The Middlebury Campus

Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Nikhil Ramburn The task force hopes to outline recommendations for the College to facilitate gender discussion [Click to enlarge]

Members of the new Task Force on the Status of Women at the College discussed increased access to childcare for faculty members, increasing faculty diversity and protecting female students during social situations at the group's first open meeting on Oct. 11.

Faculty, staff and students gathered in McCullough Social Space to engage in discussions over the wide variety of issues. Their work will result in a final report issued in March 2008 that will contain the goals of the College regarding women's and gender issues for the next 10 years.

"This is our first effort to let anyone come out and talk to us," said Area Director of Library and Information Services and Task Force Chair Carrie Rampp, "to see what topics others want to focus on in the future."

Since the 1997 Task Force, the College has taken steps to increase the availability of childcare for employees on campus and to better establish the Women and Gender Studies (WAGS) Program. However, Rampp feels that although considerable progress has been made in the past 10 years, the College still must address certain issues to reach a level of gender equality.

"Parental leave and child care issues continue to be really relevant," said Ramp.

Other staff issues addressed included flexible work hours for staff. This would make it easier for staff members to continue education and to take leaves, and is not necessarily gender limited. A member of the staff suggested allowing the predominantly female coordinators at the College to go back to school for Master's degrees and making it a priority to highlight women at the College and their accomplishments.

In terms of diversifying the curriculum, the groups addressed that faculty members in different departments have varying amounts of flexibility. Many agreed on the need to diversify staff - bringing in female professors of color, as well as professors with more diverse fields of scholarship. However, it was agreed that it is important to put support systems in place before new faculty members arrive, so that these women feel comfortable and welcome at the College.

Continued...

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