From the interactive report synopsis; "Family caregiving (e.g., childcare, caring for an aging parent, etc.) is a universal experience—whether providing or receiving care, everyone at some point will be touched by caregiving. Despite this, caregiving is under-supported and stigmatized in the US and in academic STEMM. Without critical support, caregivers, most often women, face challenges and may leave STEMM altogether. Policies and practices to support family caregivers are urgently needed to advance inclusion and ensure continued competitiveness and innovation."
In addition to providing a comprehesnive up to date review and recommendations for strenghtening caregiving with respect to creating more equity in STEMM careers, the NASEM expert committee highlighted Lehigh University and the Sloan Research Grants as an example of an innovative and impactful practice which universities can take to support faculty caregivers.
"Lehigh University used a Sloan Award for Faculty Career Flexibility to institute a program of faculty grants of $6,000 each “intended to help untenured tenure track faculty members sustain research productivity while caring for a newborn or adopted child, or other family member.” Unlike the other faculty grants specifically targeted solely to supporting research, faculty members can use their grants in ways that they determine to be most useful, including covering costs for research travel or conferences, research assistance, technology, research materials, and for childcare and housekeeping.6 While these grants no longer have Sloan funding, they have been institutionalized, showing one way that foundation support can ignite new workplace approaches for caregivers."
There is more to be done across the nation, and Lehigh ADVANCE will continue to amplify these recommendations, and inform ways to strengthen the caregiving infrastrucure, benefits, and supports our university needs so all faculty can thrive. We will start by reviewing this checklist and ensuring our attention to the best practices and tips within.
RECOMMENDATIONS for Colleges and Universities
- Colleges and universities should provide 12-weeks of paid caregiving leave for all employees as well as postdocs and graduate students receiving pay, despite the absence of a national policy. Colleges and universities should also provide leave for students that allows them to maintain their student status.
- Colleges and universities should create and expand opportunities for flexibility in location, time, and work intensity into their policies and structures.
- Colleges and universities should provide centralized resources to support basic caregiving needs.
- Colleges and universities should pilot innovative practices to support family caregivers.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. Supporting Family Caregivers in STEMM: A Call to Action. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/27416.
