University of California Faculty Work and Family Survey

This survey concerns how faculty meet their work and family responsibilities. Although some questions are specific to faculty with children, many of the questions can be answered by everyone. Your answers will help the University of California design better work and family policies.

All of your responses will be kept strictly confidential. You may withdraw from the survey at any time, or skip any question that you do not wish to answer.

When you have finished the survey, you must click the submit button (located at the very bottom of the survey) for us to receive your response.

You may at any point along the way save your responses (by clicking one of the save buttons) and return to the survey at a later point in time by logging in again with your username and password.

A. Work and Family Questions for All Faculty

1.

In the past year, what is the average number of hours per week you have spent on each of the following activities? Rough estimates are fine (there are 168 hours in a week).

 

Weekly Activities

Average hours per week?

a.

Professional work (e.g. teaching, research, writing, committee or departmental meetings, conferences)

 

b.

Housework and home maintenance ( e.g. shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, paying bills)

 

c.

Caregiving (e.g. meeting the needs of children or teenagers, spouse/partner, elders, friends, other family members)

 

2.

This question describes four family-friendly policies at UC. Please indicate whether you have heard of these policies.

 

Family-Friendly Policies

Have you heard of these policies?

Yes

No

a.

UC faculty with a "substantial responsibility for the care of an infant, or of a newly adopted child or fostered child under five" may request and be granted temporary relief from teaching duties (e.g. full or partial teaching relief for a semester or more).

b.

Assistant professors with "substantial responsibility for the care of a newborn child or a newly adopted child under the age of five" may stop the tenure clock for up to one year per child.

c.

Pregnant UC faculty are entitled to at least six weeks of paid leave to be taken prior to, during, and/or after childbirth.

d.

Any faculty member may be granted up to one year of unpaid leave to care for their child, their spouse's child, or the child of their domestic partner.

Yes

No
3.

Since you joined the faculty of University of California, have you ever had substantial responsibility for raising one or more children under eighteen?

If you answered "no" to Question 3, please click here to skip to question 18.

B. Questions for Faculty Who Have Raised or Are Raising Children

4.

For each child that you have raised or parented, please enter their birth month and year (or month and year they entered your household if the child is adopted or is a stepchild), their connection to you, and your marital or relationship status at the time the child entered the household. Indicate what work arrangements (if any) you undertook at that time (please check all that apply).

Warning: You may have to scroll over to the right to see this entire table.

Children (youngest to oldest)

Month of birth or entry into the household

Year of birth or entry into the household

Relationship of child to you1

Marital or relationship status at time of birth or entry into household of child

Took sab-
batical?

Took other paid leave?

Took unpaid leave?

Stopped tenure clock?

Received relief from teaching duties?

Made other work arrange ments?2

Youngest Child

 

 

Relationship?

Biological Child

Adopted Child

Stepchild

Other

Status?

Married

Partnered

Divorced

Separated

Widowed

Single

Amount?

none

0-7 days

1-2 weeks

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

4-5 weeks

5-6 weeks

6-9 weeks

9-12 weeks

12+ weeks

Amount?

none

0-7 days

1-2 weeks

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

4-5 weeks

5-6 weeks

6-9 weeks

9-12 weeks

3-4 months

5-6 months

6-9 months

9-12 month

12+ months

2nd Youngest Child

 

 

Relationship?

Biological Child

Adopted Child

Stepchild

Other

Status?

Married

Partnered

Divorced

Separated

Widowed

Single

Amount?

none

0-7 days

1-2 weeks

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

4-5 weeks

5-6 weeks

6-9 weeks

9-12 weeks

12+ weeks

Amount?

none

0-7 days

1-2 weeks

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

4-5 weeks

5-6 weeks

6-9 weeks

9-12 weeks

3-4 months

5-6 months

6-9 months

9-12 month

12+ months

3rd Youngest Child

 

 

Relationship?

Biological Child

Adopted Child

Stepchild

Other

Status?

Married

Partnered

Divorced

Separated

Widowed

Single

Amount?

none

0-7 days

1-2 weeks

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

4-5 weeks

5-6 weeks

6-9 weeks

9-12 weeks

12+ weeks

Amount?

none

0-7 days

1-2 weeks

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

4-5 weeks

5-6 weeks

6-9 weeks

9-12 weeks

3-4 months

5-6 months

6-9 months

9-12 month

12+ months

4th Youngest Child

 

 

Relationship?

Biological Child

Adopted Child

Stepchild

Other

Status?

Married

Partnered

Divorced

Separated

Widowed

Single

Amount?

none

0-7 days

1-2 weeks

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

4-5 weeks

5-6 weeks

6-9 weeks

9-12 weeks

12+ weeks

Amount?

none

0-7 days

1-2 weeks

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

4-5 weeks

5-6 weeks

6-9 weeks

9-12 weeks

3-4 months

5-6 months

6-9 months

9-12 month

12+ months

1If you marked "other" relationship of child to you, please describe the relationship(s) here:

2If you marked "other" work arrangements, please describe them here:

Yes

No

Did you have twins or multiples?

5.

Faculty members sometimes find that their responsibilities as parents conflict with their work obligations. How much tension or stress, if any, have you experienced in your parenting as a result of demands placed on you by any of the following types of work?

A great deal

Some

A little

None

Not applicable

a.

Conducting time-sensitive laboratory experiments

b.

Doing fieldwork or field research away from home

c.

Attending conferences or giving conference papers

d.

Writing and publishing

e.

Rehearsing or performing

f.

Meeting teaching obligations

g.

Attending seminars, colloquia, or departmental and committee meetings

h.

Other

If "other," please specify.

Family-Friendly Policies

Under Active Service Modified Duties, (ASMD), first implemented in 1988, UC faculty who have "substantial responsibility for the care of a newborn child or child under age five placed for adoption or foster care" may upon request be granted a temporary relief from duties (normally partial or full relief from teaching).

Yes

No
6.

Have you ever requested or been offered relief from teaching duties because you, your spouse, or your partner were having, adopting or fostering a child under five?

If you answered "no" to question 6, please click here to skip to question 9.

7.

If your ASMD request was granted, from which of the following duties were you relieved and to what extent?

Duty

How much were you relieved from this duty?

Teaching regular classes (do not include directed individual or group study courses)

Received Relief?

Full Relief

Partial Relief

No Relief

Not Applicable

Committee meetings

Received Relief?

Full Relief

Partial Relief

No Relief

Not Applicable

Meeting with graduate students

Received Relief?

Full Relief

Partial Relief

No Relief

Not Applicable

Other campus obligations

Received Relief?

Full Relief

Partial Relief

No Relief

Not Applicable

Yes

No
8.

Were you ever denied a request for relief from teaching duties when you, your spouse, or your partner had a newborn or newly adopted child under five?

If you answered "yes" to question 8, what reasons were given for the denial?

9.

If at any time since you started working at the University of California you had the option to request relief from teaching duties in order to care for your children, but chose not to do so, please indicate which of the following reasons contributed to your decision not to use the policy.

Major reason

Minor reason

Not a reason

Not applicable

a.

I chose not to use the policy because I felt it would place an undue burden on my colleagues.

b.

I chose not to use the policy because I feared it would have led to a heavier teaching load later.

c.

I chose not to use the policy because it might have hurt my chances for tenure or promotion.

d.

I chose not to use the policy because I did not need the time.

e.

I did not know about the policy.

f.

I was not the primary caregiver to the child so it was unnecessary.

g.

The policy did not yet exist at the time I could have used it.

h.

I chose not to use the policy because of another reason.

If "another reason" was important in your decision not to use the policy, please describe it:

Another option for tenure-track faculty who become parents is stopping the tenure clock for up to one year for each new child (but for no more than two years total).

Yes

No
10.

Have you ever stopped the tenure clock under this policy?

If you have never requested tenure clock stoppage since you started working at the University of California, please click here to skip to question 12.

Yes

No
11.

Were you ever denied a request to stop the tenure clock?

If you answered "yes" to question 11, what reasons were given for the denial?

12.

If at any time since you started working at the University of California, you had the option to request a tenure clock stoppage but chose not to do so, please indicate which of the following reasons contributed to your decision not to use the policy.

Major reason

Minor reason

Not a reason

Not applicable

a.

I chose not to use the policy because some of my colleagues did not have the option to use the policy and I felt it would have been unfair.

b.

I chose not to use the policy because it would have made it more difficult to receive tenure.

c.

I chose not to use the policy because it might have hurt my career.

d.

I chose not to use the policy because I did not need the time.

e.

I did not know about the policy.

f.

I was not the primary caregiver to the child so it was unnecessary.

g.

The policy did not yet exist at the time I could have used it.

h.

I chose not to use the policy because of another reason.

If "another reason" was important in your decision not to use the policy, please describe it:

Childbearing leave is granted on request to an academic appointee, before, during, and after she gives birth to a child. Academic Senate members on childbearing leave may receive base pay for up to six weeks. Those who need additional leave for medical circumstances may request it.

Yes

No
13.

Since you started working at the University of California, have you ever been denied a request for paid leave to give birth to a child?

If you answered "yes" to question 13, what reasons were given for the denial?

The Chancellor may also grant academic appointees up to one year of unpaid parental leave to care for their own child, their spouse's child, or the child of their domestic partner. If this unpaid leave is combined with childbearing leave, family and medical leave or a period of Active Service-Modified Duties, the total period may not normally exceed one year for each birth or adoption.

Yes

No
14.

Since you started working at the University of California, have you ever been denied a request for unpaid leave to care for your child, or the child of your spouse or domestic partner?

If you answered "yes" to question 14, what reasons were given for the denial?

Yes

No
15.

At any time since you started working at the University of California, did you have the option to request paid leave for childbirth, but chose not to do so?

If you answered "yes" to question 15, please explain why you made this decision.

 

  

16.

The following statements describe situations or decisions often faced by faculty parents. Please indicate whether the statement accurately describes your past or present situation.

Yes

No

Partially accurate

Not sure

Not applicable

a.

I have slowed down or made sacrifices in my academic career in order to be a good parent.

b.

My daily schedule is flexible, which is helpful in raising children.

c.

I missed some of my children's important events, because I did not want to appear uncommitted to my job.

d.

My career timing has meshed well with my family timing.

e.

I came back to work sooner than I would have liked after having, adopting or fostering a child because I wanted to be taken seriously as an academic.

f.

I tried to time new children to come during the summer break.

g.

My department has been supportive of my need to balance work and family life.

h.

I have not brought my children to work because I worry that my colleagues would be bothered.

17.

Knowing what you know today, what advice would you give to first-time faculty parents about balancing work and family responsibilities?

 

  

C. Possible Future Family Friendly Policy Initiatives

18.

The following question seeks to gauge (1) how useful possible family friendly policies or initiatives would be or would have been to you in facilitating your enjoyment of both a successful career and family life; and (2) how supportive you would be of other faculty using these proposed policies or initiatives.

 

Possible Family Friendly Policies

Usefulness of policy to you (at any time in your career)?

Your level of support for implementation of and use of policy by faculty?

Very useful

Somewhat useful

Not too useful

Not useful at all

Very supportive

Somewhat supportive

Not too supportive

Not supportive at all

a.

An option to go part time at any point in a faculty career to help with family caregiving responsibilities (e.g. to care for a child, spouse/partner, or parent) with career advancement timelines extended to reflect part-time status (e.g. 50% time for 3 years leads to an additional 3 years on tenure clock or other advancement clock but with the same standards as full-time faculty) and parity* (see below)

b.

An option to go part time at any point in a faculty career to help with family caregiving responsibilities with pro-rated career advancement standards that reflect partial status (e.g. 50% time faculty are expected to produce half as many articles of significance in the same time period as full-time faculty) and parity*(see below)

c.

Readily available infant care and child care slots in a university sponsored facility for the infants and children of faculty

d.

A UC wide interactive website that provides faculty with a public forum for discussion of work and family policy and experience

e.

A reworking of your University's calendar to fit more closely with the primary and secondary school calendar

f.

Adoption benefits for UC faculty (cash benefits to help with the adoption of a child)

g.

An emergency back-up child care program with co-pay by users

h.

Other policies or initiatives?

If "other," please specify.

*Parity is pro-rated salary, pro-rated credit toward retirement benefits, and full health-care benefits.

Please share with us any comments that you might have on any of the above listed possible family friendly policies, programs, or services:

 

  

19.

Would you consider a part-time option for your faculty position at UC, with pro-rated salary, pro-rated retirement, and full health care benefits?

Yes, I am interested in a permanent part time position.

Yes, I would be interested in working part-time for limited periods as my need arose.

No, I have no interest in working part-time under these conditions.

Yes, I already work part-time.

20.

How important are each of the following reasons in your consideration of a part-time option? (if you are not considering a part-time option, please click here to skip to Section D.)

Possible Reasons for Working Part Time

Very important

Somewhat important

Not too important

Not important at all

a.

To care for a newborn or newly adopted child

b.

To care for a sick family member (e.g. child, spouse/partner, parent)

c.

To achieve a better balance between work and family

d.

For personal health reasons

e.

To phase into retirement

f.

To pursue other career interests

g.

To pursue other life interests

h.

Other reason

If "other," please specify.

D. Demographic and Employment Questions

Male

Female
21.

What is your gender?

22.

What is your current marital or relationship status?

Married

Partnered

Divorced

Separated

Widowed

Single

23.

In what country did you spend most of your childhood?

24.

How would you describe your race or ethnicity? Check all that apply.

White

Black or African American

Mexican American

Hispanic or Latino

Asian American or Pacific Islander

American Indian or Alaskan Native

Other

If "other," please specify.

25.

What is your sexual orientation?

Heterosexual

Gay, Lesbian

Bisexual

Transgender

26.

What is your current faculty status?

Assistant Professor

Associate Professor

Full Professor

Other

If "other," please specify.

27.

What is your primary departmental affiliation (e.g. Mathematics)?

If "other," please specify.

What is your secondary departmental affiliation (if any)?

If "other," please specify.

28.

For each of the following events (if applicable), please select the month from the dropdown list and type in the year that the event occurred.

Event

Month of event?

Year of event?
(e.g. 1963)

Your Birth Date (month and year you were born)

 

 

Date of most recent PhD Degree (or equivalent degree) (if applicable)

 

 

Start date of Assistant Professor faculty position at your current institution (if applicable)

 

 

Start date of Associate Professor faculty position atyour current institution (if applicable)

 

 

Start date of Full Professor faculty position at your current institution (if applicable)

 

 

E. Final Questions

29.

Below is a list of statements. Please indicate the extent to which the statement accurately describes your past or present situation.

Yes

No

Partially accurate

Not sure

Not applicable

a.

I delayed finishing my Ph.D. and/or becoming a professor in order to start a family.

b.

I stayed single because I did not have time for a family and a successful academic career.

c.

I stayed single because I never met any one suitable.

d.

I had fewer children than I wanted to have.

e.

I did not want to have children.

f.

I would like to have or adopt a (or another) child in the future.

g.

I have been unable to consider job offers outside my current geographical location because of family reasons.

30.

In what ways has your family life influenced your career?

What are the positive influences?

 

  

What are the negative influences?

 

  

31.

In what ways has your career influenced your family life?

What are the positive influences?

 

  

What are the negative influences?

 

  

32.

Is there anything else we should know about your work and family situation?

 

  

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