July 20, 2005

Dear Colleagues:

I want to share with you a very important report and set of recommendations from the Committee on Faculty Development and Gender, which was convened in Spring of 2002 by the Dean in response to the Provost's mandate to assess the status of women faculty at each school in the university.

Dr. Cynthia Wolberger and Dr. Jack Griffin co-chaired the committee at the request of Dr. Miller, who asked that they identify impediments to the recruitment and retention of women faculty. To this end, the committee analyzed salary equity between male and female faculty and examined faculty attrition, promotion rates, and time at rank. In addition, the committee conducted a survey of the faculty climate, which was completed by 63% of the faculty. Finally, a subcommittee interviewed all department directors to identify faculty practices within the departments. Evidence of inequity was present across the School of Medicine , and action is necessary to address and improve equity among our faculty.

The committee's recommendations and its report were presented to the Advisory Board of the Medical Faculty on June 29, 2005 . These recommendations are being implemented by the Dean's Office. The first action will be to conduct an annual study of faculty salaries and to have departments work with the Dean's Office to ensure salary equity. Another recommendation was to recruit an Associate Dean for Faculty Development to provide an infrastructure in the office of the Vice Dean for Faculty to oversee the development, recruitment and retention of women faculty. This position is expected to be filled by September 2005.

The committee's hard work will assist both the Dean's Office and department directors in enhancing efforts in faculty development, retention, and professional success. I want to thank Drs. Wolberger and Griffin and all the members of the committee who worked tirelessly on this initiative. Their report and recommendations are important steps to establish and ensure equity among Johns Hopkins faculty.

I hope you will review the panel's report and its recommendations online at http://www.insidehopkinsmedicine.org/gender/index.cfm and join me in thanking the committee members for their service.

Sincerely,

Janice Clements, Ph.D.
Mary Wallace Stanton Professor for Faculty Affairs
Vice Dean for Faculty