University Committee on Women
Meeting Agenda
November 17, 2003
236 Memorial Union

Present: Deb Covey, Paul Gmelch, Hannah Schoenthal-Muse, Virginia Blackburn, Katie Pope, Penny Rice, Diane Debinski, Julie Manning, Deb Parker, Claudia Baldwin, Jaye Stefani, Janet Tait, Susan Carlson, Liz Beck, Sheley Johnson

Items of Interest/Importance
In a meeting with Provost Allen, it was stated that the Arrival of Children policy is being put on hold with the Board of Regents at this time. This issue will stay on the table due to the financial issues at the 3 universities. However, this would be a good time to begin formal documentation of exact costs. Beck indicated that the Provost’s Office will ask departments and units to report Arrival of Children information to his office. It was discussed that there is not a policy regarding the Arrival of Children for the students.

Subcommittee Reports
Review of College of Engineering—Carolyn Heising
No Report.

Faculty Status/Advance Grant—Diane Debinski
Debinski reported that the retreat held on October 29 th, had a very good turnout. There were approximately 60 participants and they worked in focus groups to identify issues for women faculty. Debinski will be trying to schedule a time for Carolyn Turner, who wrote Bittersweet Success, to come speak early spring. Carolyn will be able to share with the group many of the issues that women faculty face.

The grant writing on the Advance Grant will begin soon. At this point the committee is prioritizing.

Institutional Data—Carla Espinoza/Liz Beck
Beck reported that she has asked Carla Espinoza to attend a future meeting to discuss gender issues in university hires over the last year. (NOTE: That discussion has tentatively been set for the January meeting.)

P& S--Penny Rice
No report.

Merit--Janet Tait/Penny Rice
Rice reported that the brown bag lunch held in early November with Noa Davenport, an Adj. Professor in Anthropology, regarding mobbing in the workplace went well. It is obvious this topic is lively and alive on ISU campus. Noa is willing to provide another workshop, although this workshop will be designed for supervisors. A representative from AFSME had dinner with President Geoffroy to make him aware of the mobbing issues that are occurring across campus.

Task Force on Non-Tenure Track Faculty—Virginia Blackburn
Blackburn reported that she is not be able to lead this subcommittee. The UCW decided that while this subcommittee is very important, that unless there are important issues that need addressed, this subcommittee will not continue at this time.

Graduate Students—Penny Rice
Rice reported that the subcommittee is continuing to evaluate the orientation that is provided to graduate students at ISU. The subcommittee is also looking at other Big 12/Landgrant colleges to see what orientation they are providing to graduate students. They have found that there are no easily accessible handbooks available for them. Two universities have online virtual orientation. Several universities do have handbooks, but they are geared more towards paperwork issues and not services that would be beneficial to them.

It was discussed that other Big 12/Landgrant colleges have a higher percentage of women in graduate programs. It appears that women graduate students at Iowa State feel a great sense of isolation. Discussion also focused on the university does not aggressively recruit women for graduate study. This is something that should start early in a student’s university career if not earlier—perhaps at the high school level.

Networking/Mentoring—Beth Brockman/Camille Sloan Schroeder
No report.

Title IX/Athletics—Penny Rice
Rice reported that they will be attending a SAAC meeting. (Student Athlete Advisory Council) UCW is hoping to have a join with SAAC to co-host a reception for women athletes. UCW hopes to offer more support to the women athletic events. Recommendations will be sent to the Athletic Department.

Celebrating Leadership of Iowa State Women in Athletics will be held Saturday, February 7, 2004. The focus for the final celebration will be "Celebrating Leadership," which affords the ISU community the opportunity to recognize, honor and thank the many wonderful administrators, coaches and staff members that have been such a significant part of the tremendous growth of women in athletics at Iowa State. It will be a great opportunity to truly honor these heroines and pioneers who laid the groundwork and made the experience for the female student-athlete here at ISU such a wonderful thing. UCW members are encouraged to attend this celebration to show our support.

Review of College of Veterinary Medicine—Claudia Baldwin
The group is getting together Wednesday. They will focus on certain issues that need addressing. A final report by July 1. At this point the search for a new Dean is still proceeding. By the 1 st of the year there should be a list of possibilities of candidates.

Search Committees—Marie Mayer
No report.

New Business

• Agenda for meeting with Provost Allen, December 1, 4-5:00 235 Memorial Union
  Several items for discussion with Provost Allen were discussed. Liz will put together an agenda for this meeting. The meeting had to be cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

• Budget Status—Susan Carlson
  Carlson reported that the budget is still a major item of discussion. The cuts have been announced and each college is taking steps to absorb the cuts. Items of concern that were discussed were that classes will be taught more by lecturers, adjunct faculty, non-tenure track faculty. Stats have shown that these positions on campus have had a tendency to be more women and not full professors.

• Status of Searches and UCW participation—Beck
  Beck reported that she has been unable to meet with Mary Sawyer and Cathy Brown to help manage searches going on. One item of importance that this committee needs to focus on is to get more women in the pools of the searches. In light of the budget, there are several issues facing women: leadership, layoffs, women being hired into leadership positions. What is our role as a committee to assist in addressing these issues?
  

Next meeting is December 15, 3:00-4:30. Hawthorn Court meeting room.

Recorded by Sheley Johnson