ADVANCE Catalyst: Virtual Observatory of Culture for Equity in Academia at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras (VoCEA)

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The goal of the NSF ADVANCE Catalyst at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus (UPRRP) is to assess critical components of the organizational culture of the institution that prevent effective “counting” of academic women and their efforts and contributions in STEM. Using a cultural organizational (SCO) framework the project will address four questions: 1) What role does institutional research and institutional data dissemination play in organizational culture, 2) Are gender equity and inclusion integrated into observable artifacts, values, norms, and underlying assumptions at UPRRP, 3) What role does gender equity and inclusion play in the socialization of new UPRRP members, including gaining academic citizenship, and 4) ) To what extent can strategic microplanning catalyze change at UPRRP?The UPRRP Catalyst project is called VoCEA for Virtual Observatory for Culture Equity in Academia, vocea means “to raise your voice” in Spanish. The project will collect and analyze institutional data about STEM faculty to identify and understand systemic gender-based equity and organizational culture issues. The project is designed to open discussions across the institution and question the status quo. VoCEA will result in the development of a five-year STEM faculty equity plan for UPRRP with performance indicators tied to equity, multiculturality, and accountability. The NSF ADVANCE program is designed to foster gender equity through a focus on the identification and elimination of organizational barriers that impede the full participation and advancement of diverse faculty in academic institutions. Organizational barriers that inhibit equity may exist in policies, processes, practices, and the organizational culture and climate. ADVANCE "Catalyst" awards provide support for institutional equity assessments and the development of five-year faculty equity strategic plans at academic, non-profit institutions of higher education.This project was supported with co-funding of the HSI Program which aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. Achieving these aims, given the diverse nature and context of the HSIs, requires innovative approaches that incentivize institutional and community transformation and promote fundamental research (i) on engaged student learning, (ii) about what it takes to diversify and increase participation in STEM effectively, and (iii) that improves our understanding of how to build institutional capacity at HSIs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.