[The original is in TeX. I converted it to Postscript and to
ASCII. Finally, I did some reformatting manually- Carl]
Final Report of the Committee on the Status of
Women Graduate Students and Faculty
in the College of Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL 61801 USA
June 30, 1993
Abstract
In the spring of 1993, Dean Schowalter convened a committee
to examine the status of women faculty and graduate students in
the College of Engineering. This document contains the
committee's final report and recommendations to the Dean.
1 Introduction
In the spring of 1993, Dean Schowalter convened a committee to examine
the status of women faculty and graduate students in the College of
Engineering. The committee met during the spring 1993 semester, and
this document contains our final report and recommendations to the
Dean.
The Dean's charge to the committee is reproduced below:
Engineering traditionally has been shunned as a course of study
by American women, possibly because of public perception of a
man with muddy boots and a hard hat on a construction site.
This view was probably encouraged by many men in order to
preserve the men's club. But times have changed and so will the
field of engineering. More women must be convinced that
engineering is a challenging field offering personal
satisfaction and economic advancement. The profession must
value the intellect, vigor and creativity of women in order to
serve all of society. Yet barriers exist and the number of
women engineers and their rank in the profession is far from
equality with men. This represents an opportunity for
enrichment of the field in both numbers and outlook; but more
important, some barriers are artificial, discriminatory and not
perceptual. The College of Engineering must undergo a
self-examination to identify and diminish the barriers to women
regardless of their origin. To this end, two committees will be
formed; one to study the situation for undergraduate women and
the other for graduate students and faculty. The charge to each
committee is:
o To examine the climate in the College of Engineering for
the attraction and the academic and professional
development of women.
o To quantify, if feasible, the degree to which a hostile
environment, sexual discrimination or harassment in the
college has created a disincentive for learning and
development of women.
o To recommend policy and operational changes in the
college that will ensure equal opportunity for women.
o To report to the dean by May 15, 1993 the findings and
recommendations of the committee.
The committee members were Marianne Winslett (chair), Carl Altstetter,
Helen Huang, Vicki Jones, Trudy Kriven, Susan Lamb, Burks Oakley,
Deborah Thurston, William Walker, and Susan Wrightson. Committee
members were drawn from many different departments of the College (CS,
ECE, MIE, MSE, GE, Physics, CE), and included faculty, graduate
students, and staff.
The chilly climate for women in science and engineering has been
documented in detail by others (see [Spertus 1991] for an excellent
discussion of factors that keep women out of science and engineering,
as well as an excellent collection of citations of relevant material).
For example, the National Research Council determined:
The high rate of attrition of women in the field of S&E are
seldom related to only academic talent and achievement. The
major factors are the climate of the workplace, the
competitiveness, subtle forms of sexual harrassment, off-track
assignments, or limited responsibilities, and lack of
encouragement. Other factors are lower salaries and promotion
rates, inappropriate responses to reproductive hazards, and
lack of provision for child-care. In addition, they also
encounter subtle forms of women completing studies in
traditionally masculine fields often encounter discrimination
called "micro-inequities". For example, women who try to
participate in classroom discussion are ignored or in-
terrupted more frequently than men by both faculty and male
students. There is also indication that faculty, teaching
assistants and graduate students from certain cultures are
less accustomed to the presence of female students in the
classroom and laboratory and may discriminate against women
consciously or unconciously [NRC 92].
This report will focus on immediate actions that the committee
recommends to improve the climate for women in the College of
Engineering at the University of Illinois. Because Illinois produces a
significant fraction of the nation's engineers, changes made here can
have a significant effect on the national supply of female scientists
and engineers. We believe that most of our recommended changes can be
beneficial for other underrepresented groups in engineering, and, in
many cases, for all engineers. We also list measures that we recommend
for future action.
The committee recommends the following immediate actions, which will
be described in detail in succeeding sections:
1. Establish a "Women in Engineering" program.
2. Establish a mentoring program for all new faculty in the
College of Engineering.
3. Establish a mentoring program for female graduate students in
the College of Engineering.
4. Publicize the University's policy on sexual harassment as it
applies to computer usage in open laboratories.
5. Improve access to women's restrooms in the College.
6. Publicize appropriate ways of treating women in the classroom.
The remainder of this report is organized as follows. Section 2
contains our recommendations for immediate action. Section 3 contains
our recommendations for future action.
2 Immediate Recommendations
2.1 Establish a "Women in Engineering" Program
Major engineering and science schools across the nation---including
Purdue, University of Washington, Cornell, Michigan, Georgia Tech,
Maryland, Colorado, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Dartmouth, and Carnegie
Mellon---have established programs for women in engineering (WIE) and/or
science. These programs act in concert with local grass-roots
organizations (such as our own SWE and AWIS/OWIS) to recruit and
retain women students in science and engineering through a variety of
activities, extending from elementary school outreach programs through
graduate-level programs. WIE programs typically operate through a
combination of professional administration, work-study students as
staff members, and grass-roots volunteers, using funds obtained from
the university, government, and industry. To be successful, WIE
programs generally require the commitment of one full-time
administrator. The committee has collected information on WIE programs
around the nation (available on request). The committee recommends
that the College of Engineering establish a WIE program.
The committee also recommends that the College join the Women in
Engineering Program Advocates Network (WEPAN). WEPAN's focus is on
aiding the establishment and growth of WIE programs around the world.
WEPAN provides literature on existing WIE programs (their goals,
newsletters, individual programs, fund raising efforts, new ideas,
etc.), and offers the advice of their staff to help guide WIE
programs. When an organization is interested in providing special
programs for women in engineering, the task is much more likely to
succeed with the support of WEPAN. At the May 1993 "Women in
Engineering" conference in Washington DC, directors of WIE programs
around the world emphasized that they could not have begun many of
their activities without the resources (materials, personnel, and
ideas) of WEPAN. The committee has collected information on WEPAN
(available on request).
2.2 Mentoring Program for New Faculty
New assistant professors face a multitude of challenges as they adapt
to their new role. For some, the transition is harder than for others
[Spertus 1991]:
I was ... the first full-time woman faculty member in my
department. There really was difficulty among my male
colleagues in associating with a woman as a colleague. I think
they literally did not know how to talk to me, and as a
consequence often just did not talk to me. They would ignore
me. They would not invite me to have lunch with them, which was
a very ordinary experience there ... they would walk past my
office and ask the next person and never ask me. [Years later]
I asked one of my colleagues why this was so. And he said, `You
know what would happen if I asked you to lunch ... People would
talk' ([Clark et al 1986, pages 36-37] in [Sandler 1986, pages
7-8]).
At this time of transition, a mentor can be invaluable [Spertus 1991]:
The sponsor may serve many functions for the protege. First,
the sponsor introduces and initiates the protege in the
customs, demands, and expectations of academic life. Second,
the sponsor shares his or her wisdom and knowledge with the
protege, and provides encouragement and comments on his or her
work. Third, the sponsor can provide career assistance for the
protege by making recommendations to his or her colleagues at
other institutions, or simply by sharing a bit of the deflected
glow from his or her own shining reputation. Perhaps most
important, the sponsor helps to form with the protege the sense
of him or herself as a member of the profession, encouraging
and fostering a self-image as a legitimate member of the
community of scholars [Simeone 1987, page 101].
The committee recommends that the College establish a mentoring
program for all new faculty. In the following subsections, we present
a set of guidelines for the program, followed by additional
information on faculty mentoring. Our intent is that this information
form a brochure to be given to all participants in the mentoring
program.
2.2.1 Guidelines for Mentoring Programs for New Faculty in the College
of Engineering
Objective: To assist incoming faculty members, particularly assistant
professors, to succeed in their new roles as professors. An
established faculty member is chosen to act as a mentor, that is, a
trusted counselor or guide.
Rationale: There are countless adjustments that a new faculty member,
particularly one just beginning a professional career, must make to
feel comfortable and thrive in a new environment. A modest investment
of time by a mentor can ameliorate many problems that arise and
decrease tensions that accompany new responsibilities as a faculty
member. This is especially so when the person is new to the community
and new to the culture.
Guidelines: The following guidelines are proposed to assist
departments in establishing a mentoring program for new faculty
members.
1. As soon as a finalist for a faculty position is identified, the
department head will designate someone as a pro tem mentor. The
pro tem mentor can assist or be a member of the recruitment
committee.
2. As soon as an appointment is made, the pro tem mentor will
offer assistance to the new faculty member. The pro tem mentor
will monitor on-campus preparations for the arrival of the new
faculty member.
3. After arrival, the pro tem mentor will assist the new faculty
member in choosing a mentor or mentors for a longer term
relationship.
4. Goals for the relationship should be set by the mentor and the
new faculty member and outcomes assessed against these goals.
5. A mentor may facilitate the new faculty member's development in
all three aspects of a professor's mission: research, teaching
and public service. A mentor could also help the new faculty
member to feel at home in the university and the community.
6. In the choice of pro tem and continuing mentor, consideration
should be made of gender, nationality, ethnicity, cultural
background and field of specialization.
7. Where appropriate, more than one mentor may be desirable. A
mentor need not be in the same department as the new faculty
member.
8. The department head is responsible for assessing the success of
the mentoring process. At least once a year the head should
evaluate each relationship and may suggest changes, where
appropriate.
The College of Engineering will assist new faculty members and mentors
by sponsoring orientation programs on effective teaching, preparing
and submitting research proposals, managing time and finding help on
special problems. The department and college should nourish the
development of a corps of volunteer mentors by giving appropriate
recognition to mentors, sponsoring periodic gatherings and comparing
best practices.
The following sections of this document give general information about
faculty mentoring, including specific suggestions for possible areas
of interaction between mentor and new faculty member. These
sections have been adapted from a compendium of information on
mentoring that appeared in Information Brochure for Incoming Women
Faculty, published by the Women Faculty Network at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 1992.
2.2.2 The Mentor Profile
The mentor profile which follows outlines the mentor's role for the
mentor and the department head and acts as a guide for the new faculty
member (`protege') in selecting mentors. The most important tasks of a
good mentor are to help the protege achieve excellence and to act as
an active, assertive advocate or sponsor for the junior faculty member
to the department, the dean and colleagues within and outside the
University of Illinois.
Qualities of a good mentor
Examples of good mentoring have included the following:
o Advocacy: The mentor should be willing to argue in support of
the junior faculty member for space, funds, students.
o Accessibility: The mentor must make time to be available to the
protege. The mentor might keep in contact by dropping by,
calling, sending e-mail, or inviting the protege to lunch. The
mentor should make time to ask questions and read proposals and
papers, and for periodic reviews of progress.
o Networking: The mentor should have enough experience and
contacts to be able to help establish a professional network for
the protege.
o Independence: The mentor must not be in competition with the
protege; the protege's intellectual independence from the
mentor must be carefully preserved.
Tasks for the mentor Long term goals
o Every mentor should ask:
+ What should the professional profile of the protege be?
+ Where should the protege be in his or her career during
the first three years?
+ How can the mentor facilitate this?
o The mentor should explain the department's typical or general
criteria for promotion and tenure and impart any flexibility
that exists in the promotion/tenure schedule The mentor should
be aware that there is no one rigid set of requirements for
junior faculty, but that there are acceptable ranges of
performance in various categories (e.g.. scholarship,
publications, supervision of graduate students, presentations
at conferences, funding, changing the field, teaching,
administrative duties, consulting, collaborations with
colleagues).
o The mentor should inform other senior faculty of the protege's
progress.
o The mentor should help the protege develop many options for the
future; from the beginning, the mentor and protege should plan
for multiple job opportunities.
Shorter term goals
o Help sort out priorities: budgeting time, publications,
teaching, setting up a lab for experimental work, committees.
o Give advice on how to deal with difficulties, e.g., lab space,
secretarial support, access to students.
o Help with networking, introductions to colleagues,
identification of other possible mentors for the protege.
o Help get research support: contacts, access to agencies.
o Compliment protege's achievements, inform colleagues of
protege's achievements.
o Explain how to say no to certain demands on the protege's time.
Changing mentors
o A protege should change mentors if the mentor is clearly and
consistently uninterested in him or her, if the mentor
consistently depresses the protege by undervaluing his or her
abilities, if the mentor displays any other signs of
undermining the relationship (e.g., racial, sexual, ethnic or
other prejudice), or if there simply is incompatibility.
o A protege should add a mentor if the current mentor consistently
cannot answer questions or offer advice.
2.2.3 Questions for Thought: A Guide For New Faculty and Their Mentors
1. Before Coming to the University of Illinois
(a) General
o How should your time be divided among teaching,
advising, fundraising, administration, committee
work and other service (departmental, institute and
outside), research and consulting? What else?
o How do you get consulting? How much should you do?
o What resources are there at the U of I to help you
get settled (housing, loans, child care office. What
details do you need to find out about benefits,
moving, ...)? What U of I publications should you get
(Bulletin, Student/Staff Directory)? What offices
should you contact? What mailing lists do you
need/want to be on?
o Who are good resource people to ask these and other
questions?
(b) Research and Resources
o Are you responsible for finding your own money? What
expenses are you expected to cover? How much will this
cost?
o How do you go about getting startup funds? How (if at
all) will your summer be funded? How do you buy
equipment? What travel support can you expect from
your department? o Do you need to write a proposal
before coming to the U of I? How soon afterwards?
o How is lab space allocated? How is equipment
maintenance paid for? How much support staff time is
covered by the department?
o What other labs are available for cross-disciplinary
research efforts at the U of I? Elsewhere?
(c) Teaching
o What is the normal teaching load in your
department?
2. On Arrival
(a) General
o How do the mechanics of your department/lab
work (e.g., purchase orders)?
o How is your
department organized? (Divisions, committees?) How
are decisions made?
o What should you expect from
your support staff ? What fraction of a support staff
member's time is typical? What kind of work can you
expect from him/her?
(b) Research and Resources
o How important are grants? How do
you get hooked into the grant-writing process? Where
should you look? Who can help you to find out where to
meet people, to write the best possible proposal, to
draw up a budget? How much effort should you be
investing in fundraising? What are the tradeoffs? o
Who, if anyone, will "introduce you around" to
government funding agencies and others?
o How do the
Industrial Affiliates programs work? What can they do
for you?
3. Later
(a) Research and Resources
o What conferences should you go
to? Do you need to have papers accepted? How
much travel is allowed/expected/demanded? Is it
better to go to large conferences or smaller
workshops? Should you give the papers or should
your students? If the latter, how else can you gain
the type of exposure necessary for good tenure
letters?
o Authorship etiquette: Should you put your graduate
students' names on your papers? Should you put them
ahead of your own? How important is first authorship?
How is alphabetical listing of authors viewed? o
Where should you publish? What should you publish?
How much/often? Are there quantity/quality standards
for promotion? How do journal/chapters in edited
collections/(refereed or unrefereed) conferences
compare? Should you write/edit a book? Special issue?
o May material published in one place (workshop,
conference) be submitted to another (journal)? How
much new work is necessary to make it a "new"
publication? What is the etiquette for reporting prior
publication or submission?
o Is it worthwhile to
prepare technical reports and send them to colleagues
elsewhere?
o Should you give talks within your
department? How often? How should you publicize your
work within your department? What about your graduate
students? How are the colloquia in your department
organized?
o Should you give talks at other
universities/industrial sites? How often? Where?
How important is this? How do you get invited to give
such talks?
o Is collaborative work encouraged or
discouraged in your department/field? With other
members of your department? With international
colleagues? With colleagues who are more senior/better
known? With junior colleagues/graduate students?
Long-standing collaborations, or single efforts? How
important is it to have some singly authored papers?
o Should you form a research group? What sorts of
activities should the group do, as opposed to you and
an individual student?
(b) Student Supervision
o How important are graduate students? How many should
you expect to have? How many graduate students is too
many? How much time/effort should you be investing in
your graduate students? How much advising should you
expect to do?
o How do you identify good graduate students? What
qualities should you look for? How aggressive should
you be in recruiting them? Do you need to find
money/equipment/office space for them? What should you
expect from your graduate students? How do you
identify a problem graduate student?
o How do you promote your graduate students to the rest of the
community (at the U of I and nationally/
internationally)?
o Similar questions for undergraduate research
assistants: Should you them? How many? What kind of
commitment in time, effort, and resources should you
expect to make? What kind of return should you expect?
o What should you keep in files on your students?
Remember that you will have to write reviews and
recommendations for them.
(c) Teaching
o What are you expected to teach? Graduate,
undergraduate, seminar, lecture, discussion, special
topic?
o Which are the good subjects to teach?
o Is it good to teach the same course, or stay within a
single area, or teach around? Is it a good thing to
develop a new course? An undergraduate course? A
specialized course in your research area?
o How can you use a special topics course to get a new
research project off the ground?
o How much time should you spend on your classes?
o Will you have a teaching assistant for your class? Who
will select him/her? What can you expect a teaching
assistant to do?
o Are there guidelines for grading?
(d) Administrivia
o How much time should you spend advising academic counselees?
o How much committee work should you expect? Which
committees should you turn down if asked to serve? How
much time should you expect to spend on committee work?
Department vs. University of Illinois versus outside?
o What types of outside service should you do while
untenured? Paper and proposal reviewing? Review boards?
Journal assistant editorships?
(e) Review Procedures
o For how long is your appointment? When will you come
up for review? What sort of review? What is the process
(who, what do they look for, how will you hear about it,
etc.)? How will this repeat during the pre-tenure years?
o How should you go about finding people to write
references for you? How many will you need? From where?
International/domestic?
o What is your department/school's official form for
your faculty record? Where can you get one? What does it
include? What other vital information should you keep?
o What should go in your dossier? Should you send copies
of congratulatory letters to your department head?
Others?
o What types of raises are typical? When will you find
out about your raise? How?
o How can you get feedback on your performance?
(f ) Personal Issues
o What special resources do your department and the U
of I have for women and minorities? For family issues?
o What policies does the U of I have for family and
personal leave? Since most of these policies are
administered at the departmental level, how are such
things handled in your department?
o How visible must one be in the department? Is it OK or
detrimental if most work is done at home?
o Who is the ombudsperson and what matters does s/he
deal with?
o How should you record any controversial matters? Whom
do you go to about disputes?
2.2.4 List of Useful University Publications
"Facts about the University of Illinois" "Some Facts About the College
of Engineering" Bulletin and appropriate departmental directories and
bulletins Student/staff telephone directory Department Research
Summary Undergraduate and graduate study manuals and programs Course
catalog Faculty newsletters Benefits information Interim Guidelines
and Procedures on Conflicts of Interest Policies "Take Action": a
brochure on avoiding sexual harassment
2.3 Peer Mentoring Program for First Year Female Graduate Students
The National Science Foundation has voiced a widely-held concern that
women be encouraged to participate in research and education in
traditionally male-dominated fields such as science and engineering.
To this end, we recommend that the College of Engineering at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign establish a peer mentoring
program for first year women graduate students as they enroll in
Engineering College Programs.
The mentoring program's main purpose is to increase the retention rate
among female engineers by aiding first year students to find their
niche in overwhelmingly male departments. In addition to increasing
the retention rate, we anticipate that this support will also
encourage more undergraduate female students to attend graduate school
in Engineering and to continue their research after receiving a
master's degree. Says a recent female PhD in Engineering:
I am a firm believer in the mentoring process - without other
graduate students['] support, it would have been very hard for
me to complete the PhD. They are there just when you get
discouraged and that is often at the beginning and towards the
end of the graduate career. It is at the beginning that you
have not made friends yet and don't know where to turn with all
of your questions. Mentors can be lifesavers!
The mentoring program's goals can be achieved by matching first year
female graduate students with volunteers from among the current female
graduate student population. This matching will be aided by the
completion of a brief survey by the new students and volunteers
indicating their research interests and background. The volunteers
will be briefed on the peer mentoring program and their
responsibilities. Once the new students arrive on campus, there will
be a gathering to introduce the students and mentors. Ideally, there
will be one incoming student per mentor. Following the introductions,
mentoring will proceed informally, with each mentor acting as a new
student's unofficial guide to the department. The mentors will be
available to give advice on a wide range of topics that the new
student might not be able to discuss with just anyone. In order to
sustain the momentum gained in the first year, the program will also
sponsor periodic informal social meetings of all incoming and
established women graduate students to nurture networking both during
student years as well as after graduation and departure from the
University.
The remaining sections of this proposal provide the details of
operation for the Mentor Program. Section 2.3.1 provides the
semesterly activities which must occur for success of the program.
Section 2.3.2 describes the Engineering College responsibilities.
Sections 2.3.4, 2.3.3, and 2.3.5 provide a sample survey and sample
letters.
2.3.1 Peer Mentor Program Activities
The first major activity for the incoming students in the peer
mentoring program will be a college sponsored gathering. This meeting
is called the introductions meeting as it is intended to acquaint each
new graduate student with the College of Engineering, her new
department, the women faculty, and the women graduate students in her
new department.
The introductions meeting will begin as a gathering of all
participating new female graduate students and volunteer mentors
within the college. They will be welcomed to the college and
introduced to the mentoring program and other relevant aspects of
campus life. This college wide meeting will adjourn to departmental
gatherings of the women faculty, continuing women graduate students,
department head, and graduate program director. Since we do not
expect the peer mentors to have all the answers, the individual
departmental gatherings will aid new students in developing contacts
with other established females in our predominantly male departments.
In addition to attending this introductions meeting, each mentor will
be responsible for contacting her assigned new student before arrival,
to answer any preliminary questions. After arrival, the mentor is
responsible for being generally available for answering questions from
her protege.
As each new graduate student is different and will have her own needs
and concerns, the peer mentoring program provides no formal
requirements on mentoring pairs other than attendance at the
introductions meeting. The following list of potential mentor
activities will serve as a guide to further interaction.
o Offer aid to new student in relocating to Champaign-Urbana.
o Make personal contact with protege weekly during her
first semester.
o Take protege to dinner/entertainment with other
graduate students monthly during her first semester.
o Explain the department's graduate examination
structure to the new student.
o Give `inside information' on relevant course offerings
for the new student.
o Give tips to the new student on study group formation
and time management.
o Explain important departmental rules to the new student.
The peer mentoring program will also aid recruitment of new female
graduate students. By sending personal letters to a potential new
female student, and hosting the potential student during campus
visits, the mentoring volunteers can convey the College's
encouragement of women in engineering and offer assistance in making
the decision to attend the University of Illinois. While not included
in the breakdown of activities in subsequent sections, this
recruitment activity is strongly recommended to College departments.
2.3.2 Engineering College Support
The peer mentoring program will require an administrator at the
College level to organize volunteers, oversee activities, and
arrange the necessary meetings. In addition, departmental level
activities must be organized by the department's graduate recruitment
officer. Since students enter graduate school in both the Fall and
Spring semesters, the peer mentoring program will have the following
college-wide activities each semester:
o Training meeting for new mentors.
o Introductions meeting for new students.
In chronological order, the detailed activities required for each
semester are:
o Organize the College-wide introductions meeting (done
by College administrator). This meeting entails:
+ welcoming new students to the college (Dean of
Engineering),
+ speeches by various other university persons (Mary
Ellen O'Shaughnessey, etc.),
+ presenting an overview of the college and the
mentoring program, and
+ adjourning to the departmental meeting.
o Organize the departmental introductions meetings (done
by departmental graduate recruiting officers). It is
held directly following the college meeting and
includes:
+ welcoming new students to the department (Head of
Department),
+ introducing each new student to her mentor, and
+ providing refreshments to all women in the department.
o Solicit volunteers as mentors. (Done largely by
department recruiting officers; overseen by College
administration.)
+ Maintain list of all female graduate students in
the Engineering College. (Done by departments.)
+ Send mail asking for volunteers (include outline of
mentor responsibilities). (College provides form
letter; department distributes it.)
o Distribute and collect the surveys from volunteers.
(Department)
o Plan and organize the training meeting for volunteers.
(College)
o Distribute and collect the surveys from new students.
(Department)
+ Obtain the names and addresses of arriving students
from departmental academic offices.
+ Send each new student an overview of the program, a
survey, and a return envelope.
o Match students and mentors. (Department)
o Plan and organize next introductions meeting.
(Department and College)
o Interview/solicit comments from participants about the
success of the program. Update activities and program
guidelines based on feedback.
Besides the introductions meeting, each department should sponsor at
least one additional together for all graduate women per semester.
While the focus of the meeting should be graduate women, for several
reasons it is usually highly beneficial to extend the invitation to
include guests of the women; this typically results in the attendance
of several coworkers, spouses, and/or small children. Between one and
four such meetings per semester will be appropriate, depending on the
department. The get-togethers can be organized by the department or by
individual faculty members or students, but refreshments for the
get-together should be funded by the department. Lunch or dinner is
often a convenient time for such a meeting. A faculty member's home
is an appealing venue for dinner-time get-togethers.
While such meetings will be organized at the departmental level, it is
the responsibility of the College administrator to verify that they
are indeed taking place, as with the other department-level
activities.
2.3.3 Letter to Volunteers
Mentor Program Administrator
College of Engineering
University of Illinois
106 Engineering Hall
1308 W. Green
Urbana, Illinois 61801
June 30, 1993
Dear Graduate Student,
It is with great pleasure that I announce to you the beginning of a
new peer mentoring program for female graduate students in the College
of Engineering. The Engineering Graduate Student Mentor Program will
aid first year female graduate students by pairing them with a
volunteer female "mentor" who is a currently enrolled student in the
same department. This mentor will be an unofficial source of
information about the college, department, and university.
The responsibilities of the mentor include completing the attached
survey (to aid in matching mentors with new graduate students),
attending an information meeting later this semester, attending an
introductory meeting with the new graduates and other mentors next
semester, and being available for the assigned new student. In
addition, mentors are asked to correspond with their new students
before the beginning of the semester to ease the transition process.
If you would like to participate in this program as a mentor, please
complete and return the enclosed survey. Your assistance in this
matter is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Mentor Program
Administrator
2.3.4 Survey
College of Engineering
Peer Mentor Program Survey
Deer Peer Mentoring Volunteer:
To help us match mentors and incoming graduate students, please
complete the following survey. Completed surveys will only be
available to the Mentor Program Administrator and departmental
graduate recruiting officer for the above-stated purpose. Please
return completed forms to the Mentor Program Administrator: Mentor
Program Administrator, College of Engineering, 106 Engr Hall, 1308 W
Green St., Urbana, Illinois, 61801 or via electronic mail at
mentor-admin@uiuc.edu.
Name: Department:
The following are optional (important in making a good match):
Marital Status: Age: Number of Children:
Nationality: Race:
Education
Degree Held Granting Institution/Department Year
Degree Goal: Major Field of Study:
Priority List of Research Interests:
Work Experience
Number of Years Work Experience:
Type of Work Experience:
Personal Interests
Hobbies:
Favorite Sport:
Favorite Type of Book:
Additional Comments:
2.3.5 Letter to Incoming Graduate Students
Mentor Program Administrator
College of Engineering
University of Illinois
106 Engineering Hall
1308 W. Green Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801
June 30, 1993
Dear New Graduate Student,
It is with great pleasure that I announce to you the beginning of a
new mentoring program for female graduate students in the College of
Engineering. The Engineering Graduate Student Mentor Program aids
first year female graduate students by assigning them a volunteer
female "mentor" who is a currently enrolled student in their
department. This mentor is an unofficial source of information about
the college, department, and university.
As a new female graduate student in the College of Engineering, you
are invited to participate in the program. Your mentor will be chosen
based on your answers to the attached survey. You will meet your
mentor and others participating in the program at a special gathering
the first week of classes. Your mentor is responsible for being
generally available to answer questions and ease your transition into
graduate school at the University of Illinois.
If you would like to participate in this program, please complete and
return the enclosed survey.
Sincerely,
Mentor Program
Administrator
2.4 Sexual Harassment Awareness Program for Public Computing Labs
Sexual harassment is a problem of unrecognized proportions on college
campuses. Spertus [1991] writes, "A recent survey of Harvard students
and faculty revealed:
Thirty-two percent of the tenured female professors, 49 percent
of those without tenure, 41 percent of the female graduate
students, and 34 percent of the undergraduate women reported
having been sexually harassed by a person in authority at least
once during their time at Harvard. Fifteen percent of the
graduate students and twelve percent of the undergraduates
reporting harassment consequently changed their academic plans
because of it. Most did not report the incidents [Simeone 1987,
page 115-116]."
Computer-based forms of sexual harassment are a problem o campuses
across the nation, and unfortunately the University of Illinois is no
exception. Most schools either ignore the problem or put together a
sweeping policy banning offensive actions, which at several of our
sister Big Ten schools has been struck down in court as a violation of
the First Amendment (e.g., Wisconsin and Michigan). With the help of
Carl Kadie, an expert on the rights of the individual, we have put
together a program which we believe will be both effective and legal.
To explain some of the difficulties in engineering a successful
policy, we quote from Spertus [1991]:
Some computer science graduate students and staff at Carnegie
Mellon were sufficiently disturbed by the display of nude
pictures as backgrounds on computer terminals that they got
together and tried to change the situation by publicly
appealing to the community. [CMU 1989] is a fascinating
report describing their appeal and the friendly and hostile
reactions. Their appeal included the following passage:
When a woman sees such a display on your workstation, is
she likely to believe that you take her seriously as a
fully contributing member of the department? Rather,
she may feel that you could be a source of sexual
harassment, and feel hostile towards you, or nervous
about working with you. If so, that is a loss for you,
for her, and for all of us. Among the visitors to the
department, some of whom are prospective students,
staff, or faculty, there are surely some who will view
us as unprofessional if they see these displays, and
this hurts us all, too. Conversely, an environment more
hospitable to women --- specifically, one in which
relations between women and men are less strained --- is
of clear benefit to men as well. For some people,
displays of naked women on workstations, or elsewhere in
offices, remind them of the forces in our culture that
view women as sexual playthings, not as men's peers.
For others, such reactions do not occur. People who are
offended will interpret such displays as derogatory,
even if that is not your intent. We therefore ask you to
refrain from using them out of respect for those who are
offended, even if you believe the offended people are
just overly sensitive [CMU 1989, page 2].
The appeal closed by making clear that they were not advocating
banning such displays but were requesting that people
voluntarily remove them out of sensitivity to others.
Responses about the appropriateness of the displays and of the
appeal were mixed and are categorized in the report. Negative
reactions included the position that the writers
were advocating censorship "like the Nazis or the Ayatollah
Khomeini," that people should not be asked to change their
behavior merely because of what others might think, and that a
public appeal was inappropriate but instead should have been
made by individuals to individuals. Of those agreeing, the
majority of responses said that the request was reasonable and
not an attempt at censorship, that it prevented people from
unintentionally giving offense, and that it was effective at
raising consciousness. In response to the criticism that
individuals should complain personally, several women wrote
that "[w]omen asking for changes in behavior individually are
exposed to ridicule and abuse" [CMU 1989, page 4]. This point
was echoed by a woman quoted in a paper about the "Garden", a
laboratory in the MIT Media Lab:
[W]hen comments are made about the offensive nature of
the music or movies, they are often ignored, or
belittled, or are chortled at. Ironically, once you are
labeled a feminist in the Garden, your comments are
taken less seriously, because you are considered radical
and your judgment less fair [Tidwell 1990, page 14].
Both the Carnegie-Mellon and Garden papers conclude that the attempts
at changing people's behavior were somewhat, but not highly,
successful. In brief, the committee recommends the following actions,
which are described in detail in subsequent sections.
o Create a poster to be displayed in every public
computer laboratory, describing the university policy on
sexual harassment, giving examples of computer-related
harassment via, for example, bitmaps, audio, messages,
etc., and explaining how to report offenses.
o Create a notice to send to system administrators and
to site operators, requesting that they display the
posters in prominent locations on- and off-line, and
providing them with instructions on what should be done
if an offense is reported to them.
o Modify the current brochure (or produce a new
brochure) on sexual harassment ("Take Action Against
Sexual Harassment") to include examples of harassment
via computer displays. Also, add a new section on
harassment to the recent CCSO publication Computing
Handbook for Students and Everyone Else: Using Computers
at the University of Illinois. Computer-based sexual
harassment is a problem in computer labs across the
campus, not just in the College of Engineering. We would
like to see our program extended to cover the whole
campus, and our requested actions with respect to the
Computing Handbook and "Take Action" brochure extend
beyond the borders of the Engineering College.
2.4.1 Poster
The following page presents our recommended poster for display in the
public laboratories. For off-line display, this poster should be
formatted into an eye-catching design (with assistance from graphics
artists), as otherwise it will be lost in the mass of announcements
currently displayed in public laboratories. The committee has found
that a graphics artist can be hired to design the poster for
approximately $100, and we recommend that the Dean commission the
design of the poster this summer, so that it will be printed and in
place by the beginning of the fall semester. For on-line display, the
contents of the poster should be placed on-line and used as the
message-of-the-day, or other prominent electronic display, at regular
intervals throughout the semester.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT:
Are you aware?
The University Code on Campus Affairs and Handbook of Policies and
Regulations Applying to All Students states:
"Sexual harassment is any . . . statement that a reasonable
person would find offensive, humiliating, or an interference
with his or her required tasks or career opportunities at the
University.. . . When sexual harassment is found to have
occurred, the University wil l vigorously pursue disciplinary
action."
Users of these terminals should be aware of the public nature of
shared facilities, and take care not to display images or play sounds
which could create an atmosphere of harassment for others. Similar
considerations apply to electronic mail exchanges.
Anyone who finds a particular sexually-oriented image or sound to be
interfering with his or her required tasks can notify the site
operator (who will remind the person displaying the material of the
sexual harassment policy). If the problem persists, contact the
Assistant Dean for Sexual Harassment, Mary Ellen O'Shaughnessey, at
333-9183.
2.4.2 Letter to System Administrators
To: System Administrators of Public Computer Rooms
The detrimental effects of sexual harassment have received much
national attention in recent months. Here at the University, some
sexual harassment problems arise from the lack of publicity and
misunderstandings about the University policy on sexual harassment. In
order to prevent future problems we are trying to increase the
awareness of the University population by making the policy more
accessible.
Enclosed with this letter are several notices on sexual harassment and
brochures clarifying the University policy. Please use the text of
the poster as an on-line message to be displayed at regular intervals
throughout the semester, e.g., as the message-of-the-day. Please post
the notices on sexual harassment at the University in several
prominent places in your public computer rooms and distribute the
brochures as necessary. Please instruct your personnel to do the
following when a complaint is reported to them:
1. Tell the alleged offender, "A complaint has been made about an
image/sound emanating from your workstation."
2. Give the alleged offender a copy of the Brochure on the
University Sexual Harassment Policy (enclosed; call 333-9183 to
request additional notices or brochures).
3. Make a note of the following, and return it to the system
administrator:
o Date, time, and place of alleged offense.
o Identity of the accused and accuser.
o Nature of the alleged offense.
This information must be kept confidential and retained for use
if a formal complaint is lodged against the alleged offender.
Enclosures: Notice on Sexual Harassment (poster on previous page),
Brochure on the University Sexual Harassment Policy
2.4.3 Example for Sexual Harassment Brochure
The "Take Action" brochure is published by the Office of Affirmative
Action at the Vice-Chancellor's Office. The committee recommends that
the brochure be amended to include an example that specifically
addresses computing-related harassment. Alternatively, the College
could produce a modified brochure that meets its needs. Our suggested
new example (taken directly from the experiences of a recent College
graduate):
Barbara is an undergraduate engineering major. When she goes to
the computer labs to do her homework, she finds some of her
male peers displaying images of scantily clad females. Barbara
feels uncomfortable and out of place in the lab when she sees
these pictures. The display of the pictures makes it difficult
for her to do her work.
The committee also recommends that a section on harassment be added to
CCSO's new publication, Computing Handbook for Students and Everyone
Else: Using Computers at the University of Illinois. Our suggested
text:
The University Code on Campus Affairs and Handbook of Policies
and Regulations Applying to All Students states:
Sexual harassment is any . . . statement that a
reasonable person would find offensive, humiliating, or
an interference with his or her required tasks or career
opportunities at the University.. . . When sexual
harassment is found to have occurred, the University
will vigorously pursue disciplinary action.
Users of CCSO facilities should be aware of the public nature
of shared facilities, and take care not to display images or
play sounds which could create an atmosphere of harassment for
others. Similar considerations apply to electronic mail
exchanges. Anyone who finds a particular sexually-oriented
image or sound to be interfering with his or her required tasks
can notify the site operator (who will remind the person
displaying the material of the sexual harassment policy). If
the problem persists, contact the Assistant Dean for Sexual
Harassment, Mary Ellen O'Shaughnessey, at 333-9183.
2.5 Women's Restrooms
Problems with women's restrooms in College buildings are an ongoing
source of frustration for students. Says a recent University of
Illinois Engineering alumna: "Being unable to find a restroom in some
buildings is really more of a problem than it sounds like it should
be. I finally discovered the very simple algorithm that the women's
bathrooms are always located close to the administrative offices
(where the secretaries are) and that made me feel less welcome. Also,
there is often a women's room in the basement or hidden at the very
end of a hallway (e.g., Mechanical Engineering)." Worse, in some
locations no women's restroom is accessible after business hours. To
alleviate the situation, we recommend the following actions:
1. Newmark. Current restrooms:
S201, S301, S401 --- women;
N203, N303, N403 --- men.
The second floor Newmark CCSO site is available after normal business
hours, but no women's restrooms there are accessible. The committee
recommends that the second floor Newmark men's restroom, which is very
large, be remodeled to contain both men's and women's restrooms. The
committee also recommends putting a sign on the first floor of
Newmark, with directions to both men's and women's restrooms:
Men's Restroom in N203
Women's Restroom in S203
2. Mechanical Engineering. Current restrooms:
129, 267 --- women;
167, 229 --- men.
Add signs on all restroom doors:
For 129: `Men's Restroom in 167' For 267: `Men's
Restroom in 229' For 167: `Women's Restroom in 129' For
229: `Women's Restroom in 267'
3. Everitt. Current restrooms:
138, 266, 332, and near 168 (no number) --- men;
239, next door to 138 (no number) --- women.
Put a sign on the door of the men's restroom near 168:
Women's Restroom by Room 138
4. Loomis. Current restrooms:
162, 268 --- women;
134, 214, 368 --- men.
Add signs on all restroom doors:
For 162: `Men's Restroom in 134' For 268: `Men's
Restroom in 214' For 134: `Women's Restroom in 162' For
214 and 368: `Women's Restroom in 268'
5. MRL. Current restrooms: B05, 255 --- women;
109, 209, 309 --- men.
Install signs on the men's restroom doors:
For 109: `Women's Restrooms in B05 and 255' For 209 and
309: `Women's Restroom in 255'
6. CSL. Current restrooms:
1-140, 270 --- women;
170, 117, 2-140 --- men.
The committee recommends that signs be installed as follows: For 2-140: `Women's Restroom in 1-140' For 1-140: `Men's
Restroom in 2-140' For 170 and 117: `Women's Restroom in
270' For 270: `Men's Restroom in 170'
7. Hydrolab.
Currently the only women's restroom is on the third floor. We
recommend that the women's restroom be moved to the second floor.
8. Talbot.
Current restrooms:
110, 128, 222, 304 --- men;
203, 320 --- women.
All restrooms are hard to find in this building. We recommend that
signs be placed on all restroom doors:
For 110, 128, and 222: `Women's Restroom in 203' For
304: `Women's Restroom in 320' For 203: `Men's Restroom
in 222' For 320: `Men's Restroom in 304'
We also recommend that one of the two first floor men's
restrooms be converted to a women's restroom.
9. Metallurgy and Mining. Current restrooms:
118, 218, 311 --- men;
225, 316 --- women.
Like Talbot, restrooms are hard to find in this building. We recommend
that signs be placed on all restroom doors:
For 118 and 218: `Women's Restroom in 225' For 311:
`Women's Restroom in 316' For 225: `Men's Restroom in
218' For 316: `Men's Restroom in 311'
10. Transportation. Current restrooms:
108, 311 --- men;
213 --- women.
We recommend that signs be placed on all restroom doors:
For 108 and 311: `Women's Restroom in 213' For 213:
`Men's Restrooms in 108 and 311'
11. Ceramics. The Ceramics building has restrooms on all three floors;
however, the only women's restroom in the building is on the third
floor. We recommend that the second floor men's room be changed to a
women's restroom, and that the third floor women's room be changed to
a men's restroom. Signs should also be placed on all three doors,
directing people to the nearest restrooms for the opposite sex.
12. DCL. Curent restrooms:
1402, 1414, 1522, 2104, 2418, 3301, L222 --- women;
1404, 1421, 1520, 1524, 2301, 2520, 3104, L224 --- men.
DCL has many restrooms, and directions to them are posted on some of
the signposts on DCL walls. But because DCL is such a confusing
building, its restrooms can be hard to find. We recommend that some of
the restrooms be equipped with signs:
For 3104: `Women's Restroom in 2104' For 2301: `Women's
Restrooms in 2418 and 3301' For 2104: `Men's Restroom in
3104' For 3301: `Men's Restroom in 2301'
2.6 Women in the Classroom
Study after study has shown that teachers treat males and females
differently in the classroom. To clarify the problem, we quote at
length from [Spertus 1991]:
In [Sandler 1986, Sandler 1988, Hall 1982], there are summaries
of several studies of subtle, subconscious bias --- that is,
people observably acting in a biased manner but unaware of
their doing so. I was apprised of the importance of subtle
bias by the number of respondents who objected to my call for
"egregious examples", writing that they thought the subtle
behavior to be more damaging. [Hall 1982, Sandler 1988] report
the following biases, of which both men and women are guilty:
o Women are interrupted more than men.
o Faculty members make eye contact with male students
more often than with female students.
o Faculty members are more likely to know and use the
names of their male students 1 than of female students.
o Women are often asked fewer or easier questions than
males.
As Sandler writes, "Singly, these behaviors probably have
little effect. But when they occur again and again, they give a
powerful message to women: they are not as worthwhile as men
nor are they expected to participate fully in class, in
college, or in life at large" [Sandler 1988, page 149].
Unfortunately, the message appears to have sunk in. Studies
have shown that, when engineering students are asked to predict
the academic performance relative to that of male and female
colleagues, "both sexes anticipated that men would outperform
women. This was paradoxical, since the average female student
had both a higher grade point average and higher class rank
from high school than the average male" ([Ott 1975] in [Zappert
et al 1984, page 4]). Another study found that, when male and
female college students were asked to predict their midterm
test score before taking it, men had higher expectations for
themselves than women did for themselves, even though the two
groups actually performed the same [Erkut 1983, page 229].
Studies have found that women are more likely than men to
attribute success to luck instead of skill [Deaux et al 1974]
and to attribute failure to lack of skill [Ernest 1976, page
599]. Women's lack of confidence, and one consequence, is
illustrated by an incident at Columbia, reported by Professor
Joan Birman:
I learned last year, to my astonishment, that for about
four years running the honors calculus course had been all male, in
spite of the fact that admission was based on an open competitive
examination. This fall, one of the senior mathematics majors and
myself made an intensive effort to encourage women to try the exam!
The typical answer was, `I know I won't pass it,' --- to which we
replied over and over, `Well, if you try it, at worst you will
confirm what you already know, and only an hour of time will have
been lost.' After three days of such advising, the big day came,
the exam was given, and this year the class has five men and five
women! [Ernest 1976, page 604]. [footnote 1]
Not surprisingly, girls at single-sex schools study physical
science and math more than in comparable coed schools, "even
though girls' schools frequently have less adequate laboratory
provision than mixed schools" [Kelly 1982, page 497] Even more
ominously, [Sandler 1986, page 6] reports:
In one study, first done in 1968 and then replicated in
1983, college students were asked to rate identical
articles according to specific criteria. The authors'
names attached to the articles were clearly male or
female, but were reversed for each group of raters: what
one group thought had been written by a male, the second
group thought had been written by a female, and vice
versa. Articles supposedly written by women were
consistently ranked lower than when the very same
articles were thought to have been written by a male
[Goldberg 1968, Paludi et al 1985, Paludi et al 1983].
In a similar study, department chairs were asked to make
hypothetical hiring decisions and to assign faculty rank
on the basis of vita. For vitae with male names, chairs
recommended the rank of associate professor; however,
the identical vita with a female name merited only the
rank of assistant professor [Fidell 1975].
Anti-female bias is strongest in traditionally male fields [Top
1991, pages 96-97]. [. . . ] When a female computer science
undergraduate visited one of the graduate schools to which she
had been admitted, she and a male prospective student met with
a male graduate student to discuss the school. Whenever the
woman asked a question, the graduate student directed his
answer to the male prospective instead of to her, i.e. by
making eye contact and gestures toward the male prospective.
This treatment surprised the woman, as she had not encountered
such behavior at her undergraduate institution. After the
meeting, she delicately pointed out the behavior to the
graduate student, and he apologized profusely and sincerely,
clearly unaware of the bias while it was occurring. When they
met later in the day, his behavior was markedly better. The
same woman, however, in a later meeting with two other graduate
students, one male and one female, found herself addressing
most of her questions to the male until she recognized her
behavior and corrected it. [...] A female undergraduate at a
women's college wrote:
The summer after my first year at [X] I took Linear
Algebra at [a coed college] nearby. Out of probably
twenty people in the class, I was one of two women. I
found that the mood of the class was stifling. It was
obvious that the men of the class expected me to sit
quietly in my chair and contribute nothing and ask no
questions. It was also made obvious to me that, in
general, they felt they were far superior to me. Because
I had had no contact with them outside of the classroom,
I must assume they were basing their decision solely on
the fact that I am female. In addition, I found the
material relatively easy and was getting an A in the
class, so they could not be basing it on my academic
performance. One day as we were going over a difficult
problem set we had had for homework, the professor asked
if anyone was able to do a particular problem which I
had been able to solve. When I raised my hand, [a
student made] the comment `What?!?! How could you have
solved that problem!?!?' He in no way hid his hostility
or his feelings that if he, a far superior man,
could not solve the problem, I could not have. I was
completely shocked that he could make such a comment. No
one else seemed to be. It is no wonder that women tend
not to contribute in a male-dominated classroom.
[...] A female computer science graduate student told me that
it is common to see different reactions to men and women
dropping a class. According to her, when a woman drops a
class, people remark that the class must have been too
difficult for her; when a man quits, people say he must not
have found it interesting. [...] A male computer professional
wrote:
Back in 1983, I was a freshman here at [X] and one of my
friends was a genius who happened to be a pretty blonde
girl.... She was also a freshman and spent one of her
first days here searching for her advisor's office.
While hunting around [Y] Hall, a man in his early 30's
came up to her and asked if she needed help. She said
that she was looking for her advisor's office. The man
responded with a puzzled, `What major are you?' When she
answered, `I'm in Electrical Engineering.' The man
smiled at her and oozed, `Oh, you're far too pretty to
be an EECS major.' [She] immediately left and told us in
the dorms about this slimy guy. The next day we went to
our first lecture for [the introductory computer class].
[She] gasped as one of the lecturers entered the hall.
He was the same slimy guy she had encountered the day
before.... I'll never forget the quote, "Oh, you're
far too pretty to be an EECS major." [footnote 2]
At the University of Illinois, TAs and professors, both male and
female, treat women students differently from male students in the
classroom. As an step toward improving the current situation, the
committee recommends that the following set of recommendations be
distributed as a brochure to all professors and TAs in the College. In
addition, the recommendations need to be distributed and discussed at
the introductory meeting for Engineering College TAs each semester.
Our recommended brochure content follows on the next page.
HOW YOU CAN HELP IMPROVE THE CLIMATE FOR WOMEN IN ENGINEERING
Many women experience the academic environment as a hostile one.
There appears to be a lot of confusion about what type of behavior
creates a hostile environment. As a guideline, we present several
high-level suggestions for interacting with female students and
colleagues, followed by a `Dos and Don'ts' list of concrete examples
of supportive and hostile behavior.
High-Level Guidelines
A helpful guiding principle is to interact with female students and
colleagues the same way as you would a male student or colleague. For
example, women students often have difficulty thinking of themselves
as engineers. As TA's and faculty, you can help by demonstrating
through your behavior that you view both female and male students as
engineers. Similarly, you should avoid behavior that emphasizes women
colleagues' and students' sexuality, rather than their intellect.
When in doubt as to whether or not something is appropriate, ask
yourself this question: "If this student were my daughter, or if this
colleague were my sister, how would I want them to be treated?"
Specific Dos and Don'ts
DO call on women in class, and wait for them to answer.
DON'T be easier on the female students than the male students.
DO assign female students leadership roles in group projects.
DON'T express surprise when a female student demonstrates practical,
hands-on skills, such as welding.
DO realize your female students' career choices are a natural result
of their ability and interest in math and science.
DON'T ask "How on earth did you end up in engineering?"
DO have coffee or lunch with colleagues of the opposite sex.
DON'T view these events as dates.
DO refer students who are looking for help with a technical problem or
a research topic to a female colleague whose area of expertise is
relevant.
DON'T assume that it is your female colleagues' responsibility to
mentor all the female students, and only the female students.
DO collaborate with female colleagues on proposal writing and
research.
DON'T discuss the "pretty new coed" with your colleagues.
DO engage female students in informal hallway discussions.
DON'T stare at women's breasts.
DO display pictures or computer screens that convey the beauty and
excitement of your work. Other office displays that make a positive
first impression and stimulate students' interests might
include pictures of personal heroes (Gandhi, Einstein, Bill Gates,
Chris Evert, Beethoven etc.) or a personal hobby such as mountain
climbing.
DON'T display pictures or computer screens that depict explicitly
sexual images.
DO ignore flirtatious students in your classes and under your
supervision. It is your professional responsibility as a teacher to
show students through your actions how people should interact in the
workplace.
DON'T pursue a personal relationship with a student in your class.
TA'S: wait until the semester is over and the student is no longer in
your class. Professors: Students are off-limits.
DO use gender-neutral language during lectures and in your writing.
DO encourage promising women students to continue on to graduate
school or pursue other research opportunities.
3 Future Recommendations
The committee recommends that a similar committee be chartered in the
fall, to continue the work begun this semester.
In the remainder of this section, we list suggestions that were given
to the committee, but which we did not have time to consider fully.
Thus the committee recommends that our successors examine these
suggestions.
3.1 Short-Term Suggestions
o Studies have shown that teachers, both male and
female, treat male and female students di ferently, in
spite of their best intentions. Learning about these
biases by watching a videotape can be quite effective,
allowing the teacher to identify and remove them in his
or her own behavior. The College could commission such a
videotape from one of the authorities in this field
(e.g., Prof. Sue Vilhauer Rosser, a zoologist at the
University of South Carolina Medical School, who has
published four books on women in science, and speaks
nationally on this topic).
o Establish all-female sections to which women are
assigned by default, when schedules permit, in large
classes. Women could of course enroll in other sections
if they so wished. We have heard that this has been
tried in Physics here, with success. This will help with
problems such as women not being willing to speak out in
class in front of males, and feelings of isolation.
o Have the default advisor for incoming female students
be a female, thus ensuring at least occasional contact
with a female role model. Students may of course select
another advisor if they wish. Many engineering
departments will not have enough female faculty to cover
all the female students, but this measure should be
implemented to the extent possible.
o Publicize the University's current policy on
maternity, paternity, and family leave and tenure clock
adjustments.
o Offer seminars for women students on taking oral
examinations, and on interviewing. Women's typical
problems in these areas are different from those of men,
so while such a seminar would also be useful for men, it
should be offered separately. The seminar could make
effective use of videotapes of typical problem behaviors
and remedies.
o Promote the use of group/team learning in courses,
rather than requiring students to work alone. Studies
have shown that women particularly like this form of
studying, and it builds skills that will be required
after graduation. The problem of how to assign grades to
group work can be addressed effectively by a number of
techniques. The students also need some guidance in
dealing with potential problems within their groups
(e.g., someone who does no work), and the instructor
must make sure that women in mixed-gender groups don't
get relegated to the position of notetaker.
o Offer a seminar for female undergrads on applying to
graduate school.
o Have a central office that collects announcements of
fellowships and sources of financial aid for women.
o Encourage the recruitment of female colloquium speakers
at the departmental level, so that women students get to
meet women professionals in their field. Organize brown
bag lunches before these colloquia.
o Publish a flyer about gender bias in homework problems,
suggesting possible alternative domains from which
problems can be chosen.
3.2 Medium-Term Suggestions
o Establish day care on campus, for faculty, staff, and students.
o Establish a dorm wing for female science and engineering
students.
o Improve access to family housing for students who are US
citizens.
o Review the University's current policy on maternity,
paternity, and family leave and tenure clock adjustments,
with an eye to the needs of young families with two
breadwinners, and the needs of single parents. During this
semester, the committee discussed the language of the
statement and the appropriateness of adding "child
bearing" to the list of reasons for tenure clock
adjustments. In the fall we wish to discuss the previous
history of the language (why child bearing is not listed)
and possibly recommend that the Dean of Engineering
elaborate on the college's interpretation of the current
statement.
o Women and men working late at night often feel unsafe.
Review problem areas in University security, e.g.,
restrooms and lighting. Publicize policies on how to
handle and report a suspicious person. Publicize
procedure for reporting potential security problems.
o Conduct a comprehensive survey-based climate study for
women and minorities.
o Institute more thorough tracking of students and faculty,
including exit interviews.
3.3 Long-Term Suggestions
o Until more women faculty appear in classrooms, serving as role
models, women are not likely
to be attracted in large numbers to engineering careers.
Probably the majority of women undergraduate engineering majors
at the U of I do not take any classes in their major area from
women faculty. For example, recently a graduating senior at the
U of I in Computer Science declared that there were no women
faculty at all in her department (untrue, but an understandable
mistake in light of the 11:1 ratio), and that she was leaving
computer science for a field more hospitable to women. Spertus
[1991] says, "Not only do women make up just 7.8% of computer
science and computer engineering faculties, only 2.7% of
tenured professors are female [Frenkel 1990, page 38] [Gries et
al 1991]. Even worse, these numbers seem to be improving only
very slowly or even dropping [Leveson 1989, page 3]." The
committee should consider measures to improve the recruitment
and retention of women faculty in the College.
o Examine the problem of faculty spouse employment, which is an
increasing barrier to suc-
cessful recruitment of both male and female faculty.
[Footnotes - cmk]
1
The experience of women I have talked with is that if females are in
an extreme minority, they stand out so much that the teachers are
likely to know their names.
2
In a later note, the writer added: "[The teacher] was fired two
years after this incident. According to my advisor at that time, his
attitude toward female students was one of the reasons. (He was not
tenure track. He was a lecturer only.)" This story was later confirmed
by a former professor from the university.
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