The University of Maine ADVANCE IT project proposes a three-pronged approach to institutional gender equity for STEM women faculty. Specific goals and objectives include increasing the percentage of women in the STEM disciplines, supporting professional development activities, addressing recruitment, retention and advancement of women faculty and engaging other campuses in the University of Maine System, as well as the faculty union, through the dissemination of information regarding ADVANCE outcomes.
Intellectual Merit. The proposed activities are rooted in a conceptual framework that focuses on faculty job satisfaction, which plays a major role in retention. This project also presents a unique perspective to institutional transformation in that it takes into consideration the faculty union and its impact on faculty advancement and job satisfaction.
Broader Impact. The University of Maine ADVANCE IT project , because of its emphasis on seven other institutions in the state of Maine, has the capacity to impact women faculty beyond the proposing institution. It is expected that project results will be broadly disseminated across Maine and to other institutions through traditional means including national presentations and scholarly journal articles. As such, the University of Maine will contribute new knowledge to the field of institutional transformation.
