HSPH is represented on both task forces. Sue Goldie, associate professor of health decision science in the Department of Health Policy and Management, serves on the Task Force on Women Faculty. Megan Murray, assistant professor of epidemiology in the Department of Epidemiology, and Laurie Glimcher, Irene Heinz Given Professor of Immunology in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, serve on the Task Force on Women in Science and Engineering.

The announcement of the reports included a commitment by the University to spend at least $50 million over the next decade to recruit, support, and promote women and members of underrepresented minority groups on its faculty.

"The response of President Summers and the Harvard Corporation is encouraging," said Glimcher. "I believe there is general consensus that Harvard should be a leader and not a laggard in improving the lot of women and underrepresented minorities in academic institutions in this country. Allotment of $50 million to these efforts is a good beginning."

Key recommendations of Task Force on Women Faculty

Chaired by Evelynn Hammonds, Professor of History of Science and of African and African-American Studies, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

• Create a new central administration position of senior vice provost for diversity and faculty development.

• Establish a Faculty Development and Diversity Fund and a Special Assistance Fund.

• Undertake systematic collection and reporting of data on faculty hiring and retention, and other measures, University-wide.

• Create a dual career program to assist the spouses/partners of potential and current faculty members at Harvard in their job searches.

• Enhance benefits to support work/family balance.

Key Recommendations of the Task Force on Women in Science and Engineering

Chaired by Barbara Grosz, Higgins Professor of Natural Sciences in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Dean of Science at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study

• Build Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Program and study centers for Introductory Science Courses.

• Create a series of formal mechanisms for oversight, mentoring, and professional development for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty as well as improvements in advising for freshmen interested in science concentrations.

• Create Research-Enabling and Career-Transition Funds.

• Develop a program on leadership, focusing on diversity-related issues, for use at the summer 2005 retreat of the President, Provost, and Deans. Over the longer term, programs on diversity and leadership for all department and search committee chairs will be implemented.

A public comment period will extend through June 30 to accommodate input from members of the University community and the public. Comments should be submitted to tfw_comments@harvard.edu.

Dean Faust to Visit HSPH

Drew Faust, Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, will speak about recent efforts at the University to identify ways to support women pursuing academic careers:

Thursday, June 2
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Kresge G-3

For More Information

Reports from Harvard's Task Forces on Women: www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2005/05.19/01-taskforce.html.

Send comments to: tfw_comments@harvard.edu.

Statement of President Lawrence Summers and Provost Steven Hyman:
www.president.harvard.edu/speeches/2005/0516_womensci.html

HSPH Women in Science web site: www.hsph.harvard.edu/women_in_science/