Commission on the Status of Women

CSW Strategic Plan: Education, Training & Development

Access to education, training and professional development opportunities has long been recognized as a significant factor in overcoming obstacles to women’s participation and advancement in the workplace. The rapid pace of technological change, the clustering of women in the lower echelons of both classified staff and faculty, and the skills necessary to move into administrative, managerial and executive positions continue to make education, training and professional development a high priority for women.

Attitudes and skills of unit heads (e.g., supervisors, directors, department chairs) play an enormous role in setting a tone that either fosters or negates career and professional development. The on-going diversification of the workforce makes good management skills a particularly acute need. Feelings of isolation, disrespect, and lack of mentoring were issues identified across all groups of women on campus, with some pockets of exceptionally positive climate. Inattention to the need for good management increases the potential for such feelings.

Issues and recommendations in this area reflect two identified needs: 1) that management training be taken seriously; and 2) that a positive climate for individual professional development be fostered through attention to attitude and availability, i.e., women’s work and career issues should be taken seriously, and policies and programs to support individual development be implemented.

Read CSW Progress Update

Issues regarding Education, Training and Development

  • Promotion Opportunities
  • Mentoring
  • Policy Implementation
  • Climate of Disrespect
  • Protection of In-Group
  • Lack of Communication

Recommendations for improving Education, Training and Development

FOCUS ON MANAGEMENT

  1. Develop and initiate a program for "Ethical Human Resource Management" that will encompass and define performance expectations in the areas of:
    • Leadership
    • Diversity
    • Work/Life Approaches
    • Performance Management
    • Professional Development of Employees
    • Climate
    • Recruitment, and Retention
    • Modeling for Innovation
    • Compensation equity in both monetary and non-monetary ways
    • Pro-active recognition of work styles and contributions
  2. Such training should be adopted for:
    • Executive level
    • Department chairs and unit heads
    • Supervisors (academic and non-academic)
    • Chairs of personnel committees, search committees
    • Faculty
    • Student Leadership

FOCUS ON EMPLOYEE GROUPS

  1. Create targeted career/professional development programs for mid-level groups:
    • mid-level managers and directors
    • service professionals
    • associate professors (disciplinary-based focused essential)
  2. Increase minimum number of staff training hours allowed under SPP 601: Employee Development.
  3. Evaluate Women’s Collective Retreat as possible model
  4. Enhance graduate student training

FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL

  1. Assess current education, training, and professional development programs. What are we doing? How are we doing it? What works? What do we want to keep? What do we want to change? How do we want to enhance opportunities?
  2. Create "life span" templates/guidelines for employees.
  3. Career ladders

FOCUS ON COMMUNITY

  1. Enhance, expand, and affirm general education and awareness of diverse communities at ASU including LGBT community.