UGA launches Women’s Leadership Initiative
In her blog, “Written by Whitten,” Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten explains the Women’s Leadership Initiative, which was recently launched at the university:
The Women’s Leadership Initiative began earlier this month, and I am grateful for the support of the 10-member planning committee that includes administrators, faculty and staff from across campus. We have plenty of work to do as we address issues such as recruitment and hiring, career development, work-life balance and leadership development.
Gender inequities certainly aren’t unique to UGA or to higher education. A recent McKinsey and Company report found that in the private sector, women hold 52 percent of entry-level positions but only 22 percent of middle management positions and 14 percent of senior management positions.
In addition to being the right thing to do, creating a campus environment that enables everyone to achieve their full potential also makes good business sense. A growing body of research suggests that organizations whose leadership is more balanced between men and women outperform those who are less diverse. They also do a better job of recruiting and retaining talented workers and are more likely to make better business decisions because they consider a wider array of viewpoints.
