The Status of Women on the
UW-Green Bay Campus - Part 2
Although it was determined that the UW-Green Bay Office of Financial
Aid provides excellent information and resources to assist traditional
students inquiring and applying for financial aid, access to financial
aid information is more difficult for non-traditional students, particularly
the economically disadvantaged and minorities. There are some gender-based
scholarships available that are GPA and major specific (County Association
of Women, American Business Women, non-traditional students).
Several initiatives within the UW System highlight the importance of
a college education to economically disadvantaged individuals, women
and minorities. Plan 2008 and the Gender Equality Study focus on increasing
educational opportunities for these groups of individuals in hopes of
bridging the gap "between prosperity and economic decline."
One obstacle to building a better life though a college education rests
with the lack of support for childcare.
Systemwide it is recognized that there is a need to assist students
with childcare issues while they pursue their education. In fact, UW
System Financial and Administrative Policy G38 indicates "access
to childcare for students... is crucial," with a further directive
pointing to the need to focus on seeing that "child care needs
are met." UW-Green Bay is the only four-year campus in the UW System
that does not have an on-site childcare facility. A previous child development
center was closed in 1994.
In a recent UW System report, participants in focus groups found that
women with modest incomes or who are economically disadvantaged and
supporting children do not find adequate financial aid.
A similar survey of the UW-Green Bay campus resulted in 50% of the
parent-student respondents indicating that their financial aid was not
adequate to meet the commitments of tuition, childcare and other school
related expenses.
The 1996 implementation of Wisconsin's W-2 (welfare reform legislation)
has added to the challenge of providing childcare while pursuing an
education. Under recent welfare reform provisions, women can no longer
receive welfare assistance while attending college.
During the spring semester of 2000, a childcare survey was constructed
and administered by the UW-Green Bay Student Government Association.
Results indicate that between 200 and 300 students have childcare needs,
with half having difficulties paying for childcare expenses in addition
to tuition and other school related expenses. The survey also indicates
that 66% of surveyed student parents responded that they would use an
on-site facility.
With regard to hiring, promotion, and retention, in 1991 an ad hoc
committee of the UW-Green Bay University Committee conducted a study
with a focus on the status of women faculty. The report provides a compelling
background to the current project, noting issues in climate that still
exist today. More importantly, the University Committee study, findings
and recommendations, submitted in 1991, document a history of inaction
on these issues at least 20 years old.
"Previous studies carried out on this campus were instructive,
mainly in emphasizing that the issue of the recruitment, retention,
and promotion of women faculty has long been a problem. Women themselves
have called attention to the issue several times since 1981, and at
least two major task forces, one of them appointed by the Chancellor
in 1987, spent many hours examining the problem. While the 1987 task
force was charged with reviewing the situation of all women on campus,
it did develop several recommendations pertaining to women faculty.
Few of these have been acted on." (Report of the University Committee
- Ad Hoc Committee on Women, UW-Green Bay, 1992) (Appendix
I)
The 1991 committee made the following observations in its summary,
"One of the reasons for this record is the absence of any campus-wide
group with a clear mandate to initiate programs and/or policies concerned
with improving the institutional climate for women and minorities. The
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Council is perceived to have a
vague charge at present, and has been ineffective in gaining administrative
support to address the problems it has identified. Another reason is
that few mechanisms are in place for collection of data on the status
of women faculty essential to formulation of any plan of action."
The 1991 Ad Hoc Committee on Women concluded its report with recommendations
including the appointment of an ad hoc committee to develop a plan for
the appointment of an ombudsperson and a formal mentoring program, the
development and maintenance of a data base to provide accurate and current
information on employees, and the creation of an on-going committee
to monitor and follow up on the status of women.
The 1991 Committee on Women summarized, "The data indicates a
good record of recruitment of women faculty members at UWGB. There is
evidence here, however, that substantiates a poor record of retention
and promotion of women faculty. For the period under study, there is
also evidence of differences in salaries paid to male and female faculty
members at the assistant professor level."
The statistics provided in the 1992 report combined with more recent
figures show a pattern of improvement in faculty hiring and salary,
but confirm a history of poor retention of women faculty.
A current review of the percentage of women in the faculty since 1996
shows gains at the full professor level. In 1996, 8% of the full professors
were women compared with 16% in 2000; in 1996, 27% of the associate
professors were women compared with 29% in 2000; and in 1996, 53% of
the assistant professors were women compared with 50% in 2000.
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