2010 Meeting Minutes
June 8, 2010
Minutes by Stace Beaulieu
Meeting commenced at 14:20
Present: Larry Pratt (Co-Chair), Stace Beaulieu (Co-Chair), Tina Betti, Janet Fields, Dave Ralston, Debbie Shafer, Heidi Sosik
1) Introduction of new members and new Co-Chair
This was Stace’s first meeting as new Co-Chair. Other new members include Janet Fields, David Griffith, and Emily Shroyer. Brief introductions included our interests in the Committee’s activities at WHOI. We thank Christine Charette, Kristen Davis, and Andone Lavery for their service to the Committee, as they are rotating off.
2) Review the charge to the committee
We will propose to the Directorate the following 3 revisions:
- In 2nd sentence, replace “climate” with “equity”
- In 3rd sentence, replace “Approximately half…will rotate at the end of each calendar year” with “Members serve for approximately three years,” and
- add a member from the WHOI Diversity Committee.
The proposed revised charge is:
“To provide advice and feedback to the Co-Chairs, particularly with respect to the programs being developed to educate the Institution workforce regarding gender equity issues. The Co-Chairs will report to the Director of the Institution on progress made, and provide advice and feedback to the administration regarding further gender equity initiatives. Members serve for approximately three years, and the Committee will continue to have representation from a wide range of departments, both scientific and administrative as well as from the Women’s Committee and WHOI Diversity Committee.”
Action items:
- Stace will contact WHOI Diversity Committee regarding joint member.
- Co-Chairs will propose revisions to the charge to the Directorate.
3) Discuss current membership
Discussion of current membership included a need for representation from G&G and Marine Ops, and more male members and tech staff. Larry has contacted Dept. Chairs to identify his potential replacement as Co-Chair.
Action items:
- Larry will contact Dept. Admins. for suggestions of replacement Co-Chair.
- Co-Chairs will confirm member from Women’s Committee.
- Larry will contact suggested representatives from Marine Ops.
- Debbie will discuss with colleagues at CIS for a replacement when she rotates off.
4) Review JoAnn Moody’s visit
GEPAC’s 2009 Visiting Scholar, JoAnn Moody, conducted several meetings (i.e., with recruitment personnel, students/postdocs, and VPs/Dept. Chairs), held a public presentation, and provided written materials. A lasting impact from this visit was on the 2010 hiring process (see Item 5a).
5) Heidi's update, as outgoing Co-Chair but continuing member
a) 2010 hiring process
Some of the recommendations from JoAnn Moody’s visit were adapted by the Bio and MCG Depts. for the hiring of scientific staff in 2010. Bio Dept. prepared a one-page summary of Moody’s booklet “Rising above cognitive errors.” Heidi showed a matrix that was being used in the Bio Dept., and Dave mentioned that an adapted version of the matrix was being used in AOPE and likely in G&G as well.
Action Items:
- Heidi/Larry/Stace will call a follow-up meeting with the participants from last year’s recruitment meeting with JoAnn Moody to determine how the recommendations were put into practice this year.
- Heidi/Larry/Stace will provide summary to Directorate.
b) Gender-related employment stats
Heidi, Stace, Tina, and Anita Norton met with several persons from CIS, MIS, and others from HR in April 2010 to make progress on the automated procedure for obtaining gender-related employment stats. A follow-up meeting is planned.
6) Begin planning for future GEPAC-sponsored workshop(s)
Some discussion on hosting a high-impact, engaging public speaker to attract and revitalize attention to the Committee’s role at WHOI. Larry provided a list of suggested speakers from Joyce Yen’s visit in 2008: Chris Loving, Shelly Correll, Valerie Taylor. Larry also proposed a visit from Amnesty International to speak on the international issue of obstacles to girls in education. Stace mentioned that this public talk would bring in community interest, but that we should also hold targeted workshops at WHOI to i) relate concepts to subtle biases that occur in U.S. and ii) specific to scientists doing work in countries that are a focus of Amnesty Int’l gender-related efforts. Janet mentioned a recent talk at ADVANCE workshop related to ii).
Action Items:
- Larry will obtain more information on Amnesty International speaker. If we move forward with this, we would approach other committees for co-sponsorship.
- Janet will provide information from recent ADVANCE workshop.
7) Updates for events sponsored by other committees
Women's Comm. held event last week, Diversity Comm. has event on June 28th plus events expected later this summer, and no events currently planned for Comm. on Work and Family Life.
8) Other discussion items
a) Review and order new brochures
Action Items:
- Stace will revise brochure by removing Ombudsperson, updating EEO Officer phone number, and adding WHOI Diversity Committee (Stace already did this for revised Committee website).
- Stace will order brochures for APO and HR.
b) Possibility of gender equity survey
Stace suggested a potential activity that GEPAC may consider is conducting a survey for perceptions of gender equity at WHOI (similar to how the Sustainability Committee conducted an online survey in April 2010).
9) Set time for next regular meeting
Next meeting will depend on outcome of discussions over email re: next workshop. Stace would like to have regular meetings twice per year (e.g., June, December).
Meeting adjourned at 15:45