Note: Thank you for your interest in ADVANCE Project TRACS, our NSF funded Institutional
Transformational Grant which ended August 31, 2017. The pages that follow are historical
documents for informational purposes only.
Former Team Leads: Sara Rushing and Susan Dana
ADVANCE generated new programs, such as a dual career assistance program, and built
on existing programs, such as the donated sick leave pool, providing more flexible solutions for work-life integration in general and during
major life transitions. Many of these programs are sustained through the Provost's
Office or in Human Resources.
View the MSU Work-Life Resource List
Explore the comprehensive guide to work life practices and polices from the University
of California Hastings
Provost Office Family Advocacy Program
MSU's Family Advocate role is to help parents and other family members navigate the
University System and serve as a "first stop" for faculty, students, and staff to
receive information regarding who to contact with questions.
Email familadvocate@montana.edu or visit the Family Advocate website
Interested in enhancing work-life integration for women in STEM/SBS at your institution?
Highlighted IMPACT OF THE ENHANCING WORK-LIFE INTEGRATION INITIATIVE
During the five years of ADVANCE Project TRACS, infrastructure increased to support
the lives of faculty during difficult life transitions: 3 policies were created or
modified: The Stop the Tenure Clock Opt Out policy, the Faculty Modified Duties Policy
(with centralized funding in the Provost's office), and the Sick Leave Donation Pool
Policy (maintained and managed by HR); 6 new family care-rooms were created including
one in the high profile space in the student union building (see Figure 1); and 4
job descriptions were broadened: 2 new job candidate family advocates, 1 Student Family
Support Program Manager, 1 faculty dual-career community liaison, and 1 work-life
HR specialist. A total of 386 job candidates were supported by a Family Advocate;
and approximately 130 people received one-on-one assistance from a Family Advocate.
The HR supported "Dual Career Community Liaison" met with 96 private sector partners
to assist with job opportunities. ADVANCE Project TRACS worked on more than 70 academic
partner accommodation cases resulting in 33 tenure-track faculty who accepted positions
in 21 different departments (63% women) over five years. Their partners were accommodated
in either a tenure-track (53%) or non-tenure-track academic position (47%).
Figure 1: An example of Family Care-rooms (pictured, Reid Hall 316).