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Letter to the Editor: Response to maternity leave policy

11/12/19 10:20pm

The Thresher's Nov. 6 report and staff editorial highlight inadequate maternity leave policies at Rice. We, the undersigned*, agree that institutions like Rice should strive toward "equal maternity leave for all,” including the extraordinary and valuable members of our community whose classification happens to be “staff” or “non-tenure-track faculty.” In addition to supporting this general argument, we also call attention to the need to extend such policies to men in these roles. Gender equality in the workplace will not be achieved until men are as expected, encouraged and supported in caregiver roles as women. This discussion should be about parental leave, not just maternity leave. Fairness in parental leave policies for all members of the Rice community serves the mission and values of our institution.

Janet Braam, BioSciences

Julie Fette, French Studies



Mikki Hebl, Psychological Sciences

Eden King, Psychological Sciences

Melissa Marschall, Political Science

Caroline Masiello, Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences

Maria Oden, Bioengineering

Barbara Bennett Ostdiek, Jones Graduate School of Business

Sandy Parsons, Psychological Sciences

Dereth Phillips, Biochemistry & Cell Biology

Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Bioengineering

Ruth Turley, Sociology



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