Women S Status Committee

USF Women’s Status Committee Report to the President May 21, 2008 / Submission May 28, 2008 / Presentation / 4:00pm / President’s Conf Room

Charge of the Committee Recommendations The Women's Status Committee (WSC) is a We are pleased to offer four presidential advisory committee responsible recommendations based on data from the for advising the President of the University WSC 2008 Survey. The recommendations on matters affecting women staff, faculty, offered here reflect the concerns most and students of the University. The frequently voiced by the 3,836 respondents. committee is particularly concerned with those university policies concerning the 1. Safety. Ensure a safe campus welfare and activities of women with regard environment through installation of lighting to educational and employment on walkways and parking lots; conduct opportunities at the University. We focus regular monitoring and service of on defining activities that the Committee emergency call boxes and blue lights; and may undertake in support of this charge: encourage security personnel to increase Encourage, support, and participate in activities visibility in the evenings. that highlight women's issues and concerns; 2. Mentoring. Invest in and encourage Direct and review attention to ensuring equal mentoring programs among women access to educational opportunities and services students, faculty, staff, alumni, and provided by the university (e.g., scholarship community members to facilitate successful opportunities for women); transitions to campus life, promotion and advancement, and the working world. Review factors contributing to the overall physical and social well-being of all women on 3. Health and Well-Being. Promote campus (e.g., women's health care coverage and provisions by the University, health and safety women’s health and well-being with issues, family day care concerns, family leave, programs and information concerning etc.); childcare, reproduction, self-defense, and exercise. Special attention should be Address issues concerning equitable pay for directed to students who are parents and women in hiring, retention, and promotion (e.g., older women returning to school. support studies to investigate and promote the employment and retention of female staff and 4. Salary Equity. Gather and disseminate faculty, and the promotion and compensation of salary figures to the USF community. women into tenured or high level positions);

Recognize leadership qualities in those who have 2007-2008 Activity exhibited a willingness and ability to nurture, WSC Survey. 3,836 individuals support, and advance women and girls. This completed the web-based survey, launched includes mentoring in the community, focusing on November 27, 2007 and available on-line on the health and well-being of women and girls, for 12 weeks. Participants answered fostering programs that support women’s questions about their perceptions of safety, leadership, affecting policy and decision making, and working on social justice issues. salary equity, and mentorship opportunities for women at USF. 68% of respondents believe there are adequate career WSC 2007-08 Report to President Page 2 advancement opportunities available for USF, for her technical support and expertise women at USF. 85% believe salary equity is in creating our web-based survey. extremely important to them. The complete report, developed in March and April by Plans for 2008-2009 members of the WSC, is presented to the July Retreat. The WSC will meet in President as a separate document. July for a half-day retreat to plan activities Women’s Awareness Month and projects based on suggestions and issues Calendar. In January and February, WSC raised in the 2008 Survey. members collected items for the March Given the overwhelming concern for calendar of events involving women at USF. salary equity expressed by survey Rachel Silverman coordinated the collection respondents at 85%, we plan a of the calendar; Mary Clift launched its comprehensive Salary Equity Study at web-based distribution on March 1, 2008. USF that will complement the Title IX 2008 Women’s Leadership Awards. Committee’s Gender Equity Self-Study. The months of January, February, and This year we will also appoint a WSC March were extremely busy with calling for, member as our Website Coordinator to reviewing, and recommending nominees to work with IT and the DEO to utilize the the President, as well as planning and WSC webpage as a resource for women at hosting the Women’s Leadership Awards USF. reception, held on April 8, 2008 in Our continuing projects include the Traditions Hall of the USF Alumni Center. Women’s Leadership Awards and the Five outstanding women leaders were Women’s Awareness Month Calendar, as recognized: USF faculty members Dr. well as sustained and productive work with Gwendolyn Quinn and Dr. Marion Becker; the Diversity & Equal Opportunity Office, USF staff member Barbara Sparks- the USF Title IX Committee and other McGlinchy; USF student Allison Rhodes, Presidential Advisory Committees, and the and USF alumna Lillian Lima. USF Department of Women’s Studies. Blackboard Organization. In April, we created a Blackboard Organization site to We thank you for this opportunity to work collect all the past, current, and continuing toward improving the lives of women at information needed to fulfill the charge of USF. the WSC. Call for New Members. In May, we Respectfully submitted, created and distributed a call for new Elizabeth Bell, Chair members of the WSC. Also in May, we re- Marion Becker elected Elizabeth Bell as Chair. Carissa Caricato Mary Clift Recognition Linda Detman Two members of the WSC have been Heather George recognized this year for their outstanding Amber Gum leadership. Carissa Caricato, graduating Kathy Harvey senior, won the Pillar of the Community Judith Jetson award for her leadership of the NITE student Kathleen Moore organization. Dr. Marion Becker received Nicole Randazzo the 2008 Women’s Leadership Award for Catherine Seybold her research, service, and mentoring to Rachel Silverman women. Marcela van Olphen The WSC wishes to recognize the work Michelle White of Theresa Scott, support specialist for Organization Development & Training at