Emerson Leadership Institute Hosts the Joint Provost-Faculty Senate Gender Equity Committee Meeting

04/30/2024

The Emerson Leadership Institute (ELI) at Chaifetz School of Business hosted the Provost-Faculty Senate Gender Equity Committee (GEC) end-of-the-year meeting on Wednesday, April 24.

The ELI aims to develop and deliver education, professional development, research, and community engagement programs that shape and enable ethical leaders. Established in 2018 by the Office of the Provost, the GEC is a robust standing committee responsible for advancing the shared governance of the university via a consultative role to the Provost and Faculty Senate on issues related to faculty gender equity.

The Emerson Leadership Institute (ELI) at Chaifetz School of Business hosted the Provost-Faculty Senate Gender Equity Committee (GEC) end-of-the-year meeting on Wednesday, April 24. Submitted photo.

Since 2018, the GEC has collaborated with the Faculty Senate and engaged with various units across the campus to buttress existing work on equity, learn about equity gaps and challenges and formulate institutional recommendations.

“The ELI is proud and honored to have the opportunity to develop a strategic partnership with the GEC for future faculty gender equity initiatives” said Jintong Tang, Ph.D.,Director of the ELI and Co-Chair of the GEC.

Some exemplars of GEC recommendations that have been implemented thus far include development of:

An Office of the Ombuds for North Campus with the Faculty Senate;
A university-wide mentorship program for early-career faculty by the Division for Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement;
The Billiken Boost Program supported by the Provost’s Office; and
Changes to the End-of-Semester Student Course Feedback forms for reducing implicit bias through the inclusion of a preamble.

This committee gets the work done," said Provost Mike Lewis, Ph.D. "I can count on you all to provide much needed advice and clarity on issues of equity for faculty and your group operates with intellectual humility and collaboration that is necessary for achieving our institutional goals.”

Faculty Senate President, Christine Rollins, J.D., echoed Lewis.

“This committee is an important voice in the shared governance process for amplifying an equity lens in the work we do," Rollins said. "I am grateful for your dedication and look forward to continued progress.”

At the meeting, the GEC members raised a dry toast to Co-Chair, Terri Weaver, Ph.D., professor of psychology, for her dedication and leadership to the GEC and celebrated her retirement from the committee.