At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, anyone, regardless of sex, can
request a tenure clock extension for cause without having to go onto
reduced percent time unless desired. Causes include not just for care of
young children (by fathers as well as mothers), but also for care of other
close relatives (e.g., aged parents) and major illnesses (e.g., treatments
for cancer). Tenure clock extensions are currently being requested by 1/4 -
1/3 of all tenure track faculty, not just women. Although this policy opens
up a new can of worms regarding tenure clocks in general, it diminishes the
problems associated with going down to part time status (e.g., "1/2 time"
in reality is 1/2 pay including years toward retirement for 70-90% work
effort since all obligations except formal course teaching load remain
essentially unchanged). A compromise currently being used by one faculty
member in my department with two young children is working officially 3/4
time for 1/2 time on her tenure clock. I am not sure why, by the tenure
clock rules here seems to allow for this.
Janet Mertz
