ADVANCE IT-Catalyst: Institutional Self-Study on Women Faculty in STEM and SBS Disciplines at UTSA

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ADVANCE Institutional Transformation (IT) awards focus on transforming an entire institutional setting to be a more equitable academic environment for women scientists. Women in academic and leadership positions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are seriously underrepresented at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). UTSA thus provides an excellent context in which to study obstacles faced by women in these disciplines and to identify possible solutions to gender inequity. Because of the institution's status as a Hispanic-serving institution, it is an ideal place to develop culturally appropriate solutions. The self-study will examine the scope and sources of institutional barriers to representation and advancement of women in STEM. The project will develop a methodology for creating an institutional database, Gender Equity Monitoring (GEM), to monitor the progress of faculty, especially women in STEM.The self-study will explore the degree to which UTSA is gendered with respect to its institutional structure and cultural climate while also examining how gender intersects with other social forces to shape the recruitment, retention, and recognition of female faculty. Both quantitative and qualitative data will be collected through surveys and in-depth interviews to ascertain the perceptions and practices of male and female faculty at UTSA with a focus on gender equity. In addition, a careful analysis of institutional records will be conducted to gather data on gender representation. To achieve the goal, the project has the following specific aims: (1) conduct a comprehensive analysis of UTSA's workplace climate using data to include (a) surveys and qualitative interviews of faculty and (b) institutional records on compensation, faculty rank, administrative representation, and related factors; (2) review current policies, practices, and structures for faculty recruitment, retention, and recognition (e.g., search/hiring policies, tenure and promotion guidelines, mentoring practices, and work-family policies); (3) identify existing and prospective resources available for recruitment, mentoring, leadership training, research support, and other means of promoting gender equity. This analysis will determine the degree of consistency in key measures for both men and women faculty while gauging gender equity with respect to those in administrative roles accountable for ensuring the creation and maintenance of a diverse culture at UTSA. This research will assess the current gender climate at UTSA and investigates how perceptions and practices can obstruct or facilitate the recruitment, retention, and recognition of female faculty members in STEM and SBS disciplines. As a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), UTSA will illuminate the intersection between gender, race-ethnicity, and career opportunities for female faculty. The Gender Equity Monitoring (GEM) database will be developed and maintained past the lifetime of the grant to collect, analyze, and maintain institutional records for both men and women faculty at UTSA. GEM may be adapted to other institutional contexts deepening the impact of this research.