Recordation # 1. Continue Regental Committee.
Recommendation accepted. A Regental Committee was formed in 1995 and is functioning.

Recommendation # 2. Continue UT System-wide Committee and Appoint a UT System Administrator.
Recommendation accepted. A System-wide Committee on the Advancement of Women will be continued, and an appropriate administrator has been appointed to oversee the coordination of on-going System-wide efforts to facilitate the advancement of women. The Committee will meet at least twice annually. Time Line: Dr. Barbara Breier, System Development Officer, has assumed this responsibility and will focus on this effort.

Recommendation # 3. Electronic Information.
Recommendation accepted. A comprehensive Web-related database will be developed and maintained at the U. T. System. Information compiled to date by the Committee on the Advancement of Women will be reviewed, incorporated, and extended. The database will include information on professional development and training opportunities, resource materials, and other information associated with the advancement of women in administration and higher education. Dr. Barbara Breier will oversee its development and maintenance; she will also communicate with appropriate persons regarding its existence and uses. During the two meetings each year of the Committee on the Advancement of Women, a review and evaluation of information available on the database will be a discussion item, and component representatives will be encouraged to provide and use this resource. Time Line: The effort will begin immediately.

Recommendation # 4. Campus Core Committee.
Recommendation accepted. It is recognized that some components already have in place core committees with responsibility for concerns associated with the advancement of women as outlined in the Committee's recommendations. The components which do not have such a core committee will be asked to organize and/or designate such a committee. In addition, the Chancellor will ask each of the U. T. System chief administrative officers to provide a summary of the charge to the campus core committee, as well as outline information regarding role, scope, reporting process, and other details. Time Line: This matter will be discussed with component presidents during the April 16, 1997, meeting of the U. T. System Council. Component presidents will be asked to forward information regarding Core Committees as a part of the Annual Report on the Status of Minorities and Women which will be forwarded to the U. T. System.

Recommendation # 5. Collegiality.
Recommendation accepted. The Chancellor will confer with U. T. System chief administrative officers regarding clear policy statements associated with the highest expectation of collegiality among faculty, administrators, and other members of the institution. In turn, each component president will be asked to develop programs and activities designed to promote collegiality and professionalism in evaluations. Time Line: During the U. T. System Council meeting on April 16, 1997, the Chancellor will review this topic with chief administrative officers and confer with them regarding appropriate approaches to the matter. A review of these efforts at the components will accompany each institution's Annual Report on the Status of Minorities and Women.

Recommendation # 6. Women in Decision-Making Positions.
Recommendation accepted. Time Line: On April 16, 1997, the Chancellor will conduct a follow-up discussion with U. T. System chief administrative officers regarding the appointment of qualified women to important decision-making positions and committees, and the designation of an appropriate administrator to oversee the coordination of on-going efforts to facilitate the advancement of women. [Note: The Chancellor agrees with the majority report of the Committee.] Time Line: The designation of the appropriate administrator for each component will be included in the institution's Annual Report on the Status of Minorities and Women.

Recommendation # 7. Biennial Salary Equity Study.
Recommendation accepted with modifications. While the Chancellor is committed to salary equity, extensive salary data is available to U. T. System institutions based on the annual collection and review of such data. The data is compiled and analyzed in collaboration with components, and chief administrative officers will forward a report on the data. In turn, the data and presidential reports are reviewed by U. T. System administrators and the Regental Committee on Telecommunications and Minorities and Women. Therefore, several U. T. institutions have the capability of reviewing salary equity issues on an annual basis. More extensive and complex salary reviews by some U. T. components may be undertaken every three years. Time Line: Discuss with component presidents during the April 16, 1997, System Council meeting.

Recommendation # 8. Accountability for Salary Equity.
Recommendation accepted. The Chancellor agrees that those individuals who have direct responsibility and authority to impact the compensation within their respective units shall be held accountable for serious efforts to maintain and/or achieve an equitable pay structure. Time Line: Annually as a part of the budget cycle and related interactions.

Recommendation # 9. Fairness in Compensation Other Than Salary.
Recommendation accepted. Every effort which is appropriate, feasible, and possible should be made by administrators to evaluate and provide support beyond compensation. Time Line: Annually, via the Annual Report on the Status of Minorities and Women submitted by each institution.

Recommendation # 10. Appointment and Salary Report.
Recommendation accepted. The annual review of System-wide data includes information regarding headcount and salaries for executive, administrative, and managerial staff and for tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenured faculty by academic discipline. Data collected as of April 30, 1996, represents benchmark data, and has been reviewed by the U. T. System administration and the Regental Committee on Minorities and Women. This practice will continue each year. Time Line: Annually.

Recommendation # 11. Campus Report and Strategies.
Recommendation accepted. Chief administrative officers provide information regarding changes in faculty numbers, rank, and tenure information annually via the System-wide data review process and an accompanying annual report. In turn, it is recommended that the chief administrative officers ensure that successful strategies and plans be shared so there is ample opportunity to learn from the experiences of others. At the U. T. System level, the Executive Vice Chancellors for Academic and Health Affairs will devote a portion of at least one meeting per year of component presidents to a focus on this topic. Time Line: Annually.

Recommendation # 12. Campus Exit Interviews and Strategies.
Recommendation accepted. Each chief administrative officer of U. T. System components shall be responsible for continuing or adopting a program of exit interviews of departing faculty and administrators. In turn, a part of the Annual Report on the Status of Minorities and Women shall summarize the reasons why persons leave an institution. The report will include categories by gender, rank and tenure status (for faculty), and appointment status (for administrators). Chief administrators take appropriate administrative action based on the report. Time Line: Annually.

Recommendation # 13. Policy Availability, Review, and Information.
Recommendation accepted. All U. T. System and component policies should be clearly written and readily available across the academic community. In addition to accessibility to printed information, it is suggested that technological resources be utilized, including use of the Internet. It is recommended that each of the officer(s) responsible for the update of the institution's Handbook of Operating Procedures be held responsible for collecting and sharing such information. Time Line: Review annually, with periodic updates as policies, contact persons, and other information change.

Recommendation # 14. Faculty Promotion Criteria.
Recommendation accepted. It is appropriate that each component review and evaluate criteria for faculty promotion and tenure, focusing on the importance of teaching, research, and service as appropriate to the component's mission and its various disciplines. Time Line: Annually.

Recommendation # 15. Consideration of Workload.
Recommendation accepted with comment and possible modification. While it is a goal for every faculty member to be afforded an appropriate division of time and labor and an opportunity to accomplish the academic goals necessary for achieving promotion and tenure, as well as for meeting departmental objectives, it is recognized that "an appropriate division of time and labor" is often a matter of judgment. Judgments will be subject to diverse perceptions and perspectives. As noted in the Committee's report, regular performance evaluations and feedback in the context of specific responsibilities are essential. Time Line: Discuss annually with chief administrative officers who will, in turn, discuss this matter with key administrative/academic officially each year. Special Note: The recommendation of the Committee on the Advancement of Women providing for the extension of the tenure-track probationary period under certain limited circumstances was adopted by the Board of Regents on November 14, 1996. An except from the Regents' Minutes is attached as APPENDIX A.

Recommendation # 16. Faculty Awareness of Criteria.
Recommendation accepted with modification. Although it is appropriate to share criteria for promotion and tenure and to provide feedback at each stage of review, it is anticipated that such information would more appropriately be provided by departmental and college leadership rather than through a new faculty orientation program. Therefore, the Chancellor recommends that each U. T. component determine the appropriate avenues for providing information and feedback. Time Line: Delegate to chief administrative officers of U. T. component institutions and ask for an update via the Annual Report on the Status of Minorities and Women.

Recommendation # 17. Fairness in the Promotion and Tenure Process.
Recommendation accepted with comment. The Chancellor will continue to remind chief administrative officers of the importance of outlining criteria associated with the promotion and tenure process. Even when there is little or no cause to believe there is inequity in the process, it is important to understand there may be a perception of unfairness. Therefore, this important matter should be discussed on an annual basis with the institution's Core Committee on the Advancement of Women, as well as with all relevant administrative/academic officers.

Recommendation # 18. Access to Resources.
Recommendation accepted. The Chancellor agrees that each institution should ensure that the quality and quantity of academic resources available to women and men faculty should be equivalent as appropriate by discipline. Time Line: Discuss with U. T. System chief administrative officers at April 16 System Council Meeting.

Recommendation # 19. Performance Reviews.
Recommendation accepted. The Chancellor agrees that each institution should ensure that departmental systems of annual performance review of individual faculty and administrators are active, effective, and equitable. Time Line: Annual discussions with chief administrative officers and monitoring by the appropriate Executive Vice Chancellors for Academic and Health Affairs.

Recommendation # 20. Mid-Probationary Review.
Recommendation accepted. An analysis will be conducted to determine which component institutions already have such a policy in place and to determine appropriate steps which should be taken to move toward the adoption of such a policy. Time Line: Discuss with component presidents on April 16, 1997, and ask each component to include a report on this matter via the Annual Report on the Advancement of Minorities and Women. [See APPENDIX B as submitted by the Committee on the Advancement of Women.]

Recommendation # 21. Extension of Tenure Track Probationary Period.
Recommendation accepted. This policy was recommended by the Chancellor and adopted by the Board of Regents on November 14, 1996. As noted previously in Recommendation # 15, an excerpt from the Minutes of the Board of Regents is attached as APPENDIX A.

Recommendation # 22. Family Friendly Hiring Policies.
Recommendation accepted. As is the current practice, the Chancellor agrees that each institution should explore creative options to accommodate the employment needs of family members of women who are recruited to faculty and administrative positions. The implementation of such a recommendation is delegated to the chief administrative officers of U. T. component institutions.

Recommendation # 23. Early Retirement Incentives.
Recommendation accepted - contingent on further study. Retirement plans and related options are often outside the jurisdiction of the U. T. System or its component institutions. Federal and State legislative bodies have adopted laws which speak to age and mandatory retirement policies, as well as provisions for early retirement benefits and incentives. The Chancellor will ask the U. T. System Office of General Counsel and U. T. System Office of Business Affairs, including the Office of Human Resources, to review regulatory and budgetary implications and options associated with early retirement. In turn, appropriate information will be shared with members of the Commission on the Advancement of Women, as well as with chief administrative officers of the U. T. components. [Note: U. T. Austin is in the process of such a review, and the results of the study, including specific proposals and recommendations, will be made available to U. T. System officials and U. T. component institutions.]

Recommendation # 24. Equitable Workload.
Recommendation taken under advisement. Before approving this recommendation, the Chancellor will consult with chief administrative officers and others to determine how such a comprehensive evaluation of workloads associated with teaching, advising, and service would relate to existing analyses of faculty workloads. In addition, it is appropriate to evaluate this recommendation in relation to other tasks required of U. T. employees and officials. Time Line: Discuss with chief administrative officers at the System Council Meeting on April 16, 1997. In turn, presidents will be asked to discuss this matter with the institution's Core Committee, Provost and/or chief academic officer, deans, and other academic administrators.

Recommendation # 25. Mentoring Programs.
Recommendation accepted. The Chancellor is extremely supportive of mentoring programs, and the U. T. System is pleased to work with component institution on the development of special activities which will assist with such efforts. Time Line: Beginning in May 1997, and continuously thereafter.

Recommendation # 26. Internship Programs.
Recommendation accepted. Each chief administrative officer will be asked to give appropriate consideration to instituting new or expanding existing internship programs for women in both academic and administrative areas. The Chancellor supports the concept of developing internships for various periods of time and for various levels of complexity. Time Line: Annually. The Annual Report on the Status of Minorities and Women will include a report on internship programs.

Recommendation # 27. Awareness Programs.
Recommendation accepted. Each institution shall be encouraged to develop and offer programs designed to raise awareness and to motive women to take steps that position them for appropriate advancement. Time Line: On-going.

Recommendation # 28. External Funding.
Recommendation accepted. External funding sources shall be explored for assistance with the support of programs designed for the advancement of women. The U. T. System Office of Development and External Relations will coordinate efforts and information with the chief development officers of component institutions. Time Line: On-going and as deemed to be appropriate for funding of appropriate programs and activities.

See Minutes from November 14, 1996 meeting of the Board of Regents; motion on amending Sec. 6, Subsection 6.2, Subdivision 6.24 of the Regents' Rules and Regulations to provide for the extension of the tenure-track probationary period under certain circumstances.

Each institution shall establish a midprobationary review policy that includes the following guidelines and shall publish the policy in the Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In addition to each faculty member's annual review, all faculty members shall receive a formal review in the midterm of the official tenure track probationary period. The review shall be conducted by a committee, the composition of which will be decided by each department or campus. Committee recommendations shall not represent a guarantee of promotion and tenure outcome.

The midprobationary review shall be developmental and advisory in nature and shall focus on the candidate's progress toward meeting the institution's written criteria for achieving promotion and tenure. The strengths and the weaknesses of the candidate's performance will be reviewed. Suggestions will be made for improvement of any identified deficits so that the candidate can better meet the institution's written promotion and tenure criteria. In addition, the review must objectively assess the candidate's immediate work environment including division of time and labor and resources in terms of the opportunity they provide the candidate to accomplish the academic goals necessary for achieving tenure as well as for meeting departmental objectives.

The review committee shall prepare a written report of its recommendations and shall review the report with the candidate before it becomes part of the candidate's personnel file. The report also shall be available to the academic administrative chain of command intradepartmentally and institutionally. 

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