Diverse boards, rather than CEOs, are key to advancing equity and diversity in companies

American companies face mounting pressure to advance workplace equity and diversity. From business consultants to human resource personnel, from shareholders to the media, the message to companies is clear: diversity and equity matter in today’s workplace. But what is the best path for companies to achieve these goals? Using data from Fortune 500 firms, Alison Cook and Christy Glass argue that the key is promoting diversity on the board of directors

Women are more likely than men to be appointed CEO of firms in crisis

And they do it with less support and more scrutiny than men CEOs, write Christy Glass and Alison Coo

Recognition Through Awards: A Source of Gender Inequality in Science?

Drawing from Acker’s gendered organizations perspective, this study analyzes the gender distribution of research and non-research awards in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) colleges at a mid-size public doctoral university in the western U.S. This analysis is complemented with a faculty survey (2016) elucidating faculty perceptions of the nomination process and their standing within their department and college. Despite an increase in the number of women among STEM faculty over time, women remain underrepresented among research award recipients, especially at the university level. The ratio of research to nonresearch awards for men is 3 to 6 times that of women faculty. Differences in productivity cannot be invoked as a mechanism for this gendered awards distribution. Women report being overlooked in the nomination process for all awards. This study suggests that the nomination and selection processes put women at an evaluative disadvantage with respect to high-status research awards. Social proximity tends to neutralize some of the evaluation bias at the college level

The Evolution of Same-Sex Marriage in Canada: Lessons the U.S. Can Learn from Their Northern Neighbor Regarding Same-Sex Marriage Rights

The broad differences between the United States and Canadian cases raise important questions about the social, political and legal factors that have promoted the extension of marriage rights in Canada while retarding similar efforts in the U.S. This article will compare the recent history of same-sex marriage laws in the United States and Canada. We argue that proponents of same-sex marriage as well as lawmakers could learn important lessons from the recent legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada. Section II develops a framework for comparing the U.S. and Canadian experience with same-sex marriage law. The next section traces Canada\u27s recent history of marriage law amendments. Section IV provides a parallel legal history of same-sex marriage rights in the U.S., including the recent introduction of the Marriage Protection Act (MPA). Section V systematically compares the two cases to illuminate those factors that have supported the extension of same-sex marriage rights in Canada and hindered the extension of equivalent rights in the United States. The article concludes that the Canadian experience presents several important lessons the U.S. could learn in order to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples and therefore uphold the Constitutional right to equal protection

The Evolution of Same-Sex Marriage in Canada: Lessons the U.S. Can Learn from Their Northern Neighbor Regarding Same-Sex Marriage Rights

The broad differences between the United States and Canadian cases raise important questions about the social, political and legal factors that have promoted the extension of marriage rights in Canada while retarding similar efforts in the U.S. This article will compare the recent history of same-sex marriage laws in the United States and Canada. We argue that proponents of same-sex marriage as well as lawmakers could learn important lessons from the recent legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada. Section II develops a framework for comparing the U.S. and Canadian experience with same-sex marriage law. The next section traces Canada\u27s recent history of marriage law amendments. Section IV provides a parallel legal history of same-sex marriage rights in the U.S., including the recent introduction of the Marriage Protection Act (MPA). Section V systematically compares the two cases to illuminate those factors that have supported the extension of same-sex marriage rights in Canada and hindered the extension of equivalent rights in the United States. The article concludes that the Canadian experience presents several important lessons the U.S. could learn in order to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples and therefore uphold the Constitutional right to equal protection

Institutional Predictors of Campus Sexual Misconduct Reporting: The Role of Gender in Leadership

Sexual misconduct remains at crisis levels on American college campuses and is vastly underreported. Most research focuses on individual level risks of assault and perpetration, yet campuses vary significantly in sexual offenses and reporting rates. The current study responds to calls to consider institutional factors that shape campus climates for sexual misconduct and reporting. We consider the role of gender in leadership, analyzing the impact of women\u27s appointment as college president on reporting rates over time. We consider individual and organizational mechanisms that may shape the impact of women\u27s appointment on reporting rates. Our analyses rely on data from U.S. colleges and universities between 2005-2020. We find that the appointment of women presidents is associated with a significant increase in reporting of sexual misconduct. We observe a significant increase in reporting during the first year following the appointment and a continued increase in reporting rates over time

Working at the Intersections: Critical Race Scholarship and Pedagogy Today

Recent conversations in Utah and nationwide highlight the debate and division surrounding Critical Race Theory (CRT) in education. The purpose of this event is to celebrate the ways CRT informs and deepens our teaching, research, and community engagement in higher education. Panelists will explore how they use CRT in the classroom and in their research, and discuss how doing so advances USU’s mission of “cultivating diversity of thought and culture and “serving the public through learning, discovery, and engagement.” Join us for an engaging—and celebratory—discussion that will reenergize our shared purpose in this work and build connections across our university.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/inter_inclusion/1006/thumbnail.jp

In Jill Abramson\u27s Firing, Was the \u27Glass Cliff\u27 to Blame?

Our research on CEOs in the Fortune 500 finds that women leaders face two significant challenges: the “glass cliff” and the “savior effect”. First, we find that women are more likely than men to be appointed CEO to struggling firms or firms in crisis. This phenomenon is termed the “glass cliff” because it suggests that when women are appointed to top positions these positions are often precarious or risky. Second, we find that when firms struggle under the leadership of women CEOs, these leaders are likely to be replaced by men. We term this phenomenon the “savior effect” because when organizations struggle under the leadership of women, decision makers often revert to more traditional leaders who are perceived to be capable of “saving” the organization. Our research finds strong and significant evidence for both the glass cliff and the savior effect for women leaders. Overall, women leaders face greater challenges and are given fewer opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities than their male counterparts.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/huntsman_news/1185/thumbnail.jp