Report of the Provost's Committee on the Status of Women

     During the 1993-94 academic year, the Provost's Committee on
the Status of Women met monthly to press its agenda of key issues
and to monitor progress on several initiatives as well as the
activities of university offices which are involved in these
efforts. The committee is chaired by the provost and is comprised
of faculty and staff representatives from each academic and
administrative division, representatives of divisional Status of
Women or Affirmative Action committees, the chair of the Women's
Forum and the vice president for human resources.  
     The committee has continued to rely on four subcommittees
(Academic Issues, Staff Issues, Student Affairs, and Work
Environment and Family Issues) to study particular issue areas
and bring proposals forward to the full committee.   


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Provost's Committee Activities
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     Highlights of the committee's activities during the 1993-94
academic year include the following: 

Sexual Harassment Prevention and Resolution Program  
     Sexual harassment has been a primary concern of the
Provost's Committee over the past several years, and significant
time and energy have been dedicated to shaping the university's
response. On a regular basis, the committee monitored progress in
developing the sexual harassment prevention and resolution
program, which it helped to initiate. The committee was
especially concerned that options be given for informal
resolution of sexual harassment complaints. A number of
suggestions were offered to make information and referral and
complaint handling more accessible to employees. The committee
also reviewed and commented on plans for publicizing the program
and for training faculty, staff and students. Monitoring the
effectiveness of Hopkins' program will be an ongoing activity of
the committee.  

Performance Appraisal
     Acting on previous recommendations growing out of an
extensive study by the staff issues subcommittee, the
university's officers formally adopted a policy requiring the use
of annual performance appraisal forms, periodic review of staff
salaries for inequities, documentation of staff hiring decisions,
and regularized reporting on staff salary reviews as part of the
annual budget cycle. These policies were communicated by the
provost and senior vice president for administration to all
divisions of the university.

Job Classification and Compensation System  
     On several occasions throughout the course of the year, the
committee addressed the issue of the university's job
classification and compensation system. Particular concern was
expressed about the current "Knowledge and Abilities" (K's and
A's) system which staff members do not fully understand. The
rationale for the practice of treating the K's and A's as
confidential was probed. The committee generally advocated a more
open system.  

     Human Resources conducted an afternoon long workshop on the
classification system for the Staff Issues Subcommittee during
which the subcommittee members participated in some mock
classification analyses. Their conclusion was that the process
was a sound one. The analyses seemed to be carried out
objectively and thoughtfully.  However, the subcommittee strongly
recommended that confidence in the system would be promoted by
more openness.  

     Human Resources made several presentations to the Provost's
Committee on its plans to revise the classification system. The
committee felt that input from the Staff Issues Subcommittee
would be important as the review and revision of the system
proceeded. The Provost's Committee intends to continue to monitor
progress in devising a system that is more transparent to staff
and less subject to manipulation.  

Human Resources Data Base
     Because the ability to conduct staff salary analyses depends
upon accurate and complete data, the Provost's Committee has
urged progress on the development of a human resources data base.
This project, which is supported by Human Resources, was
initiated early in 1994. The committee is hopeful that it can be
completed expeditiously in order to allow the other projects to
move ahead. In particular, a second administration of a staff
salary analysis would be facilitated by such a data base.

Faculty Salary Equity
     Working through the Academic Issues Subcommittee, the
Provost's Committee monitored progress on a faculty salary
analysis designed to examine salary equity among the full-time
tenure track faculty and to identify salary differences
attributable to gender. The analysis was carried out by faculty
members in the School of Hygiene and Public Health using a
protocol agreed to by the committee and the deans' offices. Blind
data were provided to the faculty who applied accepted
methodologies in a multivariate analysis. The results were
complicated by differences among the schools in tenure practices
and by the lack of full information on disciplinary based salary
differences. A process was developed whereby the subcommittee
shared the results with the various deans' offices so that they
in turn could review and address any instances of salary
differentials that were not attributable to differences in rank,
disciplinary field, productivity or other legitimate factors. The
subcommittee plans to oversee a second administration of the
analysis after which it is hoped that the methodology is
sufficiently refined so that the study can be institutionalized
and conducted on an annual basis.  A goal is to include
non-tenure track and part-time faculty in future analyses.

Time-in-Rank Analysis
     The committee heard a report on a time-in-rank analysis
conducted under the auspices of the Affirmative Action Committee
in the School of Hygiene and Public Health. The extension of this
analysis to other divisions is under consideration. In order to
perform a comparable study on faculty in other schools, a
substantial amount of information must come from divisional
records, and the close involvement of the various deans' offices
is therefore essential. The committee hopes to facilitate
consultation with divisions so that similar studies can be
undertaken.

Student Issues
     The Student Affairs Subcommittee took a number of steps to
promote student participation in cocurricular activities through
several cross-divisional initiatives including presenting a
proposal for a reception for graduate and professional students
from all the divisions. This event was implemented by the provost
this past fall.  The subcommittee pursued a number of other
issues of concern to students, such as health insurance coverage,
shuttle service, student legal services, intramural sports; and
the use of JHUniverse as a vehicle for coordinating and
communicating about internships and laboratory research
opportunities on the campuses. In addition to these more general
issues relating to campus climate, the subcommittee made specific
recommendations regarding sexual harassment prevention training
for students.

Campus Security
     The committee reviewed university programs to protect the
safety and security of Hopkins staff. Despite the number of
campus security incidents, the committee believes that aggressive
efforts are being made to respond to employee concerns. Both the
Homewood security director and the new security officer at
Peabody made clear their willingness to respond to suggestions
and concerns. The committee was assured that the new leadership
for the East Baltimore security program (then only recently
announced) shares a similar willingness.   

Diversity and Recruitment Initiatives
     The committee monitored several efforts to enhance the
diversity of faculty and staff. Memoranda to officers and deans
encouraging diversity initiatives were shared with the committee
and judged to be positive steps. Members of the committee were
asked to review a search handbook prepared by the Provost's
Office. This resource has been circulated throughout the
university to assist those conducting searches in enhancing their
effectiveness generally and in promoting greater diversity in the
university faculty and staff.

Organization of the Committee
     The committee reviewed its structure and that of the
subcommittees. It was felt that the subcommittees should meet
more regularly in order to carry out their studies and projects.
To facilitate this, a decision was made to reduce the number of
Provost's Committee meetings. Instead of monthly meetings, the
committee will meet five times, and increase the number of
subcommittee sessions during the 1994-95 academic year, with time
scheduled for several subcommittee meetings in the intervals
between the meetings of the full committee. The arrangements for
representation from the divisional committees were also discussed
and the idea endorsed that divisional committees may be
represented at the Provost's Committee by individuals other than
the divisional committee chair.


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Divisional Committees
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Peabody
     The Peabody Committee on the Status of Women focused on a
faculty/staff survey of the work climate. Key concerns included
gender dynamics in interactions with colleagues, interactions
with the larger profession and institutional issues. 
     Dissemination of the survey results was followed by a very
productive series of discussion groups that revealed another set
of issues of concern not identified on the questionnaire. 
     Of particular concern was the need for more public
information regarding the basis of salary decisions and the need
for a forum for interdepartmental staff communications. The
committee plans to increase and broaden its membership and to use
the discussion group format to explore further various gender
equity issues. 

SAIS
     During late spring 1994, the SAIS Divisional Committee on
the Status of Women was reactivated. While the committee did not
have adequate time before the end of the academic year to address
a broad range of issues, it did make several recommendations
about strengthening security at the school. During this academic
year, the committee plans to enhance communications, expand its
membership to include students and survey the attitudes and
interests of women at SAIS in order to set an agenda for the
future.

Engineering
     The Gender Issues Committee of the Whiting School of
Engineering included students for the first time during 1993-94.
The committee focused much of its attention on the issue of
sexual harassment and made several recommendations to Dean
Giddens for enhancing the mechanisms to prevent incidents of
harassment. 
     The school hosted a seminar for members of the Hopkins
community by Freida Klein, who also conducted a training session
for deans, department and committee chairs, and administrative
staff in the School of Engineering.
     The committee also discussed the role of the Ombuds Office
and concerns about how to ensure that it is organizationally
situated to fulfill its mission.
     During the current academic year, the committee plans to
establish better connections among the women associated with the
Whiting School, thus facilitating mentoring, strengthening the
sense of community and increasing mutual support.

Hygiene and Public Health
     The Affirmative Action Committee of the School of Hygiene
and Public Health devoted considerable energy during 1993-94 to
an analysis of time-in-rank and to developing recommendations on
the basis of the study. Dean Sommer has initiated follow-up
action.   

Medicine
     The Women's Leadership Council and the Office of the Vice
Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty conducted the fifth annual
assessment of recruitment, advancement, salary structure,
environment and initiatives affecting women faculty during
1993-94. Progress has been documented in the recruitment of women
medical students, graduate students and full-time faculty. No
salary discrepancies between men and women were found in any
department. Work will continue to implement several initiatives,
including instituting exit interviews with faculty members who
leave Johns Hopkins, efforts to raise the profiles of various
committees which deal with the status of women, and exploring the
possibility of having an on-site day care facility available.
Special mentoring efforts to assure appropriate promotion of
women to the professor level will also be undertaken.


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Major Activities Planned for the Provost's 
Committee on the Status of Women for 1994-95
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     The Provost's Committee adopted a work plan for 1994-95 and
has a number of initiatives under way. Each of the subcommittees
identified the main issues to be addressed during the course of
the current academic year. The subcommittees welcome comments
from members of the university community, and suggestions about
these and any other issues that relate to the status of women at
Johns Hopkins.


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Academic Affairs Subcommittee
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     Faculty Salary Survey--Results of the first analysis have
been communicated to the divisions for their review and
appropriate action.  The methodology will be refined and a second
analysis will be conducted based on current salary data. The
Provost's Office will oversee the follow-up and will review the
divisional responses to ensure that corrective actions are taken
where they are warranted.

     Pilot Study of Part-Time Faculty--An effort will be made to
develop an appropriate methodology so that a salary equity study
of part-time faculty can be undertaken. This will require
extensive effort to capture the relevant data and determine the
appropriate variables in the specific context of each school,
given the wide variations among the divisions.

     Time-in-Rank Analysis--The subcommittee will consult with
divisions interested in replicating the time-in-rank analysis
that has been conducted in the School of Hygiene and Public
Health.


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Staff Issues Subcommittee
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     Compensation/Classification System--The subcommittee intends
to continue to monitor revisions to the compensation system in
the interest of improving the classification process. The
subcommittee will offer suggestions for demystifying the process
and ensuring that the system is fair and effective.

     Staff Salary Equity Study--A priority for the subcommittee
is a second administration of a staff salary study. The
subcommittee will explore the extent to which such a survey is
dependent upon the development of an HR data base that would
contain the information necessary to explain salary variation. In
the absence of such a data base, concern has been expressed by
Human Resources administrators that the data gathering would be
extraordinarily time consuming. The subcommittee wants also to
consider whether such a study will contribute to productive
discussion of the more overarching concern of the structural
employment patterns which place large numbers of women in lower
status and therefore lower paying jobs.

     Performance Appraisal--In consultation with Human Resources,
the subcommittee will evaluate the extent to which the
performance appraisal system has been implemented and how
effectively it is working.



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Student Affairs Subcommittee 
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     Climate for Women Graduate Students--The subcommittee plans
to discuss divisional efforts to enhance the out-of-classroom
climate for women graduate students, while monitoring the
effectiveness of the Sexual Harassment Prevention and Resolution
Program in addressing the classroom/academic climate.

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Work Environment and Family Issues Subcommittee 
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     Flex Time Study--A study of the use of flex time is the main
focus of the WEFIS subcommittee for the remainder of the year. 
The subcommittee plans to administer a survey to an appropriate
sample of staff members and to develop recommendations based on
an assessment of staff knowledge of the policies and an
evaluation of problems with taking advantage of the provision for
flex time.

     Dependent Care--The subcommittee will review the current
status of dependent care services being offered by the university
and will consider whether there are needs that are not being
adequately met.

     Wellness/Health--While the subcommittee has not formulated
specific issues related to health and wellness programs for
university staff, the issue is a salient one for many, and the
subcommittee plans to begin to evaluate the needs in this area.


Respectfully submitted,
The Provost's Committee on the Status of Women



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Subcommittees--
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Academic Issues
     Nan M. Astone, co-chair
          955-1821
     Patricia Grimm, co-chair
          516-4280

Student Affairs
     Pam Cranston, chair
          516-7185

Work Environment 
and Family Issues
     Regina U. Frank, chair
          659-8125

Staff Issues 
     Sharon B. Newman, co-chair
          (202) 663-5802
     Virginia L. Walker, co-chair
          516-7756

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Divisional Committees--
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SAIS
     Natalie Reeves, (202) 663-5786

Applied Physics Laboratory
     Patricia J. Herchenroeder, 792-5653

Engineering
     Daniel O. Naiman, 516-7203

Hygiene and Public Health
     Laurie Zabin, 955-5753

Medicine
     Catherine DeAngelis, 955-8401

Nursing
     Patricia Grimm, 955-4280

Peabody Institute
     Regina U. Frank, 659-8125

University Administration
     Cynthia M. Fenwick, 516-8153