Off to the Land of Enchantment for a couple of weeks. See you after the first of the year!

Policy Update: Changes to FMLA

A few weeks ago, I noted that the federal government made significant changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The amendments are primarily to provide additional benefits for those families who have a member in the Armed Forces. The first amendment provides for unpaid leave of up to 26 weeks for a:

spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin” to care for a “member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness.

The second amendment provides that employees may take FMLA leave for:

“any qualifying exigency” arising out of the fact that the spouse, or a son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty) in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation.

Qualified exigency, as clarified in the changes includes: short-notice deployment, military events and related activities, childcare and school activities, financial and legal arrangements, counseling, rest and recuperation, post-deployment activities, and additional activities that arise out of the covered military member's active duty.

While I am 100% supportive of new policies that support military families (many of my extended relatives were in the military at some point), I can't help but wonder why other amendments have gone unnoticed and unsupported. For example, 12 weeks of unpaid leave does not assist with all the additional costs associated with a new baby, (i.e., car seats and medical bills). Nor does FMLA take into account the developmental needs of a child. The underlying philosophy is to offer just enough time off to get women ready to go back into the workforce.

Wednesday's Parenting Corner: Children and Consumerism

The holidays have become the antithesis of consumerism. Children in department and toy stores sing in the aisles, "I want that. Can't I have another toy? Mom, all my friends have this toy." The Media Awareness Network notes that:

Parents should be concerned about the effect excessive materialism can have on the development of their children's self image and values. In her 1997 book on modern family life, The Shelter of Each Other, author Mary Pipher worries that our consumer-saturated culture may be breeding feelings of "narcissism, entitlement and dissatisfaction" in today's kids.

Global Issues notes that children have become an important market segment. From tweens who buy Hannah Montana products to the commercials during Saturday morning cartoons, celebrating the latest action figure or video game or sexualized doll, our children have become a target for advertisers. Take, for example, these stats:

1. Children are a captive audience: The average American child watches an estimate between 25,000 to 40,000 television commercials per year. In the UK, it is about 10,000
2. $15-17 billion is spent by companies advertising to children in the US
3. The marketing seems to be worth it. For example,
   • Teens in the US spend around $160 billion a year
   • Children (up to 11) spend around $18 billion a year
   • “Tweens” (8-12 year olds) “heavily influence” more than $30 billion in other spending by parents, and “80 percent of all global brands now deploy a ‘tween strategy.’”
   • Children (under 12) and teens influence parental purchases totaling over $130-670 billion a year.

What I fear most as a new parent with a young child are the lessons that we as a society are teaching children. Christmas has become about what we receive and not what we give. A few years ago, my fear was realized when my niece began counting the presents under the Xmas tree only to discover that her cousin had more presents. Where are the lessons about giving, sharing, family, etc.? Are they all really lost in the mountain of toys, wrapping paper, and piles of credit card debt?

My question for the readers is how do I begin to change my families traditions of my family to change the message of Xmas to reflect the values associated with gift giving and celebrating family?

Mood Swings and Writing

I posted some months ago about my embarrassing moment with the breast pump shield. Just think back to the image of a pump shield rolling down the middle of a carpeted office floor seeming to reach with invisible hands for the foot of my male department chair. Ugh, my face just blushes thinking about it! Because I tired of carrying the pump and the extra 15 pounds that still has a tight grasp on my body frame and because I don't want to carry the pump across country again, I decided to start the weaning process. The process has gone very well with limited pain. Every three to four days, I skip one of the pumping sessions.

BUT

I realized today that I am just feeling "off" and that I have had this feeling for about 10 days. My moods are morose and somewhat unpredictable and I can't seem to focus on all my student papers, not to mention that articles that I promised I would finish before break. When the reason hit me, I started to google, confirming my suspicions -- weaning causes hormonal changes. Dang it!!! So much for the writing.

Here are a few resources to help those who also go through the weaning process:

Depression and weaning
Post Partum and weaning
Tips on weaning

Mack Monday: Superhero

Five on Friday

5. A great article in the NY Times argues that the correct metaphor for today's career trajectories are career lattices and not career ladders. Given that many academic parents are seeking alternative faculty career tracks, we may have a lattice.
4. I learned this week that having a photo of my kid in my office is a good way to break the ice with a new graduate student advisee.
3. COACHE continues to do good work on family-friendly policies in the academy. Junior faculty, as they reported in a recent study, do value work/life balance and take into account balance when it comes to job satisfaction.
2. I found another good blog -- feministing.
1. I have too many meetings and too much grading to do before the Holidays!

Tips for Conferencing While Breast Feeding

My decision to conference without baby was not without logistical issues. Because I was still breast feeding (still pumping to be more accurate), I had to work through all the logistical issues with breast pumping while in a hotel and 1,000 miles from home. I began by calling the hotel to set-up refrigeration. I made sure to call weeks in advance and describe my needs so that I would be assured a refrigerator in my room upon arrival. I also discussed the need to pump with my roommate so that I did not shock her with my sci-fi pumping contraption. Easy enough!

The difficulties came when I realized that I could not/would not just dump all my hard earned breast milk down the bathroom drain. The shear thought of watching the liquid gold disappear down the drain made my want to cry. Thankfully, transporting breast milk is possible with much preparation. Here are a few tips:

Transportation of Breast Milk:

There is the option of using FedEx or UPS as a means to return the milk, but that requires dry ice, a special insulated box, and transportation to a shipping facility. All of which seems very time consuming. I opted to fly back with the breast milk which also required some additional effort and planning.

1. Visit the TSA website for the latest information on requirements for transporting breast milk. Here is the current policy that was sent to me in an email:

TSA recently modified the rules associated with taking breast milk through security checkpoints. Currently, passengers flying with or without an infant or young child may bring more than 3 ounces of breast milk (in a liquid or frozen state) into the security checkpoint. The breast milk must be declared to the Transportation Security Officer prior to entering the screening checkpoint and be separated from other liquids, gels, and aerosols.

Although TSA does not specifically limit the amount of breast milk or other items a passenger may bring in their carry-on bags, we encourage travelers to be practical about these amounts. The amount should be reasonable and also be consistent with the traveler's itinerary. Security Officers have discretion in determining whether the amount of breast milk and other items carried by an individual constitutes a "reasonable amount." All passengers are encouraged to ask to speak with a supervisor at the security checkpoint if they have any questions or concerns with these procedures.

2. Secure an insulated bag with frozen inserts to keep the breast milk frozen/cold during the duration of the trip. Lansinoh bags have a double zipper seal to prevent leaks. I am not a fan of the bags, but they came in handy when I had a lot of breast milk and a little storage bag.

3. Decide if you want the breast milk to go through the X-ray. From what I gather, it is safe to X-ray breast milk.

4. Give yourself plenty of time to get through airport security just in case there is a problem. Also, bring documentation to inform the TSA folks if they question that amount or the TSA policy. I had an email from TSA in hand and a chart of how much breast milk a child consumes in one day. Therefore, I could show them that my breast milk was a "reasonable quantity" given my travel itinerary.

Conferencing After Baby

Conferences have always been a welcome respite from the pattern of faculty work. I look forward to those extended conference weekends away to see colleagues and friends from around the country, to become entrenched in scholarship, and to network with new colleagues. The receptions, presentations, conversations are invigorating. Life with baby is different and thus conferencing would also change.

The initial concerns about going away to a conference without baby were more logistic such as how would I bring back pumped breast milk and how was my husband going to handle the night feedings (he does not currently get up for those)? I also asked myself, would Mack experience separation anxiety? Would she sleep and eat? How would I feel about being away from her? Additionally, I worried about my own emotional well-bring since I am not used to being away from baby overnight.

My first attempt at conferencing without baby went very well. Mack did not have any separation anxiety issues, my husband did a wonderful job caring for her every need, and I successfully accomplished all my conference goals, presenting, etc. BUT, there was still this nagging feeling while I was away. I couldn't help but feel as if something was fundamentally missing, as if one of my arms was left at home. I was mentally and physically "off" and I yearned to return home. The trip home was a rush to get back to her, to hold her in my arms and feel complete again.

I did not and would not bring Mack to a conference since I am attempting to "start as I plan to go" which means that I want to establish certain patterns from the very beginning of her life. Mom (and Dad) will continue to go to 2-3 conferences each year for the rest of her life. She needs to be okay with us being away. I have a feeling, however, that my conferences will not be as joyful nor will I want to linger. I will need to hurry home to feel whole once again.

Mack Monday

In order to create some sort of organization with this blog and to prompt me to be a more consistent blogger, I have devised a weekly schedule with a theme for each day. Monday is Mack Monday. Mack is short for Mackenzie, my daughter. This is my day to brag about her cuteness. I am shameless. Here is Mack:

FMLA Changes

Just in case you missed Bush's latest attack on parents. Check this out!

The "No Win" Situation

About two weeks ago, I attended my first academic conference since giving birth. My daughter was about 71/2 months old so I felt comfortable being away for 2 days. I kept telling myself that, "This is my life. I will always travel to three conferences a year so she/I need to get used to being away." The trip was a success despite the emotional trauma (I'll save that story for another post).

While I was at the conference, many colleagues congratulated me, asked to see pictures, inquired about my new life as a parent, and asked if I brought her along. This surprised me since we only have a few examples of academic (women, of course) who have made the conference a family affair. So, I explained that I want to begin the "mommy travels for work" pattern early and that I would feel too distracted with her around. I found out that I was too distracted with her back at home as well. (Does it get any easier?) The message was that I did the right thing by coming to the conference and that leaving her home was an appropriate choice.

Another colleague and friend, however, also came to the conference and left a very young child (under 3 months) at home. On several occasions, I heard her criticized: "I can't believe that Prof X came right after having a child." "How could she leave her child at home?" "Who is caring for the child?" And my favorite, "It is just cruel to leave such a little baby at home without his mother."

Now, if my colleague stayed at home, she would of been criticized for not attending conferences, presenting, or networking which are all important for getting tenure. Yet another "no win" situation for academic parents. And yes, I am a little bitter right now.

Who Writes for This Blog?

GenderAnalyzer believes that this blog is being written by a Man......see the results.

What can you reasonably do?

This week my dean and department chair both expressed concern to me about how much program-related work I'll be able to do in the coming year ("reasonably" speaking) given that I'll have a two year-old and a six month-old when I return to my teaching duties next fall. They are doing their jobs - they have to look out for the future of our program and gauge my contributions in advance to decide how much extra assistance they will need - but I couldn't help but map my own insecurities onto their comments and questions. The answer is I DON'T KNOW. I only have one child now, and it's hard. We can't afford much in the way of childcare given where we live and what I make, so we have to rely on family and my family has limits in terms of what they can provide. We plan to hire more help next year but with this economy - and based on the fact that when I'm on leave I get minimal merit pay, and we don't get *any* cost-of-living allowance from year to year - we won't have a whole load of additional resources to put toward childcare next year. Part of me fears I'll become obsolete in my own program because of two maternity leaves and the resulting limitations on my time. Here I spent more than a decade building this career, thinking I could do it all (isn't that what they tell us?). Meanwhile my OB keeps telling me not to stress about anything (I'm six months pregnant and high risk for premature delivery). Any advice from other tenure-going parents out there? The "reasonable" part of me says do your best, give it time, this is a temporary blip on the screen of your worklife, and all women suffer this double bind of trying to be mommy and employee at once; and it's even harder when you're faculty and the tacit expectations of your work spill over into all days and hours of your life. I can say I am doing my best. I'm just not sure it's good enough (and if it is now, I'm not sure it will be in 6-12 months).

Quote of the week - god bless my mother

These last few weeks have been extremely challenging balancing work and family. Being in the middle of the semester means that I have a load of grading to do, a conference paper to write, at least one revise and resubmit for a journal, and planning for the approaching holidays. When I felt really low the other night after a not-so-great teaching experience, I called my mother to ask her how she managed as a working mom of three. She said,

You are your own worst critic. If you only have 20% to give, be okay with that 20% and realize that you are doing your best.

Yes, this is pretty obvious advice, but it was just what I needed. I don't need to give 100% in every aspect of my life all the time. Thanks mom!

Embarrassing Moment

Picture this....I am sitting at my desk typing on my laptop when my male colleague walks in the door. As I turn around to greet him, my foot hits the breast pump sitting on the floor near my left foot. Out comes one of the breastshields, rolling down the center of my office.



I'll admit that I am a little uncomfortable with the entire breast pump set-up. The science fiction tube-coming-out-of-my-body look is not one that I like to share with people, especially faculty colleagues. So, when I quickly grabbed the breastshield and stashed it under the flap of the pump bag, I just prayed that he would understand that this is just one of the many embarrassing moments that I have encountered as a working mom.

Quote of the week -- children as pets

Each day begins with the pumping ritual. I sit on my bed, strap on the breast pump and open my computer to read emails and blog posts. This morning, I came across comments on a post on Mama PhD, one of the many blogs that I read daily. I am stunned.

Perhaps childcare is not reimbursed because that’s not fair to those who are childless. I don’t get reimbursed for care for my animals (who are elderly and require medication) when I go away to a conference either, and while it’s not as expensive as childcare, it’s not cheap. Nor do people caring for their elderly parents get money to hire a nurse while they go to a conference, often they are torn whether to go at all.

As a single person who has no children, I do have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about this, because the university spends less on me yet gets the same amount of work— i don’t have a spouse or child who take advantage of health care benefits, or tuition remission, or any other perks available, but don’t receive any additional compensation. I understand that having children requires more resources, but I don’t think it’s fair of parents to always expect to get more just because they chose to be parents. Having children means being willing to pay for these expenses yourself. It’s part of the deal.

Also, if you include childcare expenses, it could give a university a reason to turn down your funding request in favor of someone who doesn’t require them, saying you cost more to send than someone else.

Presidential Candidates Plans for Work-Life Issues: Part II

Another good post to look at before you go to the polls on November 4th.

How I Stay Motivated?

As I sit and write my much overdue conference paper, I look over at this picture and try to remember that if I get the paper done I can go home to a beautiful baby.

Help - Child Care is too Expensive

Affordable child care if one of the most important issues that academic families face. I often tell my more business minded family members and friends that you don't go into the professoriate for the money. Faculty work is about passion for a scholarly interest, educating students, etc. with the perks of flexibility, autonomy, and good benefits. Yet, we do have financial realities, such as the increasing cost of child care. I pay $2,000 per month for a mostly full-time in-home child care provider which I am only able to manage with financial help from those business minded parents. Thanks goodness for their successful business ventures.

Research note that on average assistant professors make $61,000 per year with only a $10,000 increase at the associate level. Child care ranges from $4,500 to $14,000 per year for one child (see this report) and up to $25,000 per year for two children. Do the math -- that is a pretty good percentage of your total assistant professor salary. While some universities offer on-campus child care centers at a reduced rate, availability is limited, there is often little to no oversight, and the cost can still be too much for a family of four on an academic salary.

I want to praise University of Washington for their efforts to provide financial assistance to graduate students who need child care and I challenge all institutions to consider additional financial assistance to faculty to help with child care costs. A few hundred dollars a month would go a long way!

Presidential Candidates Plans for Work-Life Issues

An important blog just came out on McCain's and Obama's plans to help work-life issues. Given my status as a working parent who struggles with a host of issues ranging from affordable childcare to paid maternity leave, I find there articles crucial to the election. I hope this helps you make a decision come November 4th.

Here is the link to the article.

Revealing Our Parenting Status

When I first conceived of this blog, I imagined a group of tenure-track faculty who would post once or twice a month on a variety of topics related to parenting in the academe. Many of the people whom I spoke with revealed that they were too concerned that their identities would be revealed and that their posts would prove detrimental in the tenure review process. Of course, I am sympathetic to these feelings since we have ample evidence that faculty, particularly women faculty, have difficulty achieving tenure as parents.

Today, Drama Mama posted on Mama PhD her own thoughts and feelings regarding the concern of being revealed as a parent. Check out her post.

Last week was a success

Birthed alongside my daughter was a new level of anxiety. I have never been a particularly over anxious individual and I was often considered by friends and family as a relaxed and unflappable person. Yet, when our daughter was born, I developed an anxiety similar to those characteristic of a grandmother -- "Be careful walking down the street. Are you sure that it is safe to fly? Is this a safe neighborhood?" -- not the level of anxiety that warrants Xanax.

Last week, when had a new person, my mother-in-law, taking care of our daughter and I was concerned about 1,000 different scenarios where something could go wrong. Here are a few of my crazy thoughts:

• Our daughter will get upset because she with a new person.
• They will go on a walk and get hurt and no one will know how to call me.
• Our daughter will just be generally unhappy.
• She won't eat.
• She won't sleep.

Thank goodness for my father who sometimes knows how to calm me down. He said, "Whatever your mother-in-law does, it is out of love." Of course! She loves her granddaughter unconditionally and will do anything to love, protect, and care for her. So, I was able to stop fretting over the situation at home and finally think about this dang article that I need to write.

Fridays, my favortite days

Fridays are my favorite days! Every Friday I take the day off and have a "Mommy and Baby" day. We go to gymboree and then have lunch with friends. We spend the rest of the day together involved in games and play.

Since I started back at work, I cherish these Fridays because they make me feel as if I am somehow accomplishing work/life balance. Even when I don't make it home before she goes to bed, I always have Fridays to devote my undivided attention to her every need, to see how much she has changed over the week, and to physically express my deep love for her. One day she will tire of my constant kisses.

I also take the day off work because I have fond memories of spending Saturdays with my mother. Although we would often partake in her favorite activity -- shopping -- I treasured those hours when we could just talk without interruptions from siblings, phone calls, or house chores.

Today, I woke up ready to push aside all my work worries, all my chores, and spend the day just with my daughter. This post is courtesy of her afternoon nap.

100 Best?

Insidehighered.org reported that several institutions of higher education received recognition from the Working Mother's 100 Best Employers Survey:

Cornell and Harvard Universities, and the health care systems of the University of Wisconsin and Virginia Commonwealth University, have all made the list of 100 best employers by Working Mother magazine.

Working Mother magazine uses seven different measures to identify the best employers, including worforce profile (not sure what this means), compensation, child care, flexibility, time off and leaves, family-friendly programs and company culture. While I imagine that Cornell and Harvard are doing a fine job when it comes to institutional climate, they are not necessarily the most progressive institutions when it comes to family-friendly policies. For a list of those institution, see my previous post on family-friendly policies. Also, I am skeptical when any survey ranks higher education alongside the corporate sector. How can faculty work be compared to all other professions when we are typically 9 month employees with autonomy, flexibility, etc.?

The Woes of Flexibility

The standard contract for good in-home childcare in my area includes two weeks of paid vacation which we happily granted our childcare provider (who, incidentally, is doing a wonderful job caring for our daughter). This week, she took one of her weeks off to travel to the beach so my mother-in-law came in from out of town to help us. While I am most grateful for her arrival and willingness to take time off work and fly (at her own expense) across the country to help us, my over protective motherly-self is having a difficult time going to work. The flexibility to make my own schedule -- the ability to work your 70 hours per week anytime and anywhere you want -- is a perk of the job that often keeps me going on my more difficult days. Yet, the flexibility also means that I have the option of staying home this week and nagging my mother-in-law.

I reluctantly got in my car this morning (after staying home yesterday to ease the transition), chanted all the way to work that everything will be fine, and placed my cell phone in my pocket just in case there is a call. This blog post is my attempt to remind myself to relax!

Quote of the week - supportive department chair

This is unprofessional, but you may want to consider scheduling your leave for a time when your child will need you, say when she is three years old. They need you more at that time.

I was sitting in a meeting with my department chair the other day and we were discussing when I should take my pre-tenure semester leave. While most chairs would gasp at the idea of using your leave for anything other than an intense semester of research and writing, my chair suggested that I may want to use it to balance work and family. I know that I often seem very critical of academe when it comes to parenting, but there are moments when I realize that a few good people truly understand this delicate balancing act.

Ugh!

Check this out:

An editorial in the journal DNA and Cell Biology notes that for many of the top prizes and fellowships in science, women appear to be overlooked. The editorial documents very low percentages of women winning key competitions or awards, and suggests that all journals use “double blind” peer review (in which the identities of both authors and reviewers are confidential), that program directors raise questions when finalists for prizes or honors don’t include women, and that selection committees periodically review their procedures to consider whether they are fair to all.

From Insidehighered.org.

When to Create a Teachable Moment

This week, I have been privy to a few discturbing stories that highlight the lack of understanding in the academy around academic parenthood. In one circumstance, a group of students complained that a faculty person had to leave her all day class for brief breaks to feed her child. In another incident, a faculty personal had a difficult time during her tenure review because she took her semester research leave to extend her maternity leave (this institution does not offer any benefits beyond the 12 weeks unpaid FMLA). What I keep coming back to in my mind is the idea that we can use these unfortunate (and discriminatory) incidences to teach others about the importance of understanding the delicate balancing act of academic parenthood. Here are a few initial ideas:

• The department chair could attend the class and discusses openly with the students the necessity for the faculty person to leave the class. The chair could explain how the students could continue the class (i.e. continue in-class discussion) and find other creative ways to learn the material. Because many of the students are full-time professionals, additional discussion could surround the need to be creative and understanding in their professional careers. This could be a teachable moment.
  
• The tenure and promotion committee could openly engage in a discussion of the reasons why a faculty person would use their leave for maternity purposes. They could bring in "experts" to contribute (or at least other academic parents). They could also become more knowledgable about the leave policies which may help to contextualize the faculty person's decision-making.

Instead of being punitive, committees/students/chairs/colleagues need to have an open mind and approach the conflict as a moment to learn more about the issues that academic parents face. Just removing the faculty person as the course instructor or denying tenure does NOT address the underlying structures that make the balancing act so difficult.

Quote of the week - just get a babystter

A few weeks ago, I was leaving a committee meeting that was attended by several of the university HR staff. When I was asked if I was attending the Sunday evening reception for new faculty at the president's house, this is what transpired:

HR Director: "Are you going to attend the reception on Sunday at the president's house?"

Jaime: "No, I have a young child at home and I don't have childcare. My husband will be out of town."

HR Director: "Just go to sittercity.com. We have a free subscription for staff and faculty."

Jaime: "Hmm, I have a very young child at home. She is only 5 months old and..."

HR Director: "I am sure that you can find someone on sittercity."

Jaime: "I'll take a look."

What I didn't say was that I have a very young child at home who I don't just trust with someone whom I choose on a website and meet with for a few minutes before I run off across town to a reception. Did I mention that my husband will be out of town on the west coast and that we are new to the area so we don't have a large network of friends and family? I could ask my full-time childcare provider, but she is pretty expensive (and totally worth it -- I love her). Maybe the university should consider hosting these receptions during "normal business" hours, 9-5pm Monday - Friday. Maybe, HR should consider doing more than just paying for a membership to a website. Hmm, we do have a childcare facility who could provide childcare during the reception. Maybe, the university should pay new faculty more money so that we can afford professional childcare.

Sorry, I had to vent!

Family-Friendly

Over the last several years, external granting agencies (specifically the Sloan Foundation in cooperation with the American Council on Education --- ACE) have recognized the need to promote the development of family-friendly policies in higher education. Sloan subsequently developed a competitive grant to provide funds for a select group of colleges and universities to develop more family-friendly policies (i.e., paid leave, tenure-clock extension, part-time tenure-track options, childcare vouchers, etc.). The hope is that the changes of a few innovative universities will create a national trend in higher education. A new survey by the higher education HR association (CUPA) tells us otherwise:

The CUPA-HR survey provides a snapshot on a range of benefits issues. At a time that many academics are urging institutions to adopt more “family friendly” policies, the survey suggests progress has been minimal.

Only 21 percent of institutions have paid leave for new parents over and above vacation and sick leave. Only 26 percent of the responding institutions provide child day-care benefits, and only 2 percent provide sick-child day-care benefits. Of those institutions that subsidize the costs of day care, the median subsidy was 20 percent.

What is your college doing to promote family-friendly policies? What can we do as individuals?

Quote of the week - mannerly children

Dear Colleagues,

As many of you know, I prepare and serve a number of 'Faculty
Resident's Dinners' for students on Sunday evenings during the
academic year. Anderson Hall's first floor 'Style Lounge' is the
venue. I know that neither the day nor the time - 8 PM - are ideal for
those of you with children, but faculty, partners and mannerly
children are most welcome.

I appreciate the sentiment -- understanding that faculty with children are unable to attend events on Sunday evenings -- but how do you define "mannerly" children?

Pet vs Domestic Partner Benefits: Part II

A few months ago, I wrote a post about Palm Beach Community College offering pet health insurance, but abstaining from establishing benefits for partner benefits. Here is an update from Insidehighered.org:

The board of Palm Beach Community College has approved an 18-month pilot program to offer domestic partner benefits for employees, The Sun Sentinel reported. The college’s board has previously rejected proposals to add the benefit, or delayed a vote, and many advocates for gay rights were furious at the college last year when, after refusing to approve partner benefits, the college added a benefit for pet health insurance.

Little baby steps is progress, I suppose.

The (W)Hole of the Semester

Each semester, I begin with the best of intentions. I will spend hours a week prepping for my courses. I will create and maintain a strict writing schedule. I will only take on only one additional dissertating student. I will seek out new collaborations and meet other faculty. I will participate in a few service projects and try to move them forward. I WILL balance my personal and professional life.

The truth is that the semester feels like a large hole that I slowly begin to dig the first week of classes. My expectations are too high. I have a problem with saying, "No" to new projects and collaborations. I can't seem to get up at 5am to start writing. Article and book revisions start to trickle in, creating mini-bombs in my already too tight schedule. Students ask for my time and advice. I take on more students. The hole gets deeper and bigger.

Right when I think that the walls are going to cave in due to the immensity of the hole, a vacation comes and I find a way to start filling the hole with finished writing projects, graduate students who are on a productive writing schedule, service that is either moving ahead or stalled in discussions that I can't influence, courses that are working like a well oiled machine, and some version of work/life balance.

Right now, I am still digging that hole and waiting for Thanksgiving so please forgive me if I am lapse in my blogging.

A Few Books on Parenting

In preparation for our daughter's arrival, I bought a few books that we use to help guide us through the maze of parenting. Here is my list:

1. Baby 411 - an encyclopedia of sorts with short snippets of information on topics ranging from breastfeeding to choosing a pediatrician to immunizations. This is a helpful guide when you need quick information.

2. What to expect during the first year - one of the more popular books in the "what to expect" series. This book has a chapter for each month of the first year which really helps when you are trying to understand the developmental milestones.

3. Be prepared - a humorous book for dads which handy information on how to construct a diaper from a flannel shirt. The illustrations are wonderful.

4.Happiest baby on the block - the famous Dr. Karp method is outlined in this book. He presents his theory of the 4th trimester with a detailed method for calming a fussy baby. The book is good, but the DVD is great. The DVD is a "must buy" for any first time parent!

5. Secrets of the baby whisperer - another very popular book that has received high acclaim. The author discusses her EASY (eat, activity, sleep, and you) method. This book is really helpful when trying to think about how you want to parent a newborn. One caveat, the EASY method does not apply for babies under 6 weeks old.

6. Baby's first year journal - this book provides a short discussion for each day of a baby's first year. I find that much of it is repetitive, but it does work well in companion with the "what to expect" book.

Feel free to add additional books by adding a comment to this post.

New Book on Parenting

Check out the new punk-parenting book.

Mother's Act

Senators in NJ and IL have proposed legislation that aims to eradicate the devastating effects of postpartum depression on American families. The legislation, the Mother's Act, proposes grants to better increase education and access to screenings for new mothers and to increase research into this difficult illness. If you are interested in supporting this act, sign the petition.

Wedding that Made History

This last weekend was a monumental time for Star Trek fans -- The Star Trek exhibit in Las Vegas closed due to contract disputes. Luckily, a few friends were able to schedule their wedding just before the closing! Here is a picture of the second to the last couple to marry on the bridge of the Star Trek Enterprise.

Obama for Working Women and Families

Just in case you missed Michelle Obama's interview where she discusses her commitment to working women and families, check out the article in the Wall Street Journal. Here is a preview:

I've heard from mothers struggling to make ends meet because their salaries aren't keeping up with the cost of groceries," Michelle Obama said. "But if they take a second job, they can't afford the additional cost of childcare. Or the moms who are nervous about taking time from their jobs to care for a sick child. Or the moms-to-be who are scared of getting fired if the boss finds out they're pregnant. Then there are women who work hard every day doing the same jobs as men, but earning less... These struggles--the struggles of working women and families across America--aren't new to me or to any of us.

Also, the Obama Biden campaign has released a Blueprint for America's Working Women and Families. Finally some attention to work/family balance. Take note of the expansion of FMLA.

Theme Week Take 2

Here is another response from a colleague who is currently pregnant with her first child while on the tenure-track.

First, I should say if you value your career that I think having a strong, early tenure review is critical to being successful at any institution (either your current or future employer). This means doing quality teaching, research and service. People who have a child, for better or worse, right after they finish their dissertations often never get their research program started quickly enough. They also often aren't able to make the time commitment necessary (for teaching, research and service) to have a stellar first and second year review. So, they often do not get tenure at the first institution that employs them. So, I don't think the issue is whether you are on the tenure-track or not, but rather whether you have adequately developed your line of fertile research such that you can afford to have a relatively more 'fallow' period. I also think that people who have great first and second years, often do not have such a 'fallow' period or are able to avoid going 'off track.' There is also data out there that suggests that people who have a kid within 5 years of their PhD are significantly less likely to earn tenure (at year 6 or 7 I assume) than those who do not. I think this difference roughly is really about whether or not people get their research programs kicked up early and teaching ducks in a row, such that the publication process (critical to tenure at even non-R1s these days) does not stop during and after pregnancy.

Most importantly, I think it is very very important for female assistant profs. and graduate students to have a sense of reality when it comes to our work environments. We know to assume that there are no sick days and substitute teachers for most of us on 9 month contracts; we also need to be mindful of the reality is that when you are sick, disabled, or pregnant there is work that will offload onto others and universities are byzantine structures that will not give departments adequate extra resources to help with such moments. It may be crass, but I think it is truthful to say that your colleagues will be much more likely to smile and offer to help out if you were a valued colleague before the sickness, disability, or pregnancy occurred. And, while it may not matter to you (when you are pregnant you have more to worry about than whether or not your colleague cares about taking your class for a day after you give birth... ), it is a disruption in the workplace (whether you are just not around as much, or there is an adjunct or other faculty member covering your class, or whatever). Most people can understand when an employee has a difficult time that is short-lasting and are eager to cheer when a colleague succeeds after overcoming 'obstacles' that they may or may not have personally experienced. They are also supportive when they are happy to have them as a colleague and know an individual is 'committed' to the institution. However, couple a bad semester with a few less-than mediocre reviews and it is reasonable for your colleagues to wonder whether the department would benefit more from having someone who is more 'zealous' in their pursuit of succeeding at work (and helping to take care of the dept. business at hand).

My personal attitude is that pregnancy is 9 months, and its OK to have a 'bad' or 'less fertile' semester during the probationary period... many people do, whether for childbirth or other reasons (e.g., death in the family, divorce, etc.). One semester is not going to derail someone who was already on a productive track toward tenure. The problem is that some people do have more than one semester like this (e.g., kids get sick, people get pregnant again, another crisis happens), and some people just never get going... so "waiting" until after tenure to have a kid is one way of controlling a variable that can affect some people's ability to make progress toward tenure. For other people, who work hard early, get excellent reviews and seem to thrive under pressure... having a kid on the tenure track is probably not going to affect things one way or another. I think these people in the latter category can succeed in any environment.

One final thing... I think that all university policies on maternity should be ignored when making this decision. You can be at a school that offers a paid leave to pregnant faculty only to hear other faculty bitching in the hallway for having to "cover someone's course or advising" when they are being paid an overload. These faculty do not make happy members of review committees. Other schools might not have such a policy, but will have colleagues pitch in who are generally supportive and with FMLA you can make things work. How an "automatic tenure year" extension works varies from committee to committee and school to school. Put simply, you do not want to put your eggs in any policy basket to 'help' you. It is up to you to make your case for tenure sound, exceed minimum expectations and to get good reviews so that if the unexpected happens... you can find another job... and be happy about your decision to have a child, regardless, as whether or not you earn tenure can be dependent on too many issues beyond your control!

Theme Week: Should I Have a Child on the Tenure-Track

As I mentioned previously, I am hosting a few theme weeks and this week I asked a few colleagues to answer the question, "Should I have a child on the tenure-track?" I was purposefully vague in hopes that we would get some diverse responses that would characterize the myriad of reasons why academics make this important decision while also pursuing tenure. Here is the first post from a colleague who has several children -- one who should be born any day now!

Jaime asked me to respond to a question of relevance to readers of this blog…Should you have a child while on the tenure track? I’m the mother of three children. My first two were born while I was in graduate school. My last child was born halfway through my tenure-track employment. I struggled with how best to answer the question, to be quite honest. But the answer, ultimately, is an easy one for me. I am not willing to postpone my personal desires to order to fulfill my professional ones. It is not my choice to have children that is flawed, but rather the profession in which I have chosen to have a career.

A few of the thoughts I had before arriving at this statement:

1. I refuse to look at the issue of having children as an either-or. It is common knowledge that female faculty enter “childbearing years” that coincide with tenure-earning ones. I do not have any expectation that the academy will change to accommodate me; therefore, I’m not waiting for it to do so.
2. Female academics are not the only professional women challenged by the need to balance career and family. I try very hard to concentrate on the positives that this job offers me in terms of flexibility. I work hard at what I do, and I also work hard to accommodate the need for service to the department, institution, etc. I network with senior faculty and am on campus on a regular basis. But my research and writing time is accomplished on my own schedule.
3. I have a very supportive partner. Even though he is not an academic, he also works in a demanding (but flexible) career. There are moments when I would rather be writing, but he needs the time as well. It is a give-and-take, and is the only way I can see making it all work.
4. While I have never hidden the fact that I’m a parent, and adore my children, I also don’t bring them to work with me. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. But ever since graduate school, I have tried to separate my home life from my professional life. We go to campus (usually on the weekends) to ride bikes or visit the library, but not while Mommy is “at work.”
5. Having children, for me, has meant my productivity is not the same as others. I have colleagues without children who seem to be publishing and grant-writing gurus. (In the spirit of honesty, there are also those colleagues with children who are also gurus.) I set realistic goals for myself, force myself to meet them, and have worked to ensure that those goals are in alignment with institutional expectations.
6. Young children are demanding in a way that older children are not. My oldest is much more independent, which in turn allows me more “work time.” I try to treasure the time demanded by young children…because you blink and they are in elementary school.
7. I don’t care what other people think about my choice to be a parent. This is my life, not theirs. I have to work on this one quite often, to be honest. It hurt when my graduate school advisor had nasty things to say about my choice to have child #2. But at the end of the day, I fully subscribe to the “you only go around once” philosophy. Your kids are only young once. The chance to be a parent and build the kind of life I want is something I refuse to set aside to fulfill the expectations of others.

Ways I Know My Department is Family-Friendly

Since I am starting at a new institution, I have obsessed about the family-friendly culture. Does the institution value balance? Are there many faculty who have children? How will my colleagues who ultimately vote on my tenure perceive of my status as a parent? Here is my evidence that the my department is family-friendly:

• The department chair's response when I announced via email that I could not meet him at the annual association conference because I had just given birth was full of congratulatory remarks and he said, "Tell me everything. I love babies!"
  
• I brought my daughter into the office last week because the tech guy was available to set-up my computer and I did not have childcare. All my colleagues were thrilled to meet her and some of them came from other parts of the building to hold her.
• My female colleague without children immediately understood why I did not announce my pregnancy when I interviewed for the job (I was five months pregnant and small enough to hide the belly). She said, "You want to be know for your work and not just your pregnancy." She seems to understand the issues around academic parenthood.

I do have some concerns about the university culture when it comes to family-friendliness. The FMLA policy only guarantees the federal mandated minimum of 12 week unpaid vacation and the Working Mom's Group, a campus-wide group that organizes luncheons, only consists of staff who have children. Where are all the faculty with children? Overall, I am feeling very positive about my choice to accept the position at my new university and I hope that I will find the university to be as supportive as my new local department.

Resource for State Breastfeeding Laws

For those of you who have been keeping up with Phdinparenting's posts on breastfeeding, take a look at the website that lists all the state breastfeeding laws.

There seems to be problems with the site despite the fact that I have tried to fix it twice now. So, go to:

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/breast50.htm

Evidence of Women Academics Delaying Childbirth

The University of Washington Center for Innovation and Research in Graduate Education released a report today titled, Final Equal Footing for Women in the Social Science Careers? outlining the findings of a survey of women in the social sciences -- anthropology, communication, geography, history, political science and sociology. Women are on par with men in terms of likelihood to enter the professoriate right out of graduate school. However, 6 to 10 years out of graduate school men are more likely to be in a tenure-track job.

From my perspective, the reason for this disparity is clear -- women leave the professoriate to start a family. There are many studies that point to the difficulties that women face in attempting to balance work and family in academe (not to mention some of the stories that are shared on this blog). What does it take for women to succeed in the professoriate and also have a family?

For a brief article on this report, go to Insidehighered.

The Birth Survey

Deciding on a OB and a hospital to deliver your child can be a confusing and stressful situation, particularly if you are in a large urban area with countless numbers of doctors and many different hospitals. A grassroots group, the Transparency in Maternity Care Project, started by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) has sponsored a survey to provide women with a venue to give feedback about their birth experiences with specific doctors, midwives, hospitals and birth centers. The reports will be available in the Fall of 2008.

Go ahead and take the survey!

Paying for College

Insidehighered reported on a study that examined how families pay for college. As a parent, I often wonder how I will pay for my kid to sit in the very classes that I teach. The good news is that parents often find a variety of financial sources:

On average, the money to pay for the typical student’s college costs came from the following sources: parents’ income and savings (32 percent), student borrowing (23 percent), parent borrowing (16 percent), grants and scholarships (15 percent) student income and savings (10 percent), and support from friends and relatives (3 percent).

The bad news is that families need to borrow money to pay for college:

Just under half (47 percent) of all families reported borrowing to pay for college. Student borrowing from the federal loan programs was the top source of loan funds, with 28 percent of all families borrowing an average of $5,075 in federal student loans. Only 8 percent of students and 4 percent of parents said they held private education loans, but the amounts were significant: an average of $7,694 for students and $6,910 for parents. About 6 percent of parents utilized federal loans for parents.

How to market yourself

First off, I hate to think of my work or myself as something that I need to market. It makes me feel like a commodity and not a scholar. Yet, I have learned in my few years in academe that marketing does help in the quest for tenure. Marketing may also help if you are asking for any "special" accommodation, particularly when it comes to taking a leave from your normal teaching, research, and service responsibilities.

There are the obvious ways to market your work: speak loudly in department meetings about your latest accomplishment; strategically leave your latest publication in the department office and in the mailboxes of important colleagues; and, tell everyone who will listen how busy you are with your latest grant project/book/article. Although this is one way of getting the word out about your productivity, I go for the more strategic and targeted approach that I find less annoying.

Here are a few ways to market yourself so that your colleagues and campus administrators understand that your leave and subsequent temporary drop in productivity (If you are being honest with yourself, your productivity will decrease right after having a child) does not reflect your overall success as an academic.

1. Identify the important players. Before strategizing ways to market your academic work, you want to identify those colleagues and administrators locally and nationally who will be influential in your tenure review. These are the very people whom you will send publications to and communicate with about your work.
2. Don't be shy. In order to market your work, you must be willing to be bold. The first time that one of my mentors suggested that I send a recent publication to a few people, I felt shy and insecure. What if they thought I was being presumptuous about their interest? Would I look egotistical or self-important? The truth is that many academics and administrators will not just accidentally come across your work. You need to make it a point to be upfront about you accomplishments.
3. Strategically send articles/books. Implied in point two, you will use your new boldness to send out your work to those important colleagues. Normally, a publisher sends additional free copies of your books once they are published. Don't let those just sit on a shelf. Write a list of people whom you referenced frequently, colleagues who will review your tenure portfolio, and other people who may be interested and send out that publication with a short note.
4. Allow others to brag about your accomplishments. With a little bit of networking and some strategic use of those extra book copies, you may find that a few people start to brag about your accomplishments. Let them do so! Also, brag about your colleagues who are doing good work.
5. Update your CV online. Many college and university websites are terribly out of date and your CV is available to the Internet searching public without all your latest accomplishments. Network with the tech people and ask to have your most recent CV posted every few months. As tenure-track faculty, our CVs get more and more impressive.
6. Use department and college publications. At some point, you will get an email from a campus employee asking for a list of your latest publications, research grants, presentations etc. to place in a department newsletter or college publication. Take the advice of the second point and send them a detailed list. Check the publication after it is printed to make sure that your work is cited. One note of caution, be careful not to overwhelm those publications, meter out your accomplishments so that you have a steady stream of work and not just one productive semester or year.
7. Get connected online with social networking sites. Social networking sites often appear to be used only by high school students and young adults. Actually, you will be surprised at how many people have a facebook page. Get your virtual network going by placing a professional looking profile on one of the sites.

Alternative Leave Policies

There is only a handful of colleges and universities that offer progressive family and medical leave policies. I outlined a few of the programs in a previous post and I am preparing a post on some specific existing progressive leave policies that benefit tenured and tenure-track faculty. One the one hand, the lack of policies presents a challenge and places a lot of power in the hands of the department chair and dean. On the other hand, the lack of policies provides an opportunity for creativity and communication among faculty and the administration.

You will likely find yourself in a scenario similar to of Dr. Manning where your institution lacks a policy to accommodate the birth or adoption of a child. In lieu of changing the entire university over night (we can dream!), there may be existing policies that could be used for a family or medical leave OR there may be a medical leave policy that has not been used for child birth or adoption. Here are a few examples that may help you begin searching for policies at your institution:

1. Sabbaticals: At some institutions, tenure-track faculty are offered a semester sabbatical to pursue scholarly work. A sabbatical could be used to allow more time with a child while also pursuing a writing project.
2. Workers' Compensation: If you become ill during or after your pregnancy, you may be entitled to workers' compensation. Although the guidelines for approval require examinations by various doctors, you often receive 100% of your salary. Some states also offer additional services that connect to workers comp. Check out you HR website.
3. Shared Sick Leave: Although this is primarily aimed at classified professional staff, many universities allow for individuals to donate sick and/or vacation leave to a colleague so that he/she will get paid during a leave. Staff and administrators may consider donating to a faculty in need.
4. Temporary Leave of Absence: University administration is often granted the power to offer faculty a temporary unpaid leave. Obviously, this is unpaid but it may help if your college/department is being unreasonable with the idea of even taking time off teaching.
5. Special Leave: Similar to temporary leave, the university administration can grant unpaid leave to a faculty member.
6. Flexible Work Arrangements: Although flexible work arrangements do not generally apply to faculty, these different policies could be a good example of ways that a department chair or dean could restructure a normal faculty appointment. Use alternative work arrangements for ideas and to help illustrate the potential of leave/flexible work arrangements in your specific situation.

None of these policies are ideal, but they may provide a creative solution while you work towards more family-friendly policies. Please feel free to post other alternative leave policies.

Women, Service, and the Misunderstood Professoriate

A few months ago, several higher education scholars collaborated on a book to address gender inequities in colleges and universities titled, "Unfinished Agendas: New and Continuing Gender Challenges in Higher Education". While I am preparing a more in-depth post to review the book, one of the chapters received some attention in the higher ed news and in the blogsphere that sparked some serious debate. This chapter, "Shattering Plexiglass" discusses the increase in service responsibilities that women encounter once the achieve tenure. Insidehighered noted a few of the findings:

Following tenure, 16 of the women studied and only 5 of the men experienced significant increases in their service obligations at their universities.

The study didn’t suggest that these service duties didn’t represent important work. Many of the assignments were valuable for the professors’departments or institutions. The newly tenured women — much more so than the men — became academic program coordinators or were appointed to lead institutional committees with real clout. In a number of cases, the assignments also reflected values that were especially important to the women involved, such as playing a role in work to remove gender bias from the institution.

While these assignments may well help these women’s careers over time if they go an administrative route, and while these assignments may accomplish good, they take women more than men away from scholarship. The women reported feeling unprepared for some of their assignments and unsure about how they fit into their careers — but many did not feel they could turn down this role.

What I find most interesting are the comments that stemmed from this article. While the Insidehighered comments included testimonials from other women who mostly confirmed the study findings, comments on other blogs were laden with a suspicion of the professoriate and the appearance of a disdain for female academics who take on too much service. Here is a sampling of the comments:

Also, I'm not sure we need to worry too much about tenured professors who can't get ahead. Seems to me they've already gotten ahead and are merely looking to extend their lead.

This seems like a stupid complaint. Women are disproportionately getting pulled into leadership roles, oh noes! Is there any kind of difference that can't be turned into a problem that needs solving?

Men face the same pressures. Talk to any professor, and you will find that they are part of search committees, admissions committees, journal reviews, etc. Please show us some data about women being disproportionately brought into academic service. I, for one, do not believe that this is a problem holding women back in academia. There are others reasons for that.

These comments concern me because there is a clear misunderstanding regarding what we do in academe and (dare I say) a misogynistic attitude toward female academics. I ask, what do we need to do as academics to inform the public of our roles/job requirements/job demands/etc.? How did we get to the place where the professoriate is viewed with suspicion by the general public (or at least those who read blogs)? Are these comments gender-laden and how do we address the bias?


Donald Hall in his book, "The Academic Community" which I blogged about last week, believes that we need to be multivocal -- develop the ability to speak to the public about our work and the importance of the professoriate. Are we just sitting in the ivory tower? What are the implications for all academics and women faculty in particular?

Theme Week: Details on Approaching Your Dean

For the next few weeks, I am going to host a few theme weeks where I (and sometimes other colleagues and friends) discuss one specific topic.



After re-reading the post on how to approach your college dean, I think that it would be useful for the first theme week to focus on each of the bulleted points (networking with colleagues, shaming the dean, etc.). I am preparing a post on some specific family-friendly policies, tips on how to create a progressive family-friendly policy, other leave policies that may be used for pregnancy, how to market yourself to make your value known, and a few ways to network with colleagues and others in the academic community around the very issues that we discuss in this blog -- academic parenting. I hope that you will consider adding in your own tips and experiences in the comments section.

Another Great Post About Breastfeeding on a Plane

Just in case, you are interested in the previous post on breastfeeding on a plane, check out Phdinparenting's latest post. Tisk, tisk, Barbara Walters!

New Faculty Orientation

Next week, I will attend new faculty orientation. The schedule is as follows:

9:00 Welcome
9:20 Academic Policies
9:30 Faculty Governance
9:45 Students
9:55 Academic Integrity
10:05 General Education
10:25 Human Resources
10:30 University Relations
10:40 Break
10:50 Research and Technology Transfer
11:10 University Life
11:25 Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure
11:45 Open Discussion and Evaluation
12:00 Luncheon
12:00 - 3:00 Benefits Fair

A glaring omission from the schedule is a discussion of work/life balance, childcare, and other resources for academic parents. Remember that my new institution was just named as one of the Great Colleges to Work with a particular glowing review on the climate for work/life balance.
I am sure that I will find some of the information useful, but many of these offices/policies can be found in faculty handbooks, discussions with veteran colleagues, or by just stopping in these offices and having a brief discussion. What is most important as a new faculty (this is the second time the I am a new faculty) is how to navigate the politics, the hidden expectations (i.e., do faculty here come to work on Fridays?), and how to manage parenthood as an academic. I need to know about the childcare facilities, how to balance a sick child with teaching responsibilities, and the culture around bringing children to work and work events. We need a space and time to discuss the "real" issues, not just where I can get my ID card.

Pets vs Domestic Partner Benefits

I realize that we have a new phenomenon of pet parents -- people who treat their pets as children -- but this is downright ridiculous.

The push to get domestic partner benefits for employees of Palm Beach Community College continues to be pushed back. Last year, the college’s board tied on a vote to grant the benefits, with the tie meaning that the benefits were not
added. When a few months later the college added as a benefit health insurance options for employee pets (but still not for unmarried partners), many gay employees were outraged.

This report on Inside Higher Ed does note that the college administration has recommended the addition of human benefits (I can't believe that I just typed 'human benefits'), but the college board is seeking legal advice to reconcile the new state law that limits the power of local boards.

How to approach your Dean

One of our readers posted this inquiry from a history listserve under the comments section. Because this is such an important topic, I decided to respond with a post.

Dr. Manning writes:

I have a question that deals not so much with scholarship as with academic life. I would very much appreciate hearing how other women in higher education -- and their institutions -- may have managed having a baby during an academic term. I am currently pregnant, due February 10, right in the midst of Spring 2009 semester, which runs from mid-January to early May. I am entering my 5th year in a tenure-track position, and am in good standing. However, the university where I am employed does not have an official maternity leave policy for faculty members. We all teach a 4/4 load, and the courses I will be teaching in the spring have already been added to the registrar's page, though I'm sure it would be possible to change days and times.I realize that I am of course entitled to 6 weeks unpaid leave via FMLA, but my husband and I cannot go without my paycheck. I will have to work out the details with my dean and I am curious to know what others have done in similar situations. I would like to have a few good possible plans in mind before I meet with the dean.

First and foremost, congratulations on your pregnancy. Every child is a blessing and you will find that your job issues will be small in comparison to the intense joy that you will feel caring for your child. Second, there are some strategies that I can share to hopefully ease your anxiety, help you be prepared for the conversation with your dean, and find a solution that allows you to spend the appropriate amount of time with your child (okay, maybe not the 6 months maternity leave that we deserve, but something that works well within our American system). Here are a few suggestions:

1. Before the conversation, make sure that you know your rights. FMLA guarantees you 12 weeks of unpaid leave, not the 6 that you mentioned in your question. Go in to the meeting with a copy of FMLA -- HR should provide this.

2. Call HR and ask for all information regarding leaves, including medical leave, shared sick leave, etc. You may find that there is a policy to take a leave that may not be directly related to childbearing, but could be used for this reason. Better yet, make an appointment with someone in HR and explain your situation.

3. Read the faculty handbook! You may find that here are also policies that could apply to a family related leave.

4. Connect with other women and men in the department and college who had a child during the academic term. Find out what types of accommodation they sought and what they received. Also, go to other colleges in your university and get similar information. Your dean may not want to look bad in comparison to a competitive college. Similarly, get the same information from other competitive universities.

5. Go in with a clear idea of what you want and how to get it. For example, if you want (and I believe that you deserve this) to take a semester leave, go in with the request and have a set of solutions to make your leave possible. Identify who could teach your courses, ways to combine your courses with others, and the potential for having each class co-taught so that the co-instructor can take over the class once you give birth. I don't think that you should have to structure your own leave, but it is good to have these suggestions ready just in case your dean is unable to brainstorm ways to accommodate your leave.

6. Because you want to maintain your salary, be sneaky and do not suggest that you will receive a salary deduction when you take a leave. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to temporarily stop someone's salary in the large university bureaucracy. Just leave it off the table.

If the issue of money does come up, be prepared to compromise. How about teaching an extra class or two in the summer for free to make-up for the missed classes? This is certainly not ideal as you will still have a young child, but it may seem like a reasonable compromise to the dean.

7. Go into the conversation with a sense of the dean's politics and perspective on this issue. Does he/she have children and/or grandchildren? What has he/she done in the past with other faculty? What does the dean value? If he/she values teaching and you have great teaching evaluations, mention them.

8. Make sure that you note your productivity and contribution to the college. Ultimately, you are just taking a quick break from your job which is short in comparison to your years of service. You are a good colleague and faculty citizen so make sure that you work that into your conversation.

9, Make sure that you have spoken to influential senior faculty and/or your department chair. Some dean's will just defer to the department chair or other senior faculty to deal with your classes (and other work) that you miss when you are on leave. You want these people tell the dean that he/she does not need to worry about the details.

10. After you return to work, become an activist on your campus and fight for more progressive FMLA policies. See my post on progressive institutions.

I hope that this helps!

Inspirational Book for Academics

A few months ago, I had an opportunity to review a book that inspired me to remember why I became an academic. Read this book! Here is a excerpt from the review (I only include the first and last paragraph):

The Academic community: A manual for change, Donald Hall puts forth a persuasive call to action, arguing that, “…unless we [faculty] also explore the extent to which we are responsible for our own behaviors, attitudes, and life situations, we will often remain complicit within the very hierarchies and norms that oppress us” (p. 4). The “hermeneutic circle” – a dialogue that engages issues and concepts on the macro and micro level -- foregrounds the argument of the book and situates faculty as having a agency in the ways in which our departments and institutions function. During a time when higher education is facing dramatic budget cuts, the diversifying of faculty work, and questions in their role as a public good, Hall provides a framework for how faculty, can use their power to create change within academic departments. Specifically, Hall notes the ways that faculty can engage colleagues, students, and the public to better understand the role of collegiality and the importance of higher education to the public. Hall provides an argument for how and why faculty should become change agents while also acknowledging contextual and political challenges within higher education.

Despite these minimal shortcomings, this book is a worthwhile contribution to the literature on organizational change in higher education, leadership, and the ongoing discussions of how to promote and engage faculty. Much of what is highlighted throughout this book reinforces the literature on collaboration and non-positional leadership (see Astin & Leland, 1991; Kezar & Lester, forthcoming; Safarik, 2003; Wolf-Wendel, Twombly, Tuttle, Ward, & Gaston-Gayles, 2004). The basic principles of the conversational process outlined in chapter three, for example, is well supported by the literature on collaboration. More importantly, this book serves as a call to action and a reminder that we, as faculty, can work to change the conditions that are most oppressive or that prevent us from being successful in teaching, research, and service. All faculty could benefit from reading this book as well as Hall’s first book on creating change in higher education – The academic self: An owner’s manual. Not only does it provide many inspiring anecdotes and practical examples of how we can engage in change activities, it reminds us of the reason that we entered higher education – to educate students, conduct research to inform the public, and to reinforce the mission of serving the public good. It is all too easy to get caught up in the overwhelming nature of our faculty work, departmental politics, faculty incivility, consumer-driven students, and misplaced institutional priorities. Sometimes, we just need a reminder that we are part of an ongoing dialogue and that we have a unique agency to change our academic departments and institutions.

Teaching as a Parent

The summer is slowly winding down and I am turning my attention to my Fall courses. My two new course preps are causing a bit of anxiety, but the concern over course outlines and book choices is small in comparison to another question that is on my mind -- do I tell my students that I am a parent? My inclination is to tell them because I feel as if my identity as a parent intersects strongly with my role as an instructor. Not only do I see my students (incidentally, I teach graduate students) as colleagues and professionals, I now can't help but think of them as daughters, sons, and parents. The complexity of their lives and my significance as a role model is more apparent.

But, I am also concerned that my status as a parent may alter the way in which the perceive of my role as an instructor. Women academics already deal with students who discount their authority, expect women faculty to play a maternal role, and/or fail to recognize expertise and knowledge. Will my students expect me to be more sympathetic when it comes to family-related issues? Will they expect me to play a maternal role with them? Will they question my authority because I am a young woman with a child? Will they take me seriously? Will they question my "expertise"?

Great post about breastfeeding on a plane

This is a must read post for those of us who are breastfeeding and plan on taking our child on a plane:

When breastfeeding is a safety hazard

Incidentally, I just flew United and breastfed without any problems.

Sacrifices we make

I just returned from a quick trip to visit family in New Mexico (hence the lack of blog posts). We had a wonderful time visiting with my parents, siblings, nieces, nephew, and my in-laws. We also had a chance to meet our new niece who was born just two days before our daughter. She is a beautiful and happy little 4 month old.

Living away from my family has never been an issue. Most of the time, I am relieved to be away from any family drama (and there is always family drama). Now that I have a child, however, the physical distance has become significantly more difficult. I often feel as if I am denying my daughter an opportunity to bond with her extended family and preventing my parents from spending time with one of their grandchildren. Tears often accompany goodbyes. In addition, we often feel alone without family nearby. There is little to no help with childcare, for example. I question, am I making too many sacrifices for my career? Am I hurting my child and family by prioritizing my career over the opportunity to live near family?

I know that I can't move to New Mexico. My partner and I worked for 2 years to land in an area where we both have tenure-track jobs. There is only one major university in Albuquerque and we don't foresee many opportunities for academic jobs in our specialities. Instead, we have to find a way to manage the geographic distance by traveling frequently and finding trustworthy people for childcare and friendship.

Plans for Travel - Personal and Professional

I have not figured this out yet. ASHE conference is coming up - I did not attend last year due to my pregnancy. This year, I can't see myself going with my daughter (4.5 months now). I have seen some of my colleagues attending professional meetings with their partners and small children. My partner does not have enough vacation days after we plan for visiting our family in three different coutries. Simply, not enough! I also want to continue breastfeeding - the only option I have is to bring my daughter with me and to attend professional meetings. In November (ASHE 2008), I can't see myself doing so. Maybe in spring 2009 when my daughter begins to eat solids and complete weaning, then I may attend. How bad it can be not attending the professional meetings for a year or so...

How to announce ... round 2!?

When we found out we were pregnant a few weeks ago, with our second child, we felt the usual mix of emotions - happiness, anxiety, excitement. The typical questions emerged: How and when to tell family and friends? And how will I tell my dean and department chair that I'm going on maternity leave again for the second time in less than three years - keeping in mind that maternity leave at our institution is 12 paid weeks off, and tends to coincide, or at least will for me this time, with an entire semester's absence? How will my colleagues react to the news that I will now have two children under the age of 3, so close in proximity to my tenure review?

The good news is that in my mind I built up the conversations with my administrators to be much more tense and stressful than they ultimately turned out to be. Both of them - women without children who make strong efforts to understand both the joys and limitations of motherhood - reacted with genuine happiness for me. There wasn't a note of hesitation or concern in their voices.

A sense of relief came over me quickly after those conversations. Now I can only hope that as the fall semester begins in a few weeks and I start to "show", others in my school will be equally as generous with their reactions.

I should add that one of my doctoral students whose dissertation I am chairing, upon hearing the news of my pregnancy, only responded with one word: "Again?" That's exactly the kind of response that perpetuates anxiety among those of us who choose to have more than one child in academe. If you have one, well, that's okay; if you have two, well, that's just excessive.

Could not be more true

When I talk to other academic parents and when I read articles/books on the topic of academic parenthood, a similar theme emerges -- academic parents are overburdened. We have a list of tasks that is too long, commitments and deadlines that we can't possibly fulfill, and unexpected delays (sicks children, etc.). What we often don't discuss is how this juggling act makes us feel and how we desperately try to cope with all the demands. Drama Mama said it best:

From the outside, it sometimes seems we (academic moms) are masters of
scheduling, parenting and career but from the inside it seems every moment is
wracked with doubt and panic over each small decision.

I know that I often appear as if I have it all under control and I even hear students tell me that I am "doing it all." What I don't reveal is that I am always worried, obsessing over decisions, and just hoping that I am not making any big and long lasting mistakes.

The Elusive Nature of Balance

A few years ago, I helped to conduct a seminar for new education faculty and graduate students on work/lfe balance. I have never thought of myself as one who is an expert or even has a sense of balance, but I thought that it would be appropriate to attempt to engage a group in a discussion of what we/they consider balance. We decided that balance is: 1) individually defined; 2) requires one to be realistic about how time is spent (filling out a time schedule is one method); 3) requires discipline and the ability to say "no" to extra work assignments; and 4) does not seem aligned with the expectations for tenure and promotion. In fact, the boundaryless nature of academic work creates a situation in which balance appears to be an oxymoron.

As I reflect on that pre-child discussion as well as subsequent attempts at balance, I feel as if balance is now more elusive. When I am juggling teaching, research, student dissertations, national service, chores around the house, parenting, and trying to maintain my relationships with my partner, friends, and family (my list could go on), I am not sure that I can have balance. What is balance now that I have added the additional all-encompassing role of parenting? If faculty work and parenting are both boundaryless, how can one manage to find balance? Should tenure-track faculty be concerned with balance? Does that happen after tenure?

Alternative music for children

In addition to blogging about issues as an academic parent on the tenure-track, I will also be adding information on useful, neat, and non-mainstream websites. Occasionally, I may also add reviews of books. Here is a website that transforms rock music into lullabies:

http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/web/page.asp

My daughter loves the Coldplay album!

New Job

Over the course of the last week, my partner and I moved from one area of the state to another because we both accepted new tenure-track jobs. The job move was necessitated by the fact that we have been living apart for the last two years as we tried to find a way to solve the dual academic career problem.

To begin the process of integrating into my new work environment, I went for my benefits appointment and among the many papers was a sheet that outlined the FMLA policy for my new institution. Drum roll please.......I am entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.

The irony is that my new place of employment was just noted as one of the Great Colleges to Work For. This survey conducted by The Chronicle of Higher Education notes work/life balance as one of the benchmarks for whether or not a university is considered a great place to work. I have to wonder how an institution that offers the bare minimum in family and medical leave is considered among the 3,000 plus colleges and universities as a great place to work?

Survey on Sleep

One of my favorite blogs, Ph.D. in Parenting, has a post about a new survey on mothers and sleep. Hopefully, this survey will help shed light on the impact of breastfeeding on sleep patterns and dispel the myth that breastfed babies can and do sleep through the night. If you have a child under 12 months of age, take a few minutes to fill out the survey.

Who Needs Sleep?!?!

My daughter was born almost four months ago. Before her birth I was a self-proclaimed sleep fanatic. I would happily get about 9 hours of sleep a night and wake-up to a large cup of caffeinated coffee, leading to a productive day of work. Now, I only dream (when I actually get REM sleep) of 9 hours. Most nights my schedule is as follows:

7:00pm Daughter goes to bed
9:30pm Cluster feed her
12:30am First night feed
3:30am Second night feed
6:00am Daughter wakes-up

The biggest issue is not the total time which is about 8.5 hours, but the short interval (usually about 2.5 hours) between each feed and the fact that I can't drink a lot of caffeine. I am a less productive writer, both in terms of the number of pages and efficiency/productivity during my writing time. I do worry that this will hurt my overall productivity as perceived by those who evaluate my tenure portfolio, but I don't see any way of getting more sleep.

Sleep is overrated, right?

Know Your Rights!

While the institutions highlighted in the post on family-friendly policies are impressive and serve as important resources when considering implementing or changing your institutions policies OR when going on the job market, most institutions are just beginning to consider work-life balance issues. Most institutions (although certainly not all) have a "stop the tenure clock" policy but have yet to consider childcare assistance, leave to care for elderly parents, part-time tenure-track appointments etc.

What likely happens in the case of a tenure-track faculty having a child is that the decisions for accommodations are made by one or two individuals, such as department chairs or deans. I am reminded of a woman who was instructed to go to the dean because he/she had all the decision-making power for all accommodations. My institution only had a "stop the tenure clock" policy and did not provide any additional services nor was my department chair proactive in helping me devise an individualized plan.

The only way, as far as I can tell, to get certain accommodations is to know your rights. Here is what I found and suggest:

1. Every higher education institution must adhere to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which provides a minimum of 12 weeks off unpaid. Hopefully, your institution provides the 6 weeks off paid (at least).
2. Faculty handbooks outline all the policies for taking leaves -- read it! You should find information about the process for taking a year off the tenure track, for example.
3. Contact human resources if you are worried about talking about your rights with the department chair. Also, HR can provide information about medical insurance.
4. Use networks around the campus to see what other departments/colleges/universities offer. There is no shame in using the competitive spirit of a department or college for your advantage.