ADVANCE Catalyst: Lead & Accelerate University Change for STEM Faculty at West Chester University (LAUnCh STEM at WCU)

西切斯特大学（WCU）ADVANCE Catalyst项目，LAUnCh STEM at WCU，将进行机构自我评估，旨在提高WCU STEM教师的职业成功。该项目将侧重于公平留用、征聘、职业晋升和工资。在WCU的LAUnCh STEM将评估WCU STEM教师目前的差距，并确定导致STEM教师之间不平等的制度性障碍。该项目将确定其他ADVANCE机构的成功公平战略，以便在WCU进行可能的调整，并将制定一项为期五年的大学公平战略计划。机构自我评估，外部项目调查和五年战略计划将为提高该机构STEM教师的公平性奠定基础。由于机构政策的相互关联性，这项工作将有利于STEM学科和非STEM学科。该项目的结果将定期与WCU社区沟通。WCU的LAUnCh STEM由高层管理人员组成的内部指导委员会、外部咨询委员会和具有相关专业知识的团队专家以及内部评估人员组成。该项目预计将增加我们对STEM教师公平问题的理解，在一个工会化的，公共的，综合性的，新的R2大学。NSF ADVANCE计划旨在通过重点识别和消除组织障碍，阻碍学术机构的多元化教师的充分参与和发展，以促进性别平等。阻碍公平的组织障碍可能存在于政策、流程、做法以及组织文化和氛围中。ADVANCE“催化剂”奖项为学术性、非营利高等教育机构的机构公平评估和五年期教师公平战略计划的制定提供支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The West Chester University (WCU) ADVANCE Catalyst project, LAUnCh STEM at WCU, will undertake an institutional self-assessment directed at improving the career success for STEM faculty at WCU. The project will focus on equitable retention, recruitment, career advancement, and wages. LAUnCh STEM at WCU will assess the current disparities for STEM faculty at WCU and identify institutional barriers that contribute to inequities among STEM faculty. The project will identify successful equity strategies from other ADVANCE institutions for possible adaptation at WCU, and it will generate a five-year university equity strategic plan. The institutional self-assessment, external program investigation, and five-year strategic plan will set a foundation to improve equity for STEM faculty at the institution. This work will benefit STEM disciplines as well as non-STEM disciplines due to the interconnected nature of institutional policy. Results of the project will be regularly communicated with the WCU community. LAUnCh STEM at WCU engages an internal steering committee of upper administrators, an external advisory board and Team Specialists with relevant expertise, and an internal evaluator. The project is expected to add to our understanding of STEM faculty equity issues at a unionized, public, comprehensive, new R2 university.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 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.