Advocates and Allies

Overview

In 2015, RIT created the Advocates & Allies program through funding from the National Science Foundation Grant No.1500604 titled, "Engaging Male Colleagues in Institutional Transformation for the Advancement of Women Faculty." The Advocates & Allies project at RIT is based on an innovative approach designed by North Dakota State University to involve faculty men intentionally in the transformation of departmental cultures and practices. Our method, based on the NDSU approach, is specifically designed for academic settings to support men faculty, in consultation with women faculty, in gender-equity efforts and includes two essential components:

1) Recognize the implicit and explicit intersectional manifestations of gendered discrimination and

2) Effectively and systematically generate individual behaviors and institutional policies that interrupt inequities and foster gender justice.

The mission of the Advocates and Allies program is:

Introduce men to knowledge, skills, and strategies to effect positive personal, departmental, and institutional change

Emphasize men working with other men while maintaining accountability to women

Build a supportive network of men allies who are committed to gender equity

Tips for Being an Ally

Here are suggested actions that one can take to be an ally for women faculty:

• Tell women (and men) faculty that you are an ally
• Ask women faculty about their experience with departmental climate, and listen to their answer
• Ensure women faculty members have equal opportunity to speak during meetings
• Ensure women faculty are invited to informal departmental gatherings
• Talk to women faculty about their research
• Nominate qualified women for awards, honors, and positions
• Volunteer to serve on promotion, tenure, faculty search, and other committees with specific purpose of being an ally for gender equity

Tips for Being an Advocate

• Faculty men with a strong commitment and record of supporting women faculty in their department, colleges, and the university
• Active and effective proponents of gender diversity and equity 
• Committed to increasing their understanding of gender bias and its impact on the academic careers of women. 
• Expected to have an awareness of the dynamics of institutional and structural bias and privilege and be interested in learning about issues of discrimination and privilege in the workplace.
• A group that  meets regularly  (monthly) and works toward specific goals and outcomes, discusses recommended readings and case studies and is involved in the development and delivery of training programs for male faculty who are interested in becoming Allies.

Advocates & Allies

Nearly 100 RIT faculty men have attended Ally training and taken action, primarily within their own department. Common actions taken include:

• Speaking up at meetings regarding gender diversity and equity
• Act as an active bystander to support an inclusive, civil work environment
• Invite women colleagues to collaborate on research
• Nominate women colleagues for awards
• Serve on a committee as a gender equity proponent in place of their women colleagues to reduce the inequity of service loads
   

Advocates are faculty men who support faculty women by working towards improving gender diversity and equity. These advocates have a strong commitment to supporting women faculty in their department, colleges, and the university. They are aware of institutional dynamics and structural bias while showing an interest in learning about issues of discrimination and privilege in the workplace. The advocates are active and effective proponents of gender diversity and equity.

Advocates & Allies Workshop Offerings:

2016

Ally Training, March 3

During this session, the main objectives were refining and strengthening targeted institutional structures, and install practices that promote representation and advancement of women faculty. Also improving the quality of women faculty work life, professional development, and incentive/reward structures was another point of conversation along with aligning institutional, administrative, and informal systems of power and resources to support and sustain progress by shaping the political frameworks that impact representation and advancement of women. Finally, enhancing the working environment and support career advancement for women faculty using symbolic measures which emphasize issues of meaning within the organization was a main focus point.

Participants:

Ally Professional Development Session, November 2:

At this session, the following information was shared with participants: research related to the role gender plays in the career lives of women faculty, data related to the representation of women faculty at RIT, and results from RIT climate surveys (i.e. COACHE), and steps you can take to improve institutional climate at RIT.

 Interactive theater was used to present case studies and allow faculty to learn how and practice being an effective bystander. This portion of the session was presented by True Story Theater, RIT’s Diversity Theater and facilitated by Maureen Scully, PhD. from the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

Participants:

2017

Advocates and Allies Training, March 29:

At this session, the following information was shared with participants: research related to the role gender plays in the career lives of women faculty, data related to the representation of women faculty at RIT, and results from RIT climate surveys (i.e. COACHE), discussion of case studies and steps you can take to improve institutional climate at RIT.

Participants:

Advocates and Allies Training, March 30:

At this session, the following information was shared with participants: research related to the role gender plays in the career lives of women faculty, data related to the representation of women faculty at RIT, and results from RIT climate surveys (i.e. COACHE), discussion of case studies and steps you can take to improve institutional climate at RIT.

Participants: 

2019

Advocates Breakfast, April 29:

Breakfast brainstorming session among the Advocates and AdvanceRIT Director.  Focus of discussion was on programing for the following year, recap of the past year, and possible strategies to expand Advocate and Allies participation.

Engaging All Faculty in Institutional Transformation, December 10:

This workshop that explored the factors that underlie underrepresentation of women faculty in the STEM academic workplace and the arguments for the changes needed in the academy in order for women to fully participate. Participants were engaged in active discussions which were culminated in highlighting actions and what participants could do to get started.

Participants: 

Select Related Activities List:

Teaching Circle:

Solving the Equation: The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing by Corbett and Hill explores the factors that underlie underrepresentation of women in the engineering and computing workplace. This repost argues for changes in the academy in order for women’s full participation. The report emphasizes the need to combat stereotypes and biases, emphasize the social relevance of STEM, cultivating a sense of belonging and changing the environment.

We propose a teaching circle dedicated to systematically reviewing the chapters in the report, connecting the content to RIT and reflecting on action that we could take to change the work environment.

Why this matters to RIT, faculty and students: Diversity in the workplace contributes significantly to the performance of that workplace.  We need to be part of the solution that ultimately leads to parity – we need to start with us!

While we will discuss actions, the goal of this teaching circle is self-reflection, collaborative discussion and personal action.  If something that benefits the university in a more systematic way manifests itself, we will leverage it, but that is not the goal.

Participants: