At the beginning of the meeting, Daniel Barbezat, a professor of economics and chair of the Committee on Priorities and Resources (CPR), introduced proposed revisions to the existing "Leave of Absence for Temporary Disability, Illness or Maternity Policy." The largest revision applied to the maternity policy, which applied only to women. The approved revision extends benefits to men.
"There are no major structural changes, we haven't changed the formula. The main and essential change is a leave for medical reasons and for the early raising of a child," said Barbezat. "There is no good reason why the option under B [maternity] should only apply to women, it should apply to all primary caregivers," he said.
The current language states that "a request for a leave due to pregnancy should be made to the Dean of the Faculty as early as possible." The revision changes the word "pregnancy" to "birth or adoption." The revision also adds the sentence "parenting leaves are available only for the child's primary caregiver and must be completed within 12 months of birth or arrival of the child for adoption."
The revisions to the policy also stipulate that faculty on parenting leave would receive "44 percent of that semester's pay" instead of the original "two-ninths." The issue of how much monetary compensation for faculty on parenting leave raised considerable discussion on the floor of the faculty. Several faculty members favored compensation of 100 percent for faculty on parenting leave.
"We need to consider individual needs over the needs of the institution," said Professor of German Ute Brandes. "We have in front of us an issue that cuts to the heart of professional and personal lives of young faculty and we should consider the minimal cost and huge benefit that a fully-paid leave will bring. We should think about erring in the direction of generosity and not just penny-pinching," she said.
Professor of French and European Studies Ronald Rosbottom agreed with Brandes, adding that this was an important benefit for junior faculty.
Rosbottom said he supported 100-percent compensation for parenting leave. "This is very generous; it would speak to all the rhetoric we've been presenting. It makes all kinds of ethical, moral and business sense," he said.
But Associate Professor of English and Women and Gender Studies Michèlle Barale noted that the policy was already prioritizing parenting leaves over other leaves, even with the 44-percent compensation.
"There are other ways in which there are situations that may also call for leaves," said Barale. "If someone's parents need elderly care or a spouse becomes ill [for example] ... There are other groups which might deserve full pay and the tenure clock stopped as well," said Barale.
No amendments were made to the CPR's proposed revisions and the salary compensation remained at 44 percent.
The approved motion will go to a full vote before the Board of Trustees in January, according to Dean of the Faculty Lisa Raskin.