The UNH President's Commission on the Status of Women was established
February 15, 1972, to explore conditions and attitudes within the
University of New Hampshire, relating to the mobility and functional
equality of women, and to encourage movement toward the goal of full
participation of women.
Thirty-two years later, the UNH President's Commission on the Status
of Women continues in its mission to create equal educational and employment
opportunities for all UNH women by promoting an environment free of
sexism and discrimination, through policy, advocacy and education.
Policies and Procedures of the UNH Women's Commission
Functions of the UNH President's Commission on
the Status of Women
2009-2010 Women's Commission Members
Becoming a Member of the UNH Women's Commission
Other Ways of Getting Involved
Ongoing Initiatives, support and collaboration
Achievements Supported by the UNH Women's Commission
An Overview of the Status of Women on the UNH Campus
Functions of the UNH Women's Commission
Collect Information on the status of women in the UNH community,
including salary, hiring, enrollment, and retention data.
Recommend policies to the President and other university administrators
to improve the status of women and ensure an environment of equal educational
and employment opportunities.
Consult with other UNH offices and organizations, faculty, staff,
and students to help accomplish the institution's commitment to improve
the status of women.
Provide education and programs to help women develop their skills
and continue their education, increase networking among women, and inform
the university community of issues relating to the status of women.
Report annually to the President on its activities, findings,
and recommendations.
Members of the UNH Women's Commission
Candidates for membership are recommended by the Commission and appointed by the UNH President
2009 - 2010 Women's Commission Membership
- Dr. Trece Mettauer, Co-Chair, Coordinator of Community Outreach Scholarship, UNH Manchester
- Dawn Zitney, Co-Chair, Sr. Administrative Assistant, Health Services
- Ali Armenakis, Undergraduate Student, College of Liberal Arts
- Dr. Nadine Berenguier, Associate Professor, Languages Literatures & Cultures
- Kristin Cole, Head Coach, Women's Basketball, Athletic Department
- Dr. Vanessa Druskat, Associate Professor, Whittemore School of Business
- Dr. Jean Elson, Instructor, Sociology Department
- Jennie Higley, Undergraduate Student, College of Liberal Arts
- Peg Kirkpatrick, Assistant to the Dean, College of Liberal Arts
- Nicole O'Connor, Graduate Student, Accounting
- Claire Treat, Graduate Student, Complex Systems Research Center
- Ruth Varner, Research Asstistant Professor, Complex Systems Research Center
- Lori Wright, Staff Writer/Editor, Media Relations
Ex-Officio Members
- Amy Culp, Direct Services Coordinator, SHARPP
- Sylvia Foster, Educational Program Coordinator, President's Commission's Office
- Donna Marie Sorrentino, Director, Affirmative Action and Equity Office
- Janice Pierson, Senior Program Assistant, President's Commission's Office
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Women's Commission please email Dawn Zitney or Amy Culp.
Becoming a Member of the UNH Women's Commission
If you are interested in applying for membership on the UNH President's
Commission on the Status of Women, please contact us at (603) 862-1058
or via email.
Other Ways of Getting Involved
We'd like to invite you to subscribe to our electronic information
and discussion list. This list, which we've named the UNH Women's
InfoList, is designed to facilitate information and discussion on
the activities and work of the commission. Anyone may subscribe and/or
post to the list, and it is a good way to learn about what's going
on in the women's community. If you'd like to subscribe, please send
email to listproc@lists.unh.edu
, leave the subject line blank and in the body of the message type:
subscribe
womens.info [your name here]
If you have questions, please email us at womens.commission@unh.edu.
Ongoing Initiatives, Support and Collaboration
Under the guidance of President Huddleston, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women is currently working on:
- Childcare Study
For 35 years the Women’s Commission has been working towards creating a childcare facility on campus that meets the demands of students, staff, and faculty. Although the Women’s Commission has historically fought for the construction of this facility, we do not see it solely as a women’s issue. Rather, it is a university issue, one which affects all employees with young families, GLBT, and people of color alike.
Qualitative and quantitative data gathered from various campus resources has shown that there is insufficient childcare on campus. University parents of young children continue to struggle, usually quietly and beyond view, to balance their work and parental roles.
The Women’s Commission has received the support of the President’s Commissions on the Status of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues and the Status of People of Color and conversations have begun with President Huddleston and other campus administrators.
Questions/comments about the Childcare Study may be directed to Peg Kirkpatrick.
- Pay Equity Study for Faculty
Pay equity is a means of eliminating sex and race discrimination in the wage-setting system. Many women, people of color and GLBT individuals are often in jobs that have been historically undervalued and continue to be underpaid. From 2002 to 2004, full-time working women earned an average of 71 cents for every dollar earned by men in New Hampshire (source, http://www.nhwpi.org). At this rate of change, the Institute for Women's Policy Research estimates that it will take until 2057 to close the wage gap. Learn more about pay equity…
It has been almost 20 years since the University of New Hampshire has conducted a pay equity study for faculty. It is the goal of the Women’s Commission to institutionalize a pay equity study for both faculty and staff at the University. This is a goal that the commission also shares with President Huddleston and the President’s Commissions on the Status of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues and the Status of People of Color.
The Women’s Commission is moving forward with the study by talking with women faculty, University administrators, representatives from the Faculty Senate and the AAUP in order to first conduct a pay equity study for faculty. The intention is to put in place a process that will be repeated at regular intervals in the future. Once this is in place, the Commission will turn its attention to equity issues for staff.
Questions/comments about the Pay Equity Study may be directed to Dr. Trece Mettauer.
- Lactation Policy
The Women’s Commission, with the assistance of the Affirmative Action and Equity Office, has drafted and submitted a Lactation Policy to Human Resources and the President’s Cabinet for final approval. The policy states that the enactment of a formal breastfeeding policy is another way in which the University could further enhance its family friendly status by supporting those employees wishing to continue breastfeeding while employed.
- Various Student Issues
The commission continually addresses the needs and concerns of students at UNH. These issues are usually brought to the Commission’s attention by student representatives on the Commission. However, if you have a student concern that you would like to discuss with us, please contact Dawn Zitney or Trece Mettauer, Co-Chairs.
- Programming/Collaboration
The Women’s Commission has worked with other organizations at the University to make diverse programming available to the community. The Commission also supports the continued efforts and programming of the President’s Commission on the Status of People of Color, GLBT, and Disability as well as the Violence Against Women Committee. Under the guidance of the Women’s Commission, the Violence Against Women Committee is currently working on a Consensual Relations Policy
Achievements Supported by the Women's Commission
- Coordinate an annual Women's History Program celebrating the lives
and contributions of women.
- Promote the adoption of a university policy on Sexual Harassment.
This clear policy statement also includes guidelines and procedures
for implementation.
- Enhance networking among UNH women.
- Educate the university community on issues relating to recruitment,
hiring, and retention of women faculty.
- Promote the adoption of a Non-Sexist Language Policy and "Guidelines
for the Use of Non-Sexist Language" (1984).
- Recommend the development of a Faculty Committee to foster a more
equitable education climate at UNH.
- Educate the university community on issues relating to violence
against women.
- Develop programs for women students in career development, leadership
skills, women in science and women's studies.
- Review and rewrite the UNH maternity policy.
- Promote development of the UNH Women's Studies Program and the inclusion
of a scholarship of women into the curriculum.
- Promote equity increases to correct salary inequalities.
- Promote development of child care information, referral network
and childcare center.
- Increase the attention to employment issues for staff women, including
pay, upward mobility, recruitment, grievance procedures, and in-service
training needs.
- Advocate the addition of gynecological health care through University
Health Services.
- Review and promote UNH's Affirmative Action Plan.
An Overview of the Status of Women on the UNH Campus
A summary of the general status of women on this campus follows:
Much progress in the status of women in higher education has been made
since 1972.
The commission continues to focus on the following concerns:
- Most women still major in traditionally "female" fields
and prepare for traditionally "female jobs," despite a marked
increase in the number of women in medical, law, and graduate schools.
- National research indicates women undergraduates feel less confident
about their preparation for graduate school than men attending the
same institution.
- National research indicates women experience a decline in academic
and career aspirations during their college years.
- Women's salaries in academe remain lower than those of men with
comparable training and experience. Nationally, female academics earn
about 85 percent of the salary earned by their male counterparts.
- Only about 10 percent of full professors nationwide are women and
fewer than six percent of UNH full professors. The higher the rank,
the more prestigious the institution or discipline, the fewer the
women.
Consistent efforts to achieve equality remains absolutely crucial
if men and women on campus, studying or working side by side, are
to achieve similar educational and employment experiences.
If you have questions about this site or suggestions of
what to add, or if you have questions about the UNH President's Commission
on the Status of Women, please let
us know.
