As balancing act and as game: How women and men science faculty experience the promotion process

Studies on the division of domestic labor find that women take on a greater proportion of domestic responsibilities; this has implications for both women and men who work in demanding jobs. In this study of women and men science faculty at a major research university, the authors find that women tend to relate their experiences of the promotion process to both their domestic and faculty roles, whereas men tend not to consider thant their domestic roles have any bearing on their experiences of the promotion process. Women view the promotion process in terms of the components that make demands on their time, and they suggest ways that the process could (and should) be changed. Men view the process as a challenging game, and they describe the promotion process, as it currently exists, as necessary and acceptable. The authors find that there are compelling reasons to reconsider the structure of the promotion process and to strengthen and expand the programmatic supports that address the needs of women. Ramona Gunter is a Ph.D. student in education policy studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has master's degrees in Education Policy Studies and Cultural Anthropology and a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Physics. She has worked as a researcher studying math and science education since 1996. The focus of much of this work has been on student experiences in undergraduate math and science courses and gender differences. Her current work looks at the experiences of science faculty, academic staff, and graduate students in their work environments. Amy Stambach is associate professor of education policy studies and an affiliate of Department of Anthropology and the Women's Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison