LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD: LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD: GENDER ISSUES AFFECTING STUDENTSGENDER ISSUES AFFECTING STUDENTS

Barbara A. HorwitzBarbara A. HorwitzDistinguished Professor of Physiology Distinguished Professor of Physiology

Vice Provost – Academic PersonnelVice Provost – Academic PersonnelEB 2007EB 2007

TOPICS TOPICS

• Introduction – the “chilly climate”Introduction – the “chilly climate”

• Individual actionsIndividual actionsDealing with our own unconscious biases Dealing with our own unconscious biases

as teachers & mentorsas teachers & mentorsDealing with inappropriate actions of othersDealing with inappropriate actions of others

• Institutional responses Institutional responses Reducing gender bias affecting students & Reducing gender bias affecting students &

gender inequities related to family gender inequities related to family obligationsobligations

THE CHILLY CLIMATETHE CHILLY CLIMATE

• Overt/intentional sexual harassment, Overt/intentional sexual harassment, discrimination much reduceddiscrimination much reduced Universities have protections Universities have protections

against/penalties against/penalties Legal liabilityLegal liability

• Unconscious gender bias -- commonUnconscious gender bias -- common Subtle, may seem inconsequential Subtle, may seem inconsequential

individuallyindividually Cumulatively – contributes to a climate Cumulatively – contributes to a climate

that undervalues achievements of that undervalues achievements of womenwomen

RECOGNIZING UNCONSCIOUS BIASRECOGNIZING UNCONSCIOUS BIAS

• Hard to discern in individual instances; but Hard to discern in individual instances; but aggregated data can demonstrate its aggregated data can demonstrate its occurrenceoccurrence

• Common belief – not in my departmentCommon belief – not in my department

• Does not require intent to discriminate

EXAMPLES OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS BY EXAMPLES OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS BY STUDENTS/FACULTY COLLEAGUESSTUDENTS/FACULTY COLLEAGUES

• College students rated articles higher when College students rated articles higher when authored by a male authored by a male (Sandler & Hall, 1986)(Sandler & Hall, 1986)

• Male students tended to rate female faculty Male students tended to rate female faculty lower on overall teaching effectiveness, lower on overall teaching effectiveness, while female students tended to rate them while female students tended to rate them higher higher (Basow, 1994)(Basow, 1994)

• Based on identical CVs, males were Based on identical CVs, males were recommended by dept chairs for higher recommended by dept chairs for higher rank appointment than were females rank appointment than were females (Sandler & Hall, 1986)(Sandler & Hall, 1986)

DEALING WITH OUR UNCONSCIOUS BIASES/ DEALING WITH OUR UNCONSCIOUS BIASES/ INSENSITIVITIES AS TEACHERS & MENTORSINSENSITIVITIES AS TEACHERS & MENTORS

• What messages do you send to our students?What messages do you send to our students?

Do you pay more attention to male Do you pay more attention to male than female students? than female students?

Whom do you call on first; Whom do you call on first; how do how do you decide? you decide?

Are you non-judgmental in response Are you non-judgmental in response to questions? to questions?

DEALING WITH OUR OWN UNCONSCIOUS DEALING WITH OUR OWN UNCONSCIOUS BIASES/INSENSITIVITIES (2)BIASES/INSENSITIVITIES (2)

Are routine tasks in the lab distributed Are routine tasks in the lab distributed among your students (e.g., note taking at among your students (e.g., note taking at lab meetings)? lab meetings)?

Do you question the commitment of your Do you question the commitment of your female students more than that of your male female students more than that of your male students?students?

Do you “promote”/include your female as Do you “promote”/include your female as much as our male students? (e.g., much as our male students? (e.g., nominate for awards, include them in nominate for awards, include them in meetings with visiting scientists, etc.) meetings with visiting scientists, etc.)

““Self esteem isn’t everything; it’s just that Self esteem isn’t everything; it’s just that

there’s nothing without it” there’s nothing without it” (Gloria Steinem)(Gloria Steinem)

HOW WE INTERACT WITH OUR STUDENTS HOW WE INTERACT WITH OUR STUDENTS

CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON

THEIR VIEW OF SCIENCE, THEIR THEIR VIEW OF SCIENCE, THEIR

CONFIDENCE, AND THEIR SELF-ESTEEMCONFIDENCE, AND THEIR SELF-ESTEEM

DEALING WITH INAPPROPRIATE DEALING WITH INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR OF OTHERSBEHAVIOR OF OTHERS

Scenario: In a group setting, a male student or Scenario: In a group setting, a male student or postdoc is credited for saying what a woman postdoc is credited for saying what a woman said earlier (the “invisible woman” syndrome). said earlier (the “invisible woman” syndrome). What can you do? What can you do? Some examples:Some examples:

Diplomatically bring it to the attention of Diplomatically bring it to the attention of the group leader at the time or privately the group leader at the time or privately

Convey the information to your mentor/ Convey the information to your mentor/ advisor/major professor & ask him/her advisor/major professor & ask him/her to discuss it with the group leader to discuss it with the group leader

WHAT CAN THE INSTITUTION DO?WHAT CAN THE INSTITUTION DO?

• Educate faculty on effective mentoring of Educate faculty on effective mentoring of undergraduate & graduate students, undergraduate & graduate students, including awareness of unconscious biasincluding awareness of unconscious bias

• Provide peer & professional feedback on Provide peer & professional feedback on teaching for TAs, postdocs, & faculty (e.g., teaching for TAs, postdocs, & faculty (e.g., videotape class with subsequent confidential videotape class with subsequent confidential evaluation)evaluation)

• Professional development workshops Professional development workshops for graduate students/postdocs on for graduate students/postdocs on mentoring, negotiating skills, managing mentoring, negotiating skills, managing a lab; etc.a lab; etc.

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES (2)INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES (2)

• Hold Chairs & Deans accountable for Hold Chairs & Deans accountable for developing & maintaining such a climate developing & maintaining such a climate in their courses and in their departmentsin their courses and in their departments

• Ensure that Chairs & Deans know that at Ensure that Chairs & Deans know that at the highest levels of the campus, there is the highest levels of the campus, there is a commitment to providing a hospitable a commitment to providing a hospitable and respectful campus climateand respectful campus climate

• Provide information on campus/city Provide information on campus/city resources available for child care, elder resources available for child care, elder care, and other family-related issuescare, and other family-related issues

SUMMARYSUMMARY

• Microinequities often reflect unconscious Microinequities often reflect unconscious and unintended biases/insensitivies and unintended biases/insensitivies

• We need to be alert to messages we We need to be alert to messages we send via our own interactions with send via our own interactions with students and postdocsstudents and postdocs

• We need to act when we are aware of inappropriate interactions

• Institutions need policies/practices that increase awareness and accountability