programs (e.g. York, Brock, extensive programs (e.g. York, Brock, Guelph, Waterloo)Guelph, Waterloo)

Canadian universities often Canadian universities often have high quality daycare. have high quality daycare.

Problem: accessibilityProblem: accessibility Wait lists typically 1 to 2 yearsWait lists typically 1 to 2 years

e.g. Guelph. 875 names on waiting list for 111 e.g. Guelph. 875 names on waiting list for 111 spaces. spaces.

At some universities, students have priority over At some universities, students have priority over faculty faculty

Expensive (e.g. Guelph, full time, approx. Expensive (e.g. Guelph, full time, approx. $1,100/month). (late pick up fines $1/min)$1,100/month). (late pick up fines $1/min)

Proposals to Assist Women Proposals to Assist Women with Families Stay in Science-with Families Stay in Science-

UniversitiesUniversities

Affordable, accessible campus day careAffordable, accessible campus day care After school programs, summer programs, After school programs, summer programs,

emergency back-up childcare (e.g. drop-in emergency back-up childcare (e.g. drop-in service)service)

Proposals to Assist Women Proposals to Assist Women with Families Stay in Science-with Families Stay in Science-

UniversitiesUniversities Reduced committee work and teaching Reduced committee work and teaching

load for women with young childrenload for women with young children Tenure-clock stoppageTenure-clock stoppage Institutional commitment to assist new Institutional commitment to assist new

faculty with academic spousefaculty with academic spouse Discount family related gaps when hiring Discount family related gaps when hiring

facultyfaculty

Proposals to Assist Women Proposals to Assist Women with Families Stay in Science-with Families Stay in Science-

Gov’tGov’t

Tax reformTax reform Total cost of daycare should be deductible Total cost of daycare should be deductible

expense (not first $7,000). Other costs of expense (not first $7,000). Other costs of business have no deduction limit.business have no deduction limit.

NSERC InitiativesNSERC Initiatives

Chair for Women in Science and Chair for Women in Science and EngineeringEngineering

Former University Faculty Awards (UFA)Former University Faculty Awards (UFA)

NSERC InitiativesNSERC Initiatives

Grad students and Post Docs eligible for 4 Grad students and Post Docs eligible for 4 month maternity/parental leavemonth maternity/parental leave

NSERC faculty can ask for extension of NSERC faculty can ask for extension of current grant 1 to 2 yearscurrent grant 1 to 2 years

Women Faculty in BiologyWomen Faculty in Biology

CAUT 2009

Many women enter non-tenure track Many women enter non-tenure track positions (Wolfinger, 2009).positions (Wolfinger, 2009).

Positions offer benefits to women with Positions offer benefits to women with children: can be part time, widely children: can be part time, widely available.available.

Returning is harder, but not impossible, Returning is harder, but not impossible, from these positions.from these positions.

Approx. 1 in 4 people who leave tenure-Approx. 1 in 4 people who leave tenure-track return (Wolfinger, 2009)track return (Wolfinger, 2009)

Best odds, lecturers, soft money research Best odds, lecturers, soft money research positions.positions.

Allowing Easier Re-entry from Allowing Easier Re-entry from Non-Tenure Track Positions Non-Tenure Track Positions Could Substantially Increase Could Substantially Increase Number of Women Faculty Number of Women Faculty

Proposals to Assist Women Proposals to Assist Women with Families Stay in Science-with Families Stay in Science-

NSERCNSERC

Special Post Doctoral Fellowships for Special Post Doctoral Fellowships for women re-entering sciencewomen re-entering science

Suggestions for Women in Suggestions for Women in Science with FamiliesScience with Families

Renegotiate child care and housework Renegotiate child care and housework with partnerwith partner

Live near relativesLive near relatives Develop network of other mothers, Develop network of other mothers,

neighbours etc. for babysitting, supportneighbours etc. for babysitting, support