The comments below are taken from the focus groups conducted in 2000, they are indicative of women’s perceptions of the campus climate. They center around a number of themes that highlight the importance of acting to fully implement policy recommendations made in previous Status of Women Reports where either no action has been taken or change has not become an integral part of the CU-Boulder culture.

While women acknowledge that this university is publicly making attempts to include more women and diverse populations, a sense of cynicism was evident.

“You know, I think the administration feels as if they’re doing all these really good things vis-à-vis dismantling the old boy network, but the lower levels don’t always feel it trickling down. That’s just a perception. I think time is on our side, because a lot of the old guard people have to retire eventually and, as you said, the junior faculty are more diverse and that kind of thing. But it’s a very long time to wait.” (Faculty women’s focus group)

CCW’s annual policy recommendations are developed with the goal of lowering barriers. As the following comment from a focus group participant indicates, administration plays a critical role in this endeavor.

“If the university administration does not tell a department or institute to do something like that, at least given the current nature of who’s in control, it’s probably not going to happen. There are too many other things that are high priorities, and unless, I think, people are told to actually do that, they’re not going to do it.” (Faculty women’s focus group)

With these perceptions in mind, we call attention to the following policy recommendations from previous SOWRs that have been prioritized by CCW but not implemented systemically at CU-Boulder. While some departments may have implemented programs in these areas and/or partial actions may have been initiated, it is our belief that they have not been integrated into the campus culture, and/or have not been communicated well.

Policy recommendations from the 1998 SOWR not yet systemically implemented:

• Conduct comparable worth analysis for classified staff;
• Ensure that staff is properly classified with respect to job duties;
• Ensure that tenure policies and procedures are both fair and followed;
• Conduct exit interviews;
• Create and implement staff incentives that reward community and university service;
• Create and implement procedures to evaluate and ensure equitable classroom climates;
• Create and implement mandatory procedures to evaluate and ensure inclusive curricula.

Policy recommendations from the 1999 SOWR not yet systemically implemented:

• Provide administrative leave to allow for managerial training;
• Examine personnel makeup vis-à-vis the State of Colorado demographics;
• Create and implement a skills bank for classified staff;
• Develop a process for identifying women interested in serving on campus committees;
• Create a mentoring program for staff;
• Re-examine feminine hygiene implementation to determine if further action is required;
• Develop a tracking system to quantify recruitment and retention of women and minorities.

Policy recommendations from the 2000 SOWR not yet systemically implemented:

• Identify non-officer administrators separately;
• Develop an action plan for the Boulder campus, with short- and long-term goals to address issues in the Status of Women reports.

The last of these recommendations–development of an action plan to address issues in the Status of Women reports–is the first step for constructive implementation for long- term change.