Welcome to the website for the CCAS ADVANCE Initiative!
Recognizing that academic deans play a pivotal role in the recruitment, retention, and advancement of STEM women faculty, the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS) is the focus of a collaborative effort funded through the National Science Foundation's (NSF) ADVANCE program. Called Promoting Institutional Transformation through a National Deans’ Association, the four year (September 2009 – August 2013) project will build upon the University of Washington’s Leadership Excellence for Academic Diversity (LEAD) program to address the ADVANCE program’s goal “to develop systemic approaches to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.”
Objectives of the CCAS ADVANCE Initiative are to:
1) infuse gender equity content and activities into CCAS’s professional development programs in a sustainable way;
2) maximize opportunities for positive impacts of the initiative on individuals underrepresented in STEM disciplines; and
3) develop, utilize, and make widely available a set of robust case studies that incorporate gender equity elements.
These objectives will support the overarching aim of the project, which is to cultivate academic leaders who are more knowledgeable about STEM gender equity issues, more able and motivated to address those issues, and thus better positioned to effect positive and transformational change in their own colleges and departments.
The University of Northern Colorado serves as the host institution for this collaborative endeavor, with former CCAS President Denise Battles serving as the Principal Investigator (PI). Carmen Cid, dean at Eastern Connecticut State University, is a Co-PI; CCAS Executive Director Anne-Marie McCartan is Co-PI for a collaborative grant awarded through The College of William & Mary; and the University of Washington is a sub-awardee, with Suzanne Brainard as the PI. The $1.2 million project is supported through the ADVANCE program's Partnerships for Adaptation, Implementation, and Dissemination (PAID) track.
Please explore this website to learn more about the project, its activities, and opportunities for personal involvement. As well, inquiries about the CCAS ADVANCE Initiative may be directed to the CCAS ADVANCE Program/Research Manager Jennifer Schneider at jennifer.schneider@unco.edu.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0930138. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
