President’s Blog: August 2, 2012
Early this week, I received a polite note from our VPA Jon Driver that our request to him to strike a working group for a comprehensive review of gender salary gaps requires discussion with the Faculty Association. I have framed my reply to him as follows. I continue to believe SFU can be a leader in equity and equal pay, and believe we can overcome these institutional obstacles. I also even more strongly support the idea of an equity and diversity committee structure in SFUFA, but this in no way replaces the need for AW as an independent professional development association-- and champion of equality rights.
______________________
President’s Blog: July 25, 2012 (updated August 2nd)
Dear Members of Academic Women:
As chair since 2008, it is with some regret I write my last blog update to members. As mentioned at the AGM in May, I am stepping down for an overdue administrative leave. I am pleased to announce my successor will be Dr. Malgorzata Dubiel, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics, winner of the 2002 SFU Teaching Award, twice past president of SFUFA and acquaintance and professional colleague of Dr. Rachel Kluske, special advisor to the Provost at UBC on Equity. Malgorzata’s term starts September 1, 2012, and we are working on the transition now. |
 |
Malgorzata Dubiel |
Here is a news update:
- I have met with VPA Jon Driver to press the case for a comprehensive review of salary equity at SFU as of July 24, 2012. A preliminary analysis of data by Vice President Osborne(not yet released) reveals sufficient evidence of a gendered salary gap in our view to press ahead with a comprehensive study and constitution of a formal working group. Dr. Driver is considering our request in light of the confidential internal Administrative report, and we hope to hear back on the decision by early Fall. You may see the brief to Jon Driver below ( under A).
- I have struck an internal ad hoc AW advisory group, including Malgorzata, Jane Pulkingham and Anke Kessler to aid in getting this review done. I also attended the SFUFA session on Market Differentials and discussed the need for SFUFA to actively strike an equity and diversity committee, and continue to support such a pay equity study, quite apart from the collective bargaining cycle. We have suggested a time line of a year,and Carla Graebner, as past SFUFA president will sit as one of SFUFA’s representatives on the working group; and I will serve as liaison on it for another year.
- I met with my counterparts at UBC and UVIC. We are facing very similar obstacles, but UBC’s model ,which took them four years, although a narrow one of equal pay rather than full pay equity, is a hopeful precedent for us. It will especially prove so if they release their options for action including one for an across-the -board settlement for women there soon, as is the intent of the soon to be released Third Report. UVIC is farther ahead of us, but encountering similar mixed messages about such an inquiry, since if it is to lead to remediation, it would fall under PSEC negotiated settlement, and therefore be wrapped into collective bargaining. Our very strong position is that it is not part of PSEC, a separate track, and part of the statutory obligation to equal pay under the BC Human Rights Act. We have already delayed a year on this, and cannot afford another.
- Most importantly, Dr. Margot Young (UBC) and Dr. Janna Aragon(UVIC) and I have agreed to continue to collaborate over the coming year on strategies and data collection. We have an eight-point plan (see below under B) which may culminate in a session at the Congress in Victoria next June.
- Let me end with heartfelt thanks to those of you who have participated so generously in our activities over the past four years. I have been energized, learned much, challenged and often obtained much needed solace from our collegial exchanges. We are not alone! I hope that putting Academic Women on stable financial footing ( for this our first full year) will reap many benefits for us all and reach out to new allies on campus( an LGBTQ faculty network, and Indigenous and Racialized women network, and even a parental network of male allies) over time. I hope to attend the Fall AW meeting to hand over the torch to the new Chair.
- If you want to do something, send us a comment, or drop a note to the VPA saying you support this Equity and Equal Pay study, refer your Chair or Director to AW’s site, and talk up the UBC example. Courage. And have a great summer.
Catherine
Appendix A: Brief to VPA Jon Driver (July 24, 2012)
Academic C: Metrics for Monitoring Faculty Gender Equity