Professors Soule, Strober, and Dean Levin: Are we there yet? Diversity, Work, and Family in 2018

TL;DR

This discussion highlights the progress made in terms of diversity and inclusion at the GSB over the past decades, but also emphasizes the need for further advancements, particularly in terms of supporting women who take career breaks and providing affordable childcare solutions.

Transcript

[MUSIC] I'm going to bring up Sarah and Myra, and we're going to have a discussion about, Women at the GSB and about diversity. And just to frame the discussion as they walk up here, let me tell you quickly about, You already heard their formal introductions, but I'll just say a couple things quickly about Myra. Myra was the first female faculty me... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎓 The hiring of women faculty members at top universities, including the GSB, was spurred by labor department complaints and the realization that executive orders on gender equality also applied to universities.
• 💦 While progress has been made in terms of gender representation in some fields, occupational segregation still persists, and policies supporting work-life balance and affordable childcare are crucial.
• 👨‍👩‍👦 Men's increasing interest in taking parental leave and being actively involved fathers can lead to more support for policies that benefit both men and women in balancing careers and family.
• 🧔 Companies alone cannot bear the responsibility of supporting parental leave and providing childcare solutions; government intervention is necessary to create a systemic change.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the early actions taken by the school and other universities in response to gender discrimination complaints lead to the hiring of more women?

The Labor Department complaints against prestigious universities forced them to realize that executive orders for gender inclusion applied to them as well, leading to efforts to hire more women faculty members.

Q: What were the challenges faced by women at the GSB in the early days of gender integration?

Women faced resistance from male colleagues, who were not used to working alongside them. The lack of representation and alienation made it difficult for women to feel included in the school's culture.

Q: How have the perspectives on work-life balance and parenting changed among students at the GSB?

There has been a shift, with more men expressing a desire to be actively involved fathers and more women considering taking on higher-earning roles. This indicates changing ideals for both genders in terms of balancing careers and family.

Q: What measures have been taken by the GSB to address diversity and inclusion?

The GSB has made efforts to diversify the protagonists in its teaching cases, recruit more women students, and create classes focused on diversity and women's leadership. However, there is still progress to be made in retaining women and creating flexible workplaces.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Myra, the first female faculty member at the GSB, reflects on the early challenges she faced and the steps the school took to address gender and racial inequality.

• The discussion emphasizes the need for more support for women who take breaks in their careers and the importance of providing affordable childcare solutions.

• Sarah, a Senior Associate Dean, highlights the increasing interest and involvement of both male and female colleagues in issues of diversity and inclusion, both in research and teaching.