UNM faculty seek flexibility and patience during COVID-19

Work-life balance has been a longstanding challenge for faculty, particularly along the lines of gender and race. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified and added to these challenges in unique ways. Learning about these obstacles can provide academic leaders with tools to try to alleviate them. In the report below, we present quantitative and qualitative data from UNM full-time, main campus faculty, gathered through numerous sources. The data was collected both before and after the pandemic, allowing us to summarize work-life issues over time. 

After providing an executive summary of our findings and recommendations, we then detail pre- and during-COVID-19 faculty experiences in the following categories: (a) Faculty caregiving, which includes work-life policies; childcare; schooling/education, and (b) Faculty work, which includes teaching and service, research and scholarship, promotion and tenure, and overall time and energy management. Based on faculty concerns in these domains, we provide recommendations to academic leaders and faculty peers. We view the recommendations as a work in progress, to be continuously modified and added to as we continue this difficult journey. 

We’d like to hear your suggestions and ideas related to these recommendations. Use this Google Doc to share your thoughts with us.