1. Recruiting, retaining and promoting women in Science
December 29, 2015

2. Program Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson, President
Prof. Batsheva Kerem, President’s advisor for promoting women in Science
Dr. Yael Levitte, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity, Cornell.
Q & A
Prof. Asher Cohen, Rector
Meeting with Yael Levitte, for a further discussion

3. 40 years ago

4. 40 year ago

6. Add title The Glass Ceiling and the Scissors Diagram
It has been argued that the current findings indicate that the scissors will not close, even when one considers the historical bias. But the question if and to what extent the angle will diminish in time, is vital to all discussion on the topic. The Committee has examined this process and its various components.
We learned that only a small number of the relatively large number of Ph.D. female students under their supervision opted for an academic career. This finding may indicate a serious obstacle to the creation of gender equality in the faculty even after such equality has been/will be obtained among the Ph.D. graduates. But, be the sources of this obstacle what they may, the members of the committee believe that the University can contribute to its elimination. The activity must focus on the creation of a climate in which it is clear that not only can the unique hardships facing women throughout their academic careers be overcome but that the academic system is interested in having as many women as possible traverse the barrier and therefore the University extends a helping hand to the women who have chosen this path.

7. Graduated students 2015 47% in the entire University
56% in the Humanities, social sciences (non-exp)
43% in experimental and exact sciences

8. Gender Composition of the academic staff at the Hebrew University (2013/2014/2015)
26% in the entire University
34% in the Humanities
18% in experimental and exact sciences
(% women)

9. Gender Composition at the Hebrew University (% women) (2013/2014/2015)
Graduated
26% in the entire University (47%)
34% in the Humanities (56%)
18% in experimental and exact sciences (43%)
Only a small number of the relatively large number of Ph.D. female students opt for an academic career.

10. Gender Composition at the Hebrew University (2013/2014/2015)
Experimental sciences
Humanities
18% are women
9% Full Prof.
22% Associate Prof.
20% Senior Lecturer
70% Lecturer*
34% are women
21% Full Prof.
31% Associate Prof.
41% Senior Lecturer
51% Lecturer
School of nutrition
26% in total

11. 17/57 30% of the new faculty are women
31% (9/29) of the new faculty in the humanities and social sciences are women.
29% (8/28) of the new faculty in the experimental and exact sciences are women (biology, chemistry, mathematics, pharmacology, etc)

12. New Faculty in humanities and social sciences 2015
Social Sciences 5/11 (45%) Humanities 1/10 (10%) Law 1/3 (33%) Economics 0/1 (0%) Business School 1/3 (33%) School of Social work 1/1 (100%) Total 9/29 (31%)

13. New Faculty in experimental sciences 2015
Natural Sciences /16 (25%)
Engineering & computer sciences 2/4 (50%)
Medicine /4 (25%)
Agriculture /4 (40%)
Brain Sciences /1 (0%)
School of dentist /2 (50%)
Total /28 (29%)

14. New Faculty in Natural sciences 2015
Physics /3
Mathematics /3
Chemistry /3
Life Sciences /3
Computer sciences /4
Total /16

15. Gender equity among the academic staff:
50% women recruitments in all university disciplines.
50% women in all committees.
50% women among deans, chairs of schools, etc.

16. PhD students PhD extension (6 months) following birth, adoption, etc.
Mandatory fellowship payment during maternity leave (14 weeks).
Mandatory fellowship payment for additional 14 weeks.
The 15:30 “rule”

17. Why so few women among the staff?
Only a small number of the relatively large number of Ph.D. female students opt for an academic career.
Post-doc abroad – a bottleneck for most women (relocation for 4-5 years).
Joining the academic life in the university: Combining family with teaching and research.
Similar to the members of the Padan Committee, we too, consider the transition period between the Ph.D. graduation and the realization of a post-doctoral fellowship, to be a bottleneck in the trajectory shaping an academic career for women. Women balancing careers and family, who are not the main breadwinners, are very often faced with the argument that going abroad for a few years will seriously damage the principal source of income in the family. This is a serious setback, which is usually not raised in relation to men at similar junctions in their lives. Recognizing the importance of going abroad for a post-doc, the Committee members believe that there is room to make the decision financially easier. We recommend that in those cases in which a woman has been awarded a post-doctoral fellowship from an institution of recognized standing abroad, and she is not the main breadwinner in the family, a supplement of $10,000 be given (this rule will also apply to men in a similar situation).

18. Women Fellowships for Post-Doc training abroad
Two years ago we launched a Post-Doctorate Fellowship Program for excellent PhD students exclusively for women.
The budget is limited – 100,000 Australian $ per year (for 5 years). Three more years left….
We can fund five one year fellowships for one year in the first year (16,000-21,000 $).

19. Our mission
10 post doc fellowships, 25,000$/year, for two years.
0.5 million $ every year

20. Courses of action
Conferences to encourage women to do a post doctorate fellowship abroad:
How to choose a Post-Doc position.
Presentation of available funding for women.
A discussion with female faculty members who joined HU in the last 5 years following Post-Doc training abroad.

21. Courses of action - female faculty
One year extension of the tenure-clock to faculty who gave birth.
Reduction of teaching load for women faculty upon return from maternity leave.
Gender composition of committees, especially in “High-Powered” committees.
Meetings with female who are not yet tenure in the university

22. Courses of action - for female students and staff (Dean of Students and his staff)
Day-care facilities (nursery schools) - we have one in each of the HU campuses.
Special rooms for diapering and nursing - we have one in each of HU campuses.
Special women fellowships (B.A – post doc).
Special programs for students who gave birth during university studies - completing the missing studies (medical students).

23. Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity.
Cornell's Model for Recruiting, Retaining and Advancing Women: Progress and Remaining Challenges
Dr. Yael Levitte
Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity.
Levitte works closely with the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs on issues of faculty development and diversity across the University, addressing the need for more accountability in the hiring process, while ensuring the excellence and diversity of the faculty.
Yael is also a member of the University Diversity Council (UDC), which is responsible for implementation of and accountability on diversity initiatives campus-wide.
Levitte was Executive Director of the CU-ADVANCE Center ( ), an NSF-funded Center working to retain and advance women in science and engineering. 

24. Thanks