AdvanceVT Annual Report : Year 4 : September 2006 – August 2007

Abstract

The overall goal of AdvanceVT is to contribute to the development of a national science and engineering academic workforce that includes the full participation of women at all levels of faculty and academic leadership, particularly at the senior academic ranks, through the transformation of institutional practices, policies, climate and culture at Virginia Tech. The program has four major elements: advancing women into faculty careers, increasing the representation of women faculty in science and engineering, empowering women as leaders and scholars, and institutionalizing change. <br /> Significant accomplishments during year four include approval of a new part-time employment policy for tenure track faculty by the university governance structure and board of visitors, draft of a manual of successful strategies for developing and maintaining a positive department climate, presentations to the Task Force on Race and the Institution and the Black Caucus of findings from the 2005 faculty survey, and development and release of a request for information to commercial day care providers, in addition to maintaining a portfolio of workshops, seminars, grants, fellowships, and development programs. AdvanceVT hosted the Transforming the Professoriate conference for underrepresented graduate students and post-doctoral associates preparing for faculty careers in summer 2006.