ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of this project is to contribute to the development of a national science and engineering academic workforce that includes the full participation of women in all levels of faculty and academic administration, particularly at the senior academic ranks, through the transformation of institutional practices, policies, climate and culture. New Mexico State University proposes a five year program to increase by 20 percent (net) the overall number of women in faculty science, math, and engineering tenure-track positions. NMSU is a public, land-grant university with a research focus, diverse student body, and commitment to minority participation in science, mathematics, and engineering (SME). NMSU's program of institutional transformation seeks to create an environment which supports the advancement of women SME faculty to leadership positions in the professoriate and in academic administration. Under this program, a Committee on the Status of Women in SME will form the central administrative unit to bring about these changes. The Committee will include the associate deans of the Colleges of Agriculture and Home Economics, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and the Graduate School, department heads and senior faculty from departments within these colleges, and key advisory personnel with experience in diversity issues in higher education. The NMSU Committee on the Status of Women in SME will: (1) conduct a self-study of the current status of women in SME faculty positions at NMSU and institutionalize an annual review of the status of women faculty at NMSU to insure gains made toward equity under this program continue after the grant period; (2) distribute research, travel, and start-up funds with the goal of recruiting and retaining women SME faculty; (3) establish an endowment and long-term funding campaign to provide financial resources to sustain ADVANCE initiatives after the grant period ends; (4) coordinate Faculty Development and Visiting Scholar programs; (5) serve as consultants to SME Departmental Faculty Search Committees; (6) disseminate programmatic results within NMSU and at professional conferences. As a Hispanic serving institution, NMSU will also encourage participation in SME fields among under- represented ethnic groups. This project is supported by the NSF ADVANCE Program. The overall mission of the ADVANCE Program is to increase the participation of women in the scientific and engineering workforce through the increased representation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers.