During the 2019-2020 academic year, the Women’s Council continued to advocate and support women on campus through a variety of activities. Additionally, the Women’s Council organized, hosted, and/or sponsored a number of professional development programs specifically for women in academic, administrative, and classified staff positions.

Main Accomplishments Included:

Hiring, Retention, & Assessment

2019-2020 Accomplishments

• Launched the Growth, Inclusivity, Voice, and Excellence (GIVE) Award, with first recipients – Christina Hernandez, former director of UNLV’s Jean Nidetch Women’s Center, and the University Libraries’ Inclusion and Equity Committee – named in May 2020 partnered with women across campus to review nominations and select recipients
• Planned and coordinated the inaugural Diversity Research Blitz in November 2019
• Continued work with campus human resources department toward development of employee exit interview process
• Continued efforts to develop best practices and templates for requests to adjust base salary

Family Advocacy

2019-2020 Accomplishments

• Took a leadership role in the creation and workings of the Lactation Space Task Force convened by the Vice President of Finance
• With the support of CSUN and the President’s office, facilitated the funding and placement of two additional Mamava Pods as lactation spaces (one in Bigelow Health Sciences and the second in building A of the Carol Harter Classroom Building Complex), three other new lactation spaces, and changing table facilities across campus;
• Planned and coordinated the annual Take Your Child to Work Day event that welcomed nearly 400 families and children to campus for nearly twenty events and activities.

Communication & Networking

2019-2020 Accomplishments

• Prepared and distributed monthly newsletters to the membership outlining the accomplishments of women on campus, activities related to women and their families, and other initiatives designed to further diversity, equity, and transparency
• Continued the Spotlight program which highlights the accomplishments of UNLV women who often work behind the scenes and whose contributions may not be recognized; spotlights appear in UNLV Today and on the Women’s Council website and are shared across campus
• Revitalized the Women's Council website to better communicate with members and share relevant events and accomplishments; increased use of University-wide communication vehicles to share information about events and activities sponsored by the Women’s Council and others that relate to issues affecting women and families.

Health & Safety

2019-2020 Accomplishments

• Planned and coordinated Wellness Week in August to provide programming on campus safety, ergonomics, tai chi, yoga, and mindfulness; expanded program to provide monthly Wellness Wednesday programs focused on nutrition, advocacy in healthcare decision-making, meditation, and mindfulness
• Prepared and posted on the Women’s Council website a guide to campus health and safety resources
• Hosted programming focused on campus safety, including presentations by the new vice president and director of University Police Services Southern Command
• Hosted programming on building safety and security and emergency management with UNLV’s emergency management coordinator and worked with campus experts to learn how to develop building safety plans
• Supported the UNLV Corporate Challenge

Programming

2019-2020 Accomplishments

• Hosted a Women’s Council table at the new faculty orientation in August 2019
• Coordinated and sponsored the Annual Welcome Back Mixer at the Barrick Museum in September 2019, with more than 100 faculty and staff in attendance
• Planned and coordinated the annual membership meeting in March 2020 with more than 60 faculty and staff in attendance; realized significant cost savings in scheduling the program as a breakfast, rather than lunch, meeting [Our event attendance was down significantly this spring, as members of campus were already beginning to adopt COVID19 social distancing practices.]
• Co-sponsored programming with QUNLV and the School of Public Health focused on promoting the health and well-being of sexual and gender minorities
• Contributed to the New Leadership Nevada conference sponsored by the Women’s Research Institute of Nevada

AD HOC TASK FORCES

Inclusion & Partnerships

2020-2021 Goals

• Develop a strategic plan for Women’s Council inclusion and partnership efforts
• Work with the University and other campus affinity groups to support the professional success of ALL UNLV women faculty and staff
• Host a facilitated discussion with members of the Black Professional Women’s Association (originally scheduled for April 2020, but postponed)

During the 2018-2019 academic year, the Women’s Council continued to advocate and support women on campus through a variety of activities. These activities included:

• Served on the UNLV President’s Advisory Council, advocating for women’s issues on campus
• Worked with Provost’s Task Force on Compensation to develop University policy and process for salary equity adjustments, brought to fruition in 2018
• Submitted faculty recognition recommendations to Provost’s Task Force on Compensation
• Submitted Academic Faculty Equity Study analysis to Provost [M. Riddel]
• Collaborated with campus constituents and recommended changes to campus work-life policies and procedures
• Coordinated more than 18 activities across campus and registered more than 400 parents and children who participated in Take Your Child to Work Day
• Led discussions with lactation space-owners across campus and prepared summary of existing lactation space use and availability for University administration
• Led efforts and collaborated with other units on campus to install a Mammava Pod lactation facility in the Student Union
• Facilitated installation of changing tables in Barrick Museum of Art
• Participated in review of campus police policies and procedures related to sexual assault and community policing
• Collected information about reporting procedures on campus and victim expectations
• Made recommendations for increased communication, transparency, and accountability in reporting processes for victims
• Hosted UNLV emergency management coordinator for discussions about safety and security on campus and crisis management
• Developed and implemented a Spotlight program to highlight UNLV women who often work behind the scenes and whose contributions may not be recognized; Spotlights appear in UNLV Today and on the Women’s Council website and are shared across campus
• Established and strengthened connections with affinity groups across campus; began discussions on regular networking opportunities in different contexts across campus

Additionally, the Women’s Council organized, hosted, and/or sponsored a number of professional development programs specifically for women in academic, administrative, and classified staff positions. The programming included:

• August – New Faculty Orientation (hosted table)
• September – Women’s Council Welcome Mixer
• October – Art Walk Networking Event
• February – That None Shall Perish: Cultivating a Culture of Inclusive Excellence (Dr. Kelly Mack; co-sponsored)
• March - Women’s Council Annual Membership Meeting
• April – Bring Your Child to Work Day
• May – Celebrating Our Successes Luncheon
• June – NEW Leadership Nevada (co-sponsored)

To date, during the 2017-2018 academic year, the Women’s Council organized, hosted, and/or sponsored a number of professional development programs designed specifically for women in academic, administrative, and classified staff positions. The programming included:

• July – Organizational Change and Gender Equity in the Academy (Dr. Latimer)
• August – New Faculty Orientation (hosted table)
• September – Women’s Council Welcome Mixer
• October – Shifting Landscape of Gender (LGBTQ)
• November – Advancing STEM Women of Color (Dr. Moore)
• February – Women’s Council Annual Membership Meeting
• March – Panel Presentation/Discussion: Phenomenal Women (co-sponsored)
• April – Lecture: Operationalizing Intersectionality in the Academy (Dr. Kimberle
  Crenshaw) (co-sponsored)
• April – Bring Your Child to Work Day
• May – Celebrating Our Successes Luncheon
• June – NEW Leadership Nevada (co-sponsored)

Also during the 2017-2018 academic year, the Women’s Council continued to advocate and support women on campus through a variety of actions. These actions included:

• Disseminated COACHE results
• Submitted NSF ADVANCE proposal to National Science Foundation, i.e., facilitated campus-wide faculty research effort to gather data, identified problems, and formulated recommendations
• Worked with Provost’s Task Force on Compensation to develop university policy and process for salary equity adjustments
• Submitted Dual Career process proposal to Provost
• Submitted Academic Faculty Equity Study analysis to Provost; ongoing
• Submitted “Stop the clock” policy recommendations
• Made recommendations for improvements to campus safety procedures and communications to President’s Advisory Council
• Increased the number of changing tables on campus in both male, female and gender neutral restrooms
• Facilitated an increase in number of campus lactation rooms and their use
• Developed a Spotlight program to highlight and recognize UNLV women and their contributions to the campus, their profession, and the community at-large.

During the 2016-2017 academic year, the Women’s Council organized, hosted, and/or sponsored a number of professional development programs designed specifically for women in academic, administrative, and classified staff positions. The programming included:

• August – New Faculty Orientation (hosted table)
• September – Women’s Council Welcome Mixer
• October – Co-sponsored Gender Watch in the 2016 Presidential Campaign
• February – Women’s Council Membership Meeting
• March – Best Practices in Hiring, Promotion, and Retention (Dr. Abigail Stewart)
• April – Trauma Stewardship: Caring for Self While Caring for Others (Felicia Thomas – book event)
• April – Bring Your Child to Work Day
• May – Celebrating Our Successes
• June – Co-sponsored National Education for Women’s Leadership Nevada Summer Institute

Also during the 2016-2017 academic year, the Women’s Council continued to advocate and support women on campus through a variety of actions. These actions included:

• COACHE survey – Collected data; conducted open forums to discuss results; created strategic groups to address findings
• NSF ADVANCE – Prepared for second grant submission, i.e., facilitated campus-wide faculty research effort to gather data and identify problems
• Career Equity Review (CER) – Submitted proposal for academic and administrative faculty CER process to Provost
• Dual Career process – Submitted proposal to Provost
• Academic Faculty Salary – Submitted gender equity analysis to Provost
• Faculty Annual Achievement Report – TAnalyzed data; drafted report Created a Parent's Resource Guide
• Increased the number of changing tables on campus in both male, female and gender neutral restrooms
• Expanded and monitored campus lactation rooms
• Advocated for campus units that specifically focus on women and gender (Jean Nidetch Women’s Center, Women’s Research Institute of Nevada, Gender and Sexuality Studies, etc.)

During the 2015-2016 academic year, the Women's Council organized, hosted, and/or sponsored a number of professional development programs designed specifically for women in academic, administrative, and classified staff positions. This programming included:

• June 9, 2016 – New Leadership Nevada Keynote Dinner Featuring Dr. Kate Zhong
• May 5, 2016 - “Celebrating Our Successes”
• April 28, 2016 - “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” Group Lunch
• March 31, 2016 - “Domestic Violence and Native Women: Reauthorizing the Violence against Women Act”
• March 8, 2016 – NSHE “Status of Women in Nevada” Conference
• February 11, 2016 – Women’s Council Annual Membership Meeting
• October 27, 2015 – “Uncovering Inattentional Blindness and Unconscious Bias”
• September 24, 2015 – “Enhancing Opportunities for Women and Under-Represented Minority Faculty: The NSF ADVANCE IT Program” Meeting

Also during the 2015-2016 academic year, the Women’s Council continued to advocate and support women on campus through a variety of actions. These actions included:

• Participated and other faculty prepared and submitted a grant proposal for the NSF Institutional Transformation Catalyst funding opportunity: UNLV Faculty Warehouse for Equity. Although the proposal was not funded, a revised proposal is being developed.
• Proposed and gained membership in the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) faculty satisfaction survey.
• Researched, developed and provided to Provost Committee suggested process for dual-career couples in the form of Dual Career Hiring Assistance and Process documents.
• Collected data and currently developing standardized process for flexible work arrangements (temporal flexibility) to be submitted to Provost Office.
• Facilitated access to UNLV full-time, tenure or tenure-track faculty salary data to be analyzed for equity and other important variables by the co-chair of the Women’s Council.
• Attending UNLV Women in Stem Discussion Group meetings and presented Women and Work: Initiatives for Improvement.
• Advocated for campus units that specifically focus on women and gender (Jean Nidetch Women’s Center, Women’s Research Institute of Nevada, Gender and Sexuality Studies, etc.)
• Supported initiatives that advance women’s personal and professional development, such as support of the National Education for Women’s (NEW) Leadership Nevada Summer Institute.
• Provided enhanced networking through communication with a new Women’s Council brochure that was disseminated widely, a revised and expanded website, and a marketing kit for special events.
• Created a UNLV Families website (with map of lactation rooms and changing tables) and social media presence
• Worked with Facilities to install changing tables in six new spaces around campus.
• Advocated for and received commitment from Facilities that all new buildings and renovated bathrooms will include a changing table in both female and male restrooms or family restrooms
• Maintained all lactation rooms
• Requested and received assistance from the Ombuds Office in collection of policies/practices on equity review/request from universities across the country
• Evaluated these policies/practices, as well as UNLV’s existing policies/practices, on equity review/requests
• Developed a proposed new set of policies/procedures for UNLV academic and administrative faculty
• Strengthen success of events using assessment tools and consider different formats, locations, and times
• Advocated for the inclusion of more women presenters in the Barrick Lecture Series

During the 2014-2015 academic year, the Women’s Council organized, hosted, and/or sponsored a number of professional development programs designed specifically for women in academic, administrative, and classified staff positions.

• March 11, 2015 – NSHE “Status of Women in Nevada” Meeting
• Feb. 10, 2015 – Women’s Council Annual Membership Meeting
• Nov. 25, 2014 - "Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Engineering Progress for Women in Academia"
• Sept. 9, 2014 – “Women’s Health Issues: Medical, Legal, Economic & Public Health Perspectives”
• April 9, 2014 – “Negotiation Strategies for Women - A Presentation and Practical Scenarios”
• March 7, 2014 – “Our Daughter’s Keepers – A Look at Child Trafficking in Southern Nevada”
• Feb. 13, 2014 – “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead - A Guided Exploration and Open Discussion

Also during the 2014-2015 academic year, the Women’s Council continued to advocate and support women on campus through a variety of actions. These actions included:

• Publishing the Women’s Council website
• Continued advocacy for campus units specifically related to women
• Support for The National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant for the advancement of women faculty in STEM disciplines and university transformation supporting diversity and inclusion
• Ongoing work with the UNLV/CSUN Preschool as it launched the two-year pilot program expanding the preschool’s services to year-round
• Support for the Graduate College Dean to develop a policy on parental leave for graduate assistants
• Beginning the development of a website specifically for UNLV families
• Continued efforts to expand the number of lactation rooms on campus, identify the locations, and increase the number of changing stations and high chairs available for use on campus
• Provided campus women with a voice in the selection of the new UNLV President
• Being a strong proponent of a quality Campus Climate study, including the timely dissemination of the results.

During the 2013-2014 academic year, the Women’s Council contracted with the Cannon Survey Center to conduct a much-needed Childcare Needs Assessment Survey. The Survey assessed the childcare needs and identified key priorities, barriers, and work-life balance issues faced by the UNLV campus community. Almost two thousand UNLV students and academic, administrative, and classified staff members completed the Survey. The Women’s Council supported and recommended:

• The hiring, promotion, and retention of women and other individuals from traditionally underrepresented groups, especially in academic and administrative positions with low numbers of women;
• The establishment of pipeline programs for women at all levels who seek leadership roles;
• The provision of education for senior administrators on skill building, mentoring, and sponsorship of women and members of other underrepresented groups;
• The identification and analysis of disparate rates of promotion and tenure of female versus male faculty;
• The posting of announcements regarding open campus positions (including open academic, administrative, and classified staff positions) well in advance of hiring decisions
• The review and analysis of diversity hiring plans, including a review of which UNLV schools and departments completed diversity hiring plans, the results of these diversity hiring plans, the discovery of best practices relating to diversity hiring plans, and campus-wide training on how to use diversity hiring plans
• Ongoing sexual harassment training for all members of the campus community; and
• A Campus Climate Survey process that allows substantive and procedural input from relevant campus groups.