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Appendix No.1 - Recommendations of the Padan Committee, May 2001
Background: The percentage of women at the HU at each rank at any time is related to the percentage of women Ph.D. graduates several ears earlier: Approx. 25 years for Full Professor, approx. 15 years for Associate Professor and approx. 8 years for Senior Lecturer. In 1975 the percentage of women Ph.D. graduates was approx. 19%. Had the percentage of the faculty hired at the University been equal for both men and women, the percentage of women at the rank of Full Professor in 1999 would have been 19%. However, in 1999, the percentage of women Full Professors at the Hebrew University was only approx. 10%. Therefore, of the women Ph.D. graduates, the percentage of women hired by the University is about half of the percentage of men respectively. (Source: Statistical Abstracts of the Hebrew University, 1999.)
The examination of the data indicated two possible bottle-necks: Traveling abroad for post-doctoral studies, which has become a prerequisite for entering into academia, and promotion to Senior Lecturer with tenure. A survey was conducted at the Hebrew University, among the women Ph.D. students, Lecturers and Senior Lecturers.
An open questionnaire was sent by mail to 571 women: Ph.D. students, third year and above, of whom 143 responded, i.e. approx. 25%. The assumption was that the respondents were students whose situation was particularly difficult. It is possible that the openness of the questionnaire deterred other women from replying. Most of the students indicated the economic situation as the major difficulty. Other difficulties included lack of transparency in the system - a feeling of estrangement - and the need for support and information regarding the system; the mothers indicated the necessity for day-care on campus. A few women complained about discrimination and sexual harassment and indicated the necessity of having a good relationship with their supervisor. About two thirds of the respondents would like to have an academic career but many estimate the odds of getting a job as low, in comparison with men. Women also pointed to their age as a problem, when pregnancy and children were involved.
Among the Lecturers, of the 45 women to whom the questionnaire was sent, 11 (24%) replied. Among the Senior Lecturers, of 55 women only 17 replied (30.9%).
Because of the small numbers, we must be cautious about this survey. Nevertheless, here too, most of the women indicated the necessity for support, equality, and equal distribution of information and workload, both at home as well as in the working sphere. Factors named as supporting elements during the Ph.D. period were: help from the spouse, support and guidance from the faculty and the supervisors, and a good relationship with the supervisor, the head of the department and the other Ph.D. students in the academic unit. A few women succeeded because their spouses were also academics.
Recommendations:
1. Special financial support for women during Ph.D. studies, post-doctoral studies and the period between hiring and granting of tenure.
Because we have concluded that many of the problems relating to gender inequality in academia are bound to be resolved if the financial situation of women (and their families) is improved, we recommend:
I. To increase post-doctoral fellowships for women with families.
II. To create a mechanism for financial compensation to mothers during the period of time leading to tenure.
2. To make the period of time for fellowships, and the trial period leading to tenure, more flexible for mothers. Among other things, to deduct the period of pregnancy and/or first year of motherhood from the length of fellowship or trial period.
3. To provide day-care services for children and babies on all the three campuses in Jerusalem and the campus in Rehovot.
a. Ensure the existence of day care on both campuses in Jerusalem.
b. Examine the possibility of extending the hours of day-care, as per need, or plan for baby-sitting arrangements, possibly through paying students.
c. Subsidize the day-care centers, i.e. during weekdays the centers may remain open an extra two hours, till 6 p.m., which may be subsidized.
4. To create a women’s forum on the campuses, both to enable inter-personal support, as well as supplying information regarding women balancing academic careers with families. The forum may have peer groups and hold meetings with senior women in the faculty and other key-persons (including men) at the University.
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