Rebuilding the Academy: Strategies for Supporting Academic Mothers during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic and Beyond

Abstract

The issues mothers face in the academy have been discussed for decades. Routinely, new studies report significant differences between women and men at comparable career stages with respect to salary, service demands, publications, grant submissions, and overall funding rates. The COVID-19 pandemic is further exposing these inequalities as women scientists who are parenting while also engaging in a combination of academic related duties are falling further behind. COVID-19 is shaking the very foundations of our society and laying bare the many inequalities that defined our pre-COVID world. We can solve these inequities by investing strategically in creative solutions, thereby making the most of women’s contributions to scientific endeavors. Here we describe strategies that would make the academy more equitable for working mothers now and into the future. Importantly, while the data are clear that mothers are being disproportionally impacted by COVID-19, many groups could benefit from these same ideas. Now is the time to act. Rather than rebuilding what we once knew, let us be the architects of a new world.

The Pandemic Penalty: The Gendered Effects of COVID-19 on Scientific Productivity

“…Universities that expect professors to return to work need to be sure that their employees have access to adequate, safe childcare. Institutions should invest in high-quality, on-campus childcare (with appropriate safety measures) and offer small-group childcare not only for infants and preschoolers but for school-aged children in areas where schools continue to be closed (Fulweiler et al 2021). Universities should also prioritize mothers for returning to offices and labs; space can be an issue for those in small homes, especially if children are being cared for at home.…”

The disappearing research agendas of mother‐scholars in academia during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Autoethnographic studies

“…What is needed is an adjustment of expectations for tenure and for promotion, based upon these new, unrealistic conditions within which these mothers like Siham now have to do their research. Other interventions could include course releases, funding for research assistants, and lower service requirements, which would also benefit the promotion of mid‐career mothers like Szufang (Fulweiler et al., 2020; Oleschuk, 2020).…”

Policy proposals to promote inclusion of caregivers in the research funding system: a call for change

“…However, governments can open their purses when there is enough pressure, as evidenced by the considerable boost in research funding prompted by the pandemic. Research funders should seize this unique opportunity to call on governments and stakeholders for support to finance COVID-19 recovery and promote DEI [6,70,71]. For example, in addition to extending grant eligibility criteria and track-record assessment period, funding agencies should provide funded extensions to current scholarships, fellowships, and research grants (including salaries of students and/or technical staff hired on grant) to mothers, single parents, and caregivers affected by the pandemic.…”