Women and Leadership program focus group Level C

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Women and Leadership program focus group Level C
Professor Hilary Winchester Pro Vice
Chancellor Organisational Strategy and
Change February 2005
CRICOS Provider Number 00121B
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Women and Leadership program

• UniSA is committed to achieving equal employment
  opportunity for women within the organisation.
• Our equity and affirmative strategies aim to
  eliminate all forms of discrimination against
  women.

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Corporate strategic directions and UniSA context

• The fact that the University has
• 45 female academic staff
• 64 female general staff across all levels
• Three corporate KPIs that relate to gender equity
  and
• Gender parity in the Senior Management Group
• is testament to our commitment to gender equity.

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Senior women

• The proportion of women decreases at senior
  levels.
• UniSA has 155 staff at Level D and above
  (including the Vice Chancellor and Pro Vice
  Chancellors), of whom 42 are female (27) and 113
  are male (73).
• The 2006 target of 30 is achievable
  (representing approximately four more female
  staff) and is particularly critical for
  traditionally male-dominated disciplinary areas.
• The 30 female representation is demonstrated to
  be the critical mass which influences
  decision-making in teams and working groups.

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Benchmarking

• Benchmarking data clearly shows that UniSAs
  percentage of female academic staff is
• above the other universities in the State
• 6 above the national average
• at Level D and above (currently 27) sits almost
  10 above the national average.
• The University
• uses KPIs and targets to self-regulate
• has leadership from the top
• is commended by AUQA for our high level of staff
  development.

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Barriers to Promotion for Academic Women Staff

• A research team is investigating barriers to
  promotion for academic women staff. Funded by the
  AVCC and the Colloquium of Senior Women, the team
  comprises myself, Shard Lorenzo and Lyn Browning
  from the HR Unit, and Dr Colleen Chesterman,
  Director of ATN WEXDEV.
• The research team has collected information on
  academic promotion policies and promotion
  statistics by gender from all Australian
  Universities and has interviewed staff from 17
  universities to further investigate strategies
  and identify best practice.

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Success rate of female Level D applications
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Female staff by classification
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Recent ATN research

• Recent research conducted collaboratively by
  members of the ATN focussed on the gender
  differences in career paths, especially in
  relation to
• Academic career paths
• Reticence
• Resistance.

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Academic career paths

• Women have less mobility and stay in the same
  institution
• In applying for positions, male academics were
  twice as likely to apply from outside the
  institutions and from overseas or interstate
  positions
• Women may start academic careers later, sometimes
  after child-rearing, and tend to have less
  research experience
• Fewer women take the post-doctoral path.

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Reticence

• Many women
• Undervalue their capacities
• Tend not to self-promote
• Are unwilling to seek promotion.
• The big problem is actually getting the women to
  the point of application Women think they have
  to be perfect before they actually apply for
  jobs.
• (Female DVC)

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Combating reticence

• Succession planning
• Workshops on promotion / leadership / career
  development
• Identification and talent spotting
• Policy on short-term vacancies in senior
  positions
• Nurturing and mentoring
• Acknowledgement and discussion of glass ceiling
  issues and gendered norms
• Opportunities for acting in senior positions or
  undertaking higher duties.

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Resistance

• I look at the role and responsibilities the PVC
  or the Deputy Vice Chancellor has and I think no,
  I dont want that. I feel Im kind of at the edge
  of what Im able to manage and remain sane.
• (Female Director)
• To address this, individual women can
• Take opportunities
• Confront reticence
• Develop skills for leadership.

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Future challenges

• Maintaining a focus on equity
• Finding a work / family balance
• Concentration of women in female-dominated areas
• High visibility of women in management
• Belief that universities are gender neutral
• Discussion
• How can UniSA assist your future development?