Department Chair Advocacy and Actions That Affect Equity for Women Faculty in Public Research Universities

• In Event: Transforming Educational Systems: Approaches From Different Stakeholders

Abstract

This collective case study explored the perceptions and experiences of 20 STEM department chairs of their roles in advocating for and supporting women faculty, with a specific focus on how their actions support or not support equity as evidenced through their decision making. The findings indicated that chairs may not recognize the unique needs of women faculty in STEM fields and they may not understand how their decisions affect women faculty careers. In addition, chairs may not recognize the decisions they make are inequitable as they tend to rely on prior knowledge versus current data and policies to ensure equity in resource and workload allocations.

Author

• Stephanie J. Jones, Texas Tech University