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We present this
report not only with the aim of improving the climate for women at
Duke, but
also to improve the experience for all who work
or study here. Many, if not most, of our action items, while developed
largely in response to the voices of women, will positively affect
both women and men. Our Women’s Initiative set out to assess,
and when necessary, ameliorate the situation of women, but in so doing
we have developed a more sophisticated awareness of the ways in which
we need to support the work of all members of our community.
At times in this
report we reference differences among women’s
experience owing to race, class, sexual orientation, or to affiliation
with the Campus, Medical Center or Health System. While these differences
were not always at the heart of our work, we were nevertheless mindful
of them at all times, and know that we have not intentionally obscured
important variations in experience.
At other times
in this report we express our concern about the status of women at
Duke, whether in noting the under-representation
of women
on our faculty, or the relative inattention to work-life balance
issues for our women employees, or the dominance of fraternities
in undergraduate
social life. These are problems that are assuredly not unique to
Duke. And these are problems that have developed over a long period
of time,
making it seem overwhelming to think about creating a different
kind of authority and power for women.
But we believe
these problems have evolved in small steps, accumulating over time,
cutting away at a woman’s motivation, or confidence,
or ability to imagine herself doing those things she could do
very well, without having to make impossible choices, and without
having
to prove herself. And it is our belief that the cumulative effect
of the changes we are proposing here will bring, over time, the satisfaction
of significant transformation.
-- Susan
Roth, Chair of the Women’s Initiative executive
committee
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