Fairfield University has been cited as one of 29 four-year institutions of higher education in the country for having 'family friendly' policies for its employees in a survey published in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
According to the story in the Oct. 11 issue, the 29 institutions "help faculty members and administrators balance the pressures of work and family life." The report went on to say that the programs help the universities not only to recruit and retain employees, but to increase their productivity.
"The innovations and level of activity among these leadership schools is really quite outstanding," said Arlene Johnson, vice president of the Families and Work Institute, a non-profit group in New York City that conducted the survey with the College and University Personnel Association Foundation, who was quoted in the Chronicle.
The report focuses on the most "family friendly" institutions because the researchers, according to the Chronicle, wanted to illustrate the "best efforts" in academe. They came up with the list of 29 by ranking campuses on the availability of special programs aimed at handling the conflicts of work and family, on how innovative the programs were, and on whether the institution supported employees who sought to take advantage of the offerings.
Other institutions which joined Fairfield on the list are: Cornell, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, M.I.T., Northwestern, Stanford, and the University of Chicago. The University of San Diego was the only other Catholic university, besides Fairfield, to make the list.
On Fairfield's recognition, Stephen Jakab, associate vice president for administration, commented, "It's a wonderful recognition of the hard work and support of many fine people who have helped put together some excellent programs and policies which address the complexities of balancing work and family."
Jakab pointed to the University's summer flexible work schedule, its health, disability and pension plans, tuition program, Employee Assistance Program and leave policies that help make Fairfield family-friendly.
"Fairfield is the kind of place which tries to respond in a positive way to the changing nature of work, family and life in general," he said.
Posted On: 10-01-1996 09:10 AM
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