Balance@UW: A comprehensive package of policies and programs designed to support UW faculty in balancing productive academic careers with satisfying personal lives.

By supporting faculty through the various stages of life, Balance@UW will enhance the ability of the UW to recruit and retain the best and brightest faculty, and enhance the ability of faculty to perform their best teaching and research.

Balance@UW began with the UW receiving a 2006 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation "Flexible Faculty Career" Award. This award provided a $250,000 accelerator grant to implement the eight goals listed in the competition proposal. Additional details of the competition can be found under "Background."

An advisory team has been formed to oversee this initiative. Members include:
--Cheryl Cameron, Vice Provost for Academic Personnel
--Ana Mari Cauce, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
--Rhonda Forman, Assistant Vice Provost, Office of Academic Personnel
--Luis Fraga, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement
--Daniel Friedman, Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning
--Martha Groom, Associate Professor and Associate Director, IAS Program, UW Bothell
--Judy Howard, Divisional Dean of Social Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences
--Marcia Killien, Professor of Family and Child Nursing
--Mindy Kornberg, Vice President of Human Resources
--Julie Nicoletta, Professor, IAS Program, UW Tacoma
--Eve Riskin, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, College of Engineering
--Randi Shapiro, Assistant Director of UW Benefits and Work/Life

Special thanks to members from the first year: Steven Olswang, Interim Chancellor of Bothell, and Jovan McCoy, Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator, Office of Minority Affairs

To accomplish the initiative goals over the two years, the project includes analysis of the existing flexible policy options and collaboration and dialog with leaders in faculty governance. Team members are working with deans, chancellors, and chairs/unit heads to transform departmental climate and culture. To measure project effectiveness and to identify directions for further improvement, faculty members will be surveyed at the end of the award period.

You can read about this initiative in the November 16, 2006 edition of University Week.

Project status reports will be posted to this web site.

Questions and comments about this initiative may be directed to Kate Quinn, Project Director.

This site was updated April 7, 2008.