ADVANCE Catalyst: Examining the Systemic Barriers Impacting Faculty Retention and Success at the University of Vermont

University Of Vermont & State Agricultural College (UVM) will undertake an institutional self-assessment to investigate systemic barriers that lead to the attrition of some STEM faculty. The ADVANCE Catalyst project will result in a five-year STEM faculty equity plan tailored to the UVM context and institutional data that will guide institutional actions to address any issues identified during the grant. This project will identify gaps in campus-data infrastructure, collection, and analysis and collect qualitative data to accurately capture the experiences STEM faculty at UVM. The institutional self-assessment and five-year strategic plan will set a foundation to improve equity for STEM faculty at the institution. This work will benefit STEM disciplines as well as non-STEM disciplines due to the interconnected nature of institutional policy. Results of the Catalyst project will be regularly communicated with the UVM community. The project is expected to add to our understanding of STEM faculty equity issues at rural institutions of higher education in EPSCoR jurisdictions. This project is jointly funded by NSF ADVANCE and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The NSF ADVANCE program is designed to foster gender equity through a focus on the identification and elimination of organizational barriers that impede the full participation and advancement of diverse faculty in academic institutions. Organizational barriers that inhibit equity may exist in policies, processes, practices, and the organizational culture and climate. ADVANCE "Catalyst" awards provide support for institutional equity assessments and the development of five-year faculty equity strategic plans at academic, non-profit institutions of higher education. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.