Family-Friendly Policies and the Research University

Academe, Nov/Dec 2004 by Quinn, Kate, Lange, Sheila Edwards, Olswang, Steven G

There are plenty of pitfalls on the road to a family-friendly university climate, The commitment to a positive change must start at the top.

Imagine, if you will, a major research university with family-friendly policies and practices, one that could serve as a national model for other colleges and universities. It might be expected that faculty members at such a university would be productive even amid family crises and transitions. Unfortunately, the reality of faculty lives at one such institution-the University of Washington-does not always coincide with expectations. Using the UW's experience as a case study, this article explores the difficulty of implementing family-friendly policies and practices in an academic workplace that values decentralized decision making.

Institutions of higher education nationwide have been adopting policies to help faculty members with primary caregiving roles to attain tenure, and much research has been devoted to their effectiveness. The range of policies and programs has expanded dramatically since the 1970s. Among the options now available are family leave, elder-care support, dependent-care assistance, onsite child care, tenure-clock extension, part-time tenure-track options, and support programs for faculty members with personal crises. Most family-friendly policies, however, fall within two major categories: dual-career accommodation and parental support.

The expansion of family-friendly policies has paralleled the redefinition of "family" and the entrance of more women into the workplace. "Family" now means something more than just a married man and woman and their biological offspring. Today, family responsibilities could include caring for step or foster children, elderly parents, or a domestic partner. Many universities have responded to changes in the definition of family by broadening eligibility guidelines for inclusion in employee benefits.

At the University of Washington, several constituencies, including the faculty senate and the university administration, have participated in developing policies to help faculty women and men balance the responsibilities of academic work and family life. Some of the benefits developed are specific to faculty, but many are also available to students and staff. The university unequivocally states its commitment to the policies on its Academic Human Resources Web site: "It is the goal of the University of Washington that each faculty member understands these policies and feels free to exercise them fully with no adverse effect on her or his academic career."

Nonetheless, the policies and practices that uniquely benefit faculty have been challenging to implement, and their use has been sporadic. In 2003, with funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE program, the university initiated an in-depth examination of four policies and practices most relevant to faculty: part-time tenure-track positions, tenure-clock extensions with or without family or medical leave, "transitional support" for faculty undergoing life transitions, and dual-career hiring.

The Part-Time Tenure Track

The University of Washington has two policy options for tenure-track faculty members who want to work less than full time: a permanent part-time tenure-track option and a temporary part-time option that combines partial leave with a tenure-clock extension. Both options provide full benefits to faculty with appointments of 50 percent or more. The administration views these policy options as recruitment and retention tools. The intent is to assist faculty in balancing academic careers with other life responsibilities.

Tenure-Clock Extension

The university does not count a year that includes six months or more of medical or family leave as a year toward mandatory tenure review. A faculty member may also request that the tenure clock be extended when he or she becomes a parent but chooses to take less than six months' leave, or when illness or other family-care responsibilities interrupt the individual's regular dedication to teaching or scholarship. The policy aims to "assist faculty women and men who become parents or are needed to care for a family member" and to provide temporary relief when a serious health condition affects a faculty member's ability to perform his or her job. Faculty members may also ask for a tenure-clock extension for work-related reasons such as a lack of lab or office space.

Family or Medical Leave

The university's family-leave policy permits faculty to request a temporary leave to care for infants, newly adopted children, or seriously ill family members. The temporary leave may be full time without pay or part time with prorated pay. Temporary leave is initially available for up to six months and is renewable after review. Full- or part-time leaves for infant care may not be extended beyond two years. Eligibility is tied to the standards of the Family and Medical Leave Act.

UW does not have a "maternity-leave" policy, but employees may use sick leave for personal medical reasons, including those related to pregnancy and childbirth. Faculty do not accrue leave, but have ninety days available to them each year for sick leave if a doctor deems leave medically necessary.