Environmental Career Strategies
for Women
Spring 2010 (FOR 496-10 &
797-2)
Class meets Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30, 314 Bray Hall
IF THERE IS A GUEST SPEAKER, class will meet
from 4-5 pm, 146 Baker Laboratory UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
|
Instructors |
|
Speaker coordinator |
|
Diane Kuehn 310A Bray Hall 315-470-6561 |
Sharon Moran 113 Marshall Hall 315-470-6690 |
B9 315-470-4868 |
Course
Overview:
This
is a 1-credit, college-wide seminar geared towards a diversity of students from
various departments at ESF. The main goal of the course is to provide an open
forum for female and male faculty and students to interact and discuss gender
issues pertaining to academia and other professional arenas. The course
consists of one hour of lecture or discussion per week, with opportunities to
interact with female professionals outside of class. Updates to this syllabus
can be found at: http://www.esf.edu/for/kuehn/syl2010.htm
.
Course
Objectives:
After
completing this course, the student should be able to:
Course
Layout:
This
seminar is comprised of two types of class meetings: (1.) discussions of
general interest topics facilitated by class members and (2.) guest speaker
presentations that comprise the ESF "Women in Scientific and Environmental
Professions" lecture series (http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/speakers.htm).
In addition, students are STRONGLY encouraged to attend the mentoring sessions
(usually dinner) that are organized with each guest speaker of the lecture
series.
Students’
responsibilities:
1.
Assist in the arrangements for speakers (25% of your grade). You or a pair of you will develop a schedule
for one speaker during her visit. "Instructions for Student Hosts"
offers tips and recommended timelines. Specifically, you are responsible
for:
n
Arranging
meetings with interested students and faculty (generally at ESF, but SU,
Upstate, and some local groups might also request an audience; the speaker may
also have specific requests);
n
Arranging
speaker pick-up and drop-off at the airport if needed;
n
Making
arrangements for a post-lecture reception; and
n
Making
arrangements for a mentoring dinner with the speaker and class participants.
To assist you, the speaker coordinator (
2. Write a press release on the
speaker's presentation (15%).
Following the speaker's visit, the hosting student(s) will (jointly) write a
brief press release about the speaker’s presentation. Press releases are to
be submitted electronically to the instructors by the Tuesday following the
speaker's presentation; the instructors will then forward it to the Knothole and sponsors on your behalf.
The press release should include the speaker’s name and affiliation, the title
of the presentation, and a summary of the presentation, and conclude with
presentation sponsors and biographical information about the speaker.
3. Facilitate a discussion on one
general interest topic (20%).
Each student will lead or co-lead a discussion on one general interest topic
listed below in the class schedule. The articles that each student is required
to read in preparation for class discussions are listed below each topic. You may choose additional or
different articles for your class facilitation. If articles are not listed for
a topic, it is the student’s responsibility to invite guest speakers or to
choose and distribute articles for the discussion. The student facilitator(s)
should prepare questions based on the articles that will foster class discussion.
You may find Bloom's taxonomy (http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learning/exams/blooms-taxonomy.html)
useful in developing questions. Discussion questions should be typed for
distribution in class. The student should give the instructor the typed
questions by noon on the day of the class so that photocopies can be made.
You are encouraged to talk with the instructor about your facilitation prior to
it.
4. Write two brief paragraphs
stating the two most important points of your facilitated session (10%). These paragraphs should be no more that two to
three sentences each, and should state the two most important discussion points
resulting from the class that you facilitate. These should be e-mailed to
the instructor by the Tuesday following your facilitated discussion.
5.
Weekly class participation (30%). Every
student is expected to participate in class discussions on a weekly basis by:
Reading
the assigned articles and participating in the class discussion (15%).
Completing
a discussion assessment form at the end of each session (15%). Discussion
assessment forms are due to the instructor by the Tuesday following the
session. Anonymous copies will be given to the discussion facilitator to
help them improve their facilitation skills. The instructors will assess
and grade the original assessments and return them for the purpose of improving
the constructive commentary of students.
Attending
the "Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions" Lecture
Series that has been scheduled during the normal class meeting time. There will
be a 10% deduction in final class grades for each lecture missed. You are also
encouraged to join all of the speakers for the mentoring dinners.
Deductions for lateness:
Written
assignments and discussion evaluations are due to the instructor by the
following class. Deductions of 10 points per day for each day that assignments
are late will be made on written assignments that are received after the due
date.
Instructor
responsibilities:
The
instructors will answer any questions the student facilitator(s) have
concerning appropriate questions for class discussions and will facilitate
interactions between the speaker and sponsors. The instructor will grade
discussion assessment forms and written assignments and will provide
constructive commentary in a timely manner. The instructors view this syllabus and
its development as a work in progress, and we expect to modify it during the
semester to better meet the needs of the students and speakers.
Schedule
for Spring 2010
January 19:
Introductions, expectations, and speaker preparations
January 26:
Discussion: Feminism; demonstration of facilitation skills. Diane
Kuehn to facilitate.
·
Gilley,
J. 2005.
Writings of the Third Wave: Young
Feminists in Conversation. Reference
& User Services Quarterly 44(3):187-198.
February
2: Discussion: Mentoring and
Campus Climate
n Sandler, B.R. Mentoring:
Myths and Realities, Dangers and Responsibilities. In: A hand
up: Women Mentoring Women in Science.. pp:
271-279.
n
Williams,
J., T. Alon, and S. Bornstein. 2006. Beyond the
“chilly climate:” Eliminating bias against women and fathers in academe. NEA
Higher Education Journal: Thought and Action (22): 79-96.
n February 9: Discussion: Women's Voices and/or learning styles
n
American Association of University Women.
1994.
Shortchanging girls, shortchanging
n
Hyde,
J. S., and M. C. Linn. 2006. Gender similarities in mathematics and science. Science,
314: 599-600.
n
Rosser,
S.V. 1990. Women's Ways
of Knowing. In Female Friendly Science. Pergamon Press.
n
February
16: Discussion: LGBT;
Sharon Moran to lead discussion.
February 23: Discussion: Career patterns and productivity differences between women and men
n Sonnert, G., and G. Holten. 1996.
Career patterns of women and men in the sciences. Am. Scientist 84:63-71.
n Kimmel, M. 1993. What do men
want? Harvard Business Review: 4-12.
n Hewlett, S. A., and C. B. Luce.
2005. Off-ramps and on-ramps: Keeping talented women on the road to success.
Harvard Business Review: 1-9
n Creamer, E.G. 1998.
Equity and equality in measuring faculty productivity. Women in Higher
Ed., Sept. issue: 7-8.
March 2: No class
THURSDAY, March 4: Guest Speaker:
Meredith Gore, Assistant
Professor, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife & School of Criminal
Justice, Michigan State University
March 9: Guest Speaker: Kathie Weathers, Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of
Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY and Program Director, Ecosystem Science
Cluster, National Science Foundation
March 16: Spring Break – no class
n
March 23: Discussion: Improving your interview skills; Guest presenter: John Turbeville, ESF Student Life
March 30: Discussion: Balancing work and family
n Excerpts
from: Equality in the University of Wisconsin System: A Focus for
Action in the Year 2000; Report of the Committee on the Status of Women in the
University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin System Initiative on
the Status of Women; October 25, 1999, (http://www.uwsa.edu/acadaff/status/equal.htm).
n Romano, C. 2001. Get
a life and a career. What a concept! The Chronicle of Higher
Education (chronicle.com) March, 23 issue, B12.
n
n Wolf-Wendel, L.E.; S.B. Twombly; and S. Rice. excerpts
from Dual-career couples: keeping them together. The Journal
of Higher Ed 71(3): pp. 1-2 and 14-16.
April
6: Discussion:
Whistle-blowing and harassment issues; Guest presenter: Marcia Barber, Director
of Human Resources, SUNY ESF
n
Sexual
harassment in the federal workplace: Trends, progress, continuing challenges.
US Merit Systems Protection Board
n
Sexual
harassment: Suggested policy and procedures for handling complaints. Am. Assoc.
of University Professors.
n
Gunsalus, C. K., 1998. How to blow the whistle and still have a
career afterwards. Sci. and
April 13: Discussion:
Negotiating employment contracts
Kolb, D. M. 2008. Asking pays
off: Negotiate what you need to succeed. The Woman Advocate, 13 (4): 1-2.
Kolb, D., and K. McGinn. 2008. Beyon Gender and
negotiation to gendered negotiations. Working Parper
of the
Babcokc, L., and S. Laschever.
2009. Women don’t ask: negotiation and gender divide. Accessed online January
14, 2010 at www.womendontask.com/questions.html.
Negotiating job offers. 2007.
n
Dietz,
B.C. Employment contracts: Everyone needs promise protection. Online at:
www.asktheheadhunter.com/gv050701.htm.
April
20: Speaker: TBA
April
27: International,
cultural, and minority perspectives on women in science.
n
Panel
to be selected by
student facilitator.
May
4: Discussion: Personal and
Professional Strategies (Course Wrap-Up)
Please be prepared to recap our discussions
this semester and discuss what topics that should be added to the 2011
syllabus.