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Millennium project to improve UA working atmosphere

Study examines equality between genders, ethnicities

In an attempt to make the UA a more comfortable working environment for women, the Millennium Project has been started to assess the working conditions at the university.

The project is based on a 1998 study done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that found startling differences in pay and working space between men and women faculty in a science department.

At the University of Arizona, focus groups have been set up to collect feedback that will help determine whether there is equality, not only across gender lines, but also across ethnic lines.

"We're still at the analyzing of data stage," said Naomi Miller, co-chair of the steering committee for the Millennium Project and associate professor of English. "The scope (at the UA) is so much larger."

The MIT study only covered a small part of the school, while the entire UA community is participating to address issues of the community.

"The focus groups have contributed quite a lot of feedback," Miller said.

These groups were selected at random from campus departments and organizations, like Faculty Senate whose focus group met Friday.

The project is collecting all the feedback and then the data will be analyzed to determine whether there are inconsistencies between males and females and all the ethnicities that comprise the UA.

Miller said she hopes this will bring the university together, rather than just trying to identify a problem.

"They've been able to listen to other people," Miller said. "The process itself will be a positive one."

All of the feedback is expected to be complete by the end of the semester.

"Over the summer, the initial analysis of the data is taking place," Miller said.

The project is being funded by the entire university, with different parts giving donations.

UA President Peter Likins said he didn't have enough money in his presidential fund to pay for the entire project, so he called on the rest of the university community.

"We got contributions from almost every dean and vice president," said Myra Dinnerstein, co-chair of the project's steering committee and Women's Studies social scientist. "We've got a lot of people supporting the project."

The project raised more than $100,000 from all the donations, Dinnerstein said.

The project is being run by someone outside of the UA - Christine Cress, from Portland State University - to ensure that the study is legitimate.

"This is being done with the highest level of competence and expertise," Miller said.

Ryan Gabrielson can be reached at Ryan.Gabrielson@wildcat.arizona.edu.