University of Rhode Islands Transitional Support Program M A R CH - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

University of Rhode Island’s Transitional Support Program M A R CH 7 - 8 , 2 0 12 N E W Y O R K , N Y R E T H I N K I N G T H E F U T U R E O F T H E S T E M W O R K P L A CE : C O N V E N I N G O F G L O B A L E X P E R T S O N W O R K - L I F E - F A M I L Y I S S U E S B A R B S I L V E R , P H . D . U N I V E R S I T Y O F R H O D E I S L A N D

2003 2009 Recruitment Climate Change Retention Work-Life Active Volunteer Committee, 2003- present Paid Parental Leave Policy --- Dual Career Hiring Policy Administrators’ Workshops, Literature, Topical Lunches, etc. Advocacy, public awareness, etc. THE ELSEVIER FOUNDATION 2008 LACTATION PROGRAM WORK-LIFE EDUCATION & AWARENESS

Program Components LACTATION FORMAL POLICY FACILITIES PROGRAM RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM MODEL REGIONAL CONNECTIONS WORK-LIFE WEBSITE WORK-LIFE (WWW.URI.EDU/ WORKLIFE) WORKSHOPS/ EVENTS EDUCATION & LITERATURE BROWN BAG LUNCHES AWARENESS WORK-LIFE SURVEY

Highlights  2009 Rhode Island Department of Health Gold Level “ Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Aw ard”  Formal policy and guidelines embedded in University Manual  5 lactation sites, # 6 on the way  Administrators’ Breakfast Workshops attended by over 40 administrators, including President, Provost, and Vice Presidents; Chairs’ Lunch Workshop attended by 50% of URI chairs  Great new website: www.uri.edu/ worklife  Program model document disseminated to 50 schools  Connections with all Rhode Island higher ed schools  Literature/ events  URI Work-Life Survey for Staff Employees, model for faculty survey to follow this fall

What We Learned – Top 3 Things Volunteer lead versus HR lead initiative 1. Our 3-level model of change is alive and well 2. Institutional 1. Individual 2. Interactional 3. How to even frame breastfeeding as an economic, 3. equity issue rather than a “woman’s issue”

Hurdles  Regional consortium – who cares?  Sensitive subject  Passive resistance ( interactional level )  Securing space  Driving home the “business case” is hard to do – change is slow

Plans for Sustainability  New construction/ rehab will include lactation space  Work-life regional consortium is gaining momentum  Policy is policy; space is permanent (?)  Public awareness much greater; subject is on the national radar  Work-Life Committee now has a budget – workshops/ brown bags, etc., will continue  Work-Life position has been approved in HR, though not yet filled