Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 1

Work-Life Best Practices in Higher Education

Susan Abramson

Yale University WorkLife Coordinator

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 2

Work Life in Higher EducationWhy Now? Need comes from many directions Recruiting graduate students for academic careers

and in attracting and retaining top faculty talent. Continuation of the problem of low representation of

women in the tenure-track and tenured ranks. Departure from the academy of men and women

who wish to be more involved with other aspects of their lives, especially the lives of their families.

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 3

Tenure Time Clock Princeton University

The policy automatically adds an extra year to the tenure clock for faculty members who are new parents, eliminating the discomfort and fearthat many experience in having to ask for thatextra time.Joan Williams, Chronicle of Higher Ed, 7/26/06

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 4

Parental Leave for Faculty Harvard Law School

Grants paid leave to any faculty member who is the “sole caretaker of his or her newborn or newly adopted child at least 20 hours per week, from Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Joan Williams – Chronicle Careers – 2/7/05

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 5

Lactation rooms and resources University of Washington

Faculty and staff on parental leave receive detailed informationon how to continue breastfeeding after returning to work/school. Lactation classes are offered to employees and students, including an in-person orientation to the seven lactation rooms

located on campus. Each room is equipped with hospital-gradeelectric breast pumps, comfortable seating, and access to a sink and/or refrigeration. Students, faculty and staff have accessto lactation consultants for questions. Breastfeeding Coalition of Washington State – Award 2006

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 6

Flexibility for faculty Sloan Awards & Lehigh University Five universities have been named recipients of the 2006 Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Faculty Career Flexibility. Each award includes a $250,000 accelerator grant that will enable the universities to expand and enhance flexible career paths for faculty. Recipients are Duke University, LehighUniversity, University of California (Berkeley and Davis campuses), University of Florida, and University of Washington. With this $250,000 “accelerator” grant, Lehigh will establish an Integrated Faculty Career Program, which will give faculty grants of $6,000 to help them continue their research while caring for a newborn, adopted child or other family members. Faculty can determine what services are most useful to maintain career and family responsibilities, including child care, housekeeping, graduate assistance, and travel for research or conferences.

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 7

Flexibility for staff Yale University

Clearly articulated policies on flexible work

schedule options & implementation. On-site

training provided for managers and Human

Resource Generalists. Policies and forms easily

accessible.

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 8

Child care Cornell UniversityCornell University

Parenting seminars are held throughout the year. An early childhood center is close by to most places on campus, plus two nearby centers provide options. All faculty and staff earning less than $150,000 are eligible for child care subsidies of up to $5000 per year. Academic and sports camps are available throughout

thesummer.

Working Mother- Top 100 Employer – 2006

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 9

Parental leave for students Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College will begin offering paid leave to graduate studentsfollowing the birth or adoption of a child. The leave, which is available to maleor female students who are "primary-care providers," will allow them to takeup to 12 weeks off from their studies while still receiving stipends from thecollege. The students will continue to be enrolled and receive health benefits.Students who take the leave will automatically receive a one-year extension of the deadline by which they are expected to complete their graduate work. In a statement announcing the policy last month, Dartmouth said it would apply toall master's and Ph.D. students who receive stipends, including students in thearts and sciences, in the medical school, and in the engineering school. Thebenefit will be offered under a two-year pilot program.

The Chronicle 6/9/06

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 10

Example of Implementation of Family-Friendly Policies Yale UniversityCreation of a University-wide Child Care Committee dedicated to child care initiatives and child care activities on campus. Members represented faculty, clerical and technical staff, service and maintenance staff, management and professional staff, union representatives, and graduate students. The

committeemet monthly and made recommendations to the sponsors based on data collected through various groups, surveys, and internal and external consultants.

Outcomes: (updated 12-9-11) Back-up child care subsidy including students implemented Sick day policy enhancement to include caring for sick dependents.

Susan Abramson - Yale University - 10/13/06 11

Ensure that Practice Supports Policy

1. Monitor the policies’ use and impact.

2. Continually educate the University community about the policies.

3. Address issues that discourage faculty from using work-family policies.

"Developing and Implementing Work – Family Policies for Faculty" by Beth Sullivan, Carol Hollenshead and Gilia Smith in

Academe: Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors (vol. 90 No. 6).