Cornell was one of 29 institutions singled out as the most "family friendly" campuses in the nation in a national study released last week by a newly formed group called the College and University Work-Family Association.
Also cited in the survey, which was conducted for the first time in 1995 and drew responses from 375 four-year institutions, were Ithaca College and SUNY-Stony Brook, the only other campuses from New York state. The findings are described in a report titled "College and University Reference Guide to Work-Family Programs."
"We are pleased to be cited for our efforts to date," said Mary Opperman, Cornell associate vice president for human resource services. "The issue of balancing work responsibilities with exceptions and responsibilities outside of work will be with us into the future. Employers must do their part to support people in this critically important balancing act."
According to an article in the Oct. 11 Chronicle of Higher Education, "The 29 institutions cited in the report help faculty members and administrators balance the pressures of work and family life." While praising the "innovations and level of activity" among the most "family-friendly" institutions, the group also found that the majority of higher education institutions are doing "very little to help their employees," the Chronicle reported. More than three-fourths of campuses did not report any family-related policies and programs on their campuses.
The report cites case studies of "family-friendly" activities. At Cornell, it reported on the case of Barbara A. Knuth, associate professor of natural resources policy, who did not want to leave her 7-month-old daughter for five days to attend a conference, since she was breast feeding. Cornell paid the expenses of Knuth's mother so she could care for the baby while she accompanied her mother on the trip.
Among Cornell's other "family-friendly" policies and programs are:
·Employee assistance and wellness programs;
·Part-time work schedules and flextime;
·Family leave;
·Child-care and elder care referral services and summer camp;
·Tuition assistance for faculty and staff, and child tuition benefits;
·Designated work-family staff; and
·Life Stages program.