The University of Iowa - Dual Career Network (DCN)

Information for Other Dual Career Programs

Dual Career Conference Information:

The University of Iowa’s Dual Career Network (DCN) hosted the first Dual Career Programs International Conference on April 25, 2003. Eighteen participants from 16 universities in the U.S. and Canada met to collaborate and share the challenges of assisting dual career couples in securing employment.

The major goals of this conference were to establish benchmark practices among existing programs and provide universities without programs with information on current trends and practices. A questionnaire was distributed prior to the conference to dual career programs across the country. The results of that survey were published in the CUPA HR Journal (Fall/Winter 2003, Vol. 54, No. 3). (You may view that here: CUPA Article).

Purdue University held a small gathering of dual career programs in the 1990’s. Since The University of Iowa’s Dual Career Conference, annual conferences have continued, with Purdue University hosting again in 2004, University of Michigan hosting in 2005 and Texas A&M hosting in 2006. The 2007 conference was held June 19 and 20 at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Conference presentation materials are available at: http://www.ohr.cornell.edu/jobs/connectCornell/dualCareerConference.htm . The 2008 conference will be held June 19 & 20 at The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. Contact: Thuy Nguyen, Coordinator Dual Career Services, 801-585-6898, nguyen.t@utah.edu.

Conference website: www.hr.utah.edu/dualcareer/conference08/index.php .

Since the first conference, a list serve was established to disseminate information. To have your name placed on the list serve, email Glenda Haskell, Assistant Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs, The University of Michigan, at Haskell@umich.edu. You will receive emails regarding future conference details, questions and answers from colleagues regarding dual career policies and practices and other useful information.

For further information about dual career conferences, please contact Joan Murrin (joan-murrin@uiowa.edu) or Heidi McLaughlin (heidi-mclaughlin@uiowa.edu) or call 319-335-3791.

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Dual Career Issues Research

The Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research, Stanford University, is in the process of conducting a “Dual-Career Academic Study.” The primary goal is to establish “policy recommendations aimed at helping universities recruit and retain greater numbers of women in leading faculty and administrative positions.”

Michelle Fleig-Palmer, formerly of the University of Nebraska Kearney, conducted a survey of relocating partners who utilized dual career programs at universities. Results of that survey may be viewed here: Michelle's 2006 survey.

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Letters about The University of Iowa’s Dual Career Network

Betsy Hillman

Dual Career Consultant

Recruitment and Employment Center

337 Pine Tree Road
Ithaca, NY 14850-2820

t. 607.254.8380

f. 607.254.8305

www.ohr.cornell.edu

May 15, 2004

President David Skorton

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa 52242

Dear President Skorton,

I am writing to let you know what a helpful model the University of Iowa Dual Career Network was when, as part of the Office of Human Resources, I helped create the Dual Career Program at Cornell University. Since Iowa began their program in 1994, many other major universities have also come to recognize that recruiting the best faculty requires formal and significant support for the dual career partner. In fact, Cornell University started its Dual Career Program just two and a half years ago, another Big Ten university is resurrecting its program, and many other universities are now creating or expanding dual career programs. Iowa’s Dual Career Network served as a model for many of these programs.

As I began researching dual career issues two and a half years ago, I was thrilled to discover that Iowa had the most active, and, I believe, one of the best programs in the country. My husband began his career as a professor at the Iowa Law School in 1975. We were always very proud of how forward-thinking Iowa was and I was happy to confirm that it was still true years later when I discovered that Iowa already had a Dual Career Network that was both cutting edge and effective.

Since the Cornell University Dual Career Program was created, I have had dual career clients tell me they chose Cornell specifically because of the existence of the Dual Career Program. Additionally, many dual career clients who were supported in their job search are now successfully employed, thus preventing retention issues in the future. I’m sure there are many comparable stories at Iowa.

I have learned from experience that offering dual career partners significant job search support can have a positive impact on recruiting first-rate faculty. Given that Cornell has benefited so much from the Iowa model, I wanted to take a moment to thank you and offer my perspective on your wonderful program.

Regards,

Betsy Hillman

Cornell University is an equal opportunity affirmative action educator and employer.

May 18, 2004

Dr. David J. Skorton, President
President's Office
101 Jessup Hall
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316

Dear Dr. Skorton,

I would like to extend my gratitude to yourself and Ms. Joan Murrin for your support of the 3rd Annual Dual Career Conference at Purdue University last month. It was an extraordinary experience to meet directors of major research universities and to strategize methods for improving the recruitment and retention of faculty.

Without a doubt, the University of Iowa's Dual Career Program is regarded as the preeminent leader in this field. When other universities want to begin to offer services to the partners of new faculty, they invariably turn to the University of Iowa and Ms. Murrin for guidance. Ms. Murrin's expertise in successfully assisting the University of Iowa's recruitment efforts is widely respected.

Recognizing that our goal as academics is to share knowledge, I am personally grateful for Ms. Murrin's efforts to epitomize that goal. Whether perusing your Dual Career website to gather ideas or listening to Ms. Murrin present at a conference, I have learned much that has enabled the University of Nebraska at Kearney's Dual Career Program to significantly improve.

In addition, the demographics of faculty across the United States will have a detrimental effect on recruitment in the coming years. At least 20% of faculty nationwide are nearing retirement age. Also, the supply of new Ph.D.'s will be shrinking because doctoral programs do not have the funding to support as many doctoral students as they did in the past. The increased number of retirements combined with fewer doctoral graduates will result in a much more limited supply of candidates.

That is why the University of Iowa's Dual Career Program is so impressive. The existence of such a program demonstrates your understanding that the recruitment of top faculty candidates is increasingly dependent on assisting the trailing spouses with their employment needs. By seriously addressing the career concerns of the trailing spouses, the University of Iowa is able to attract faculty candidates that can continue the tradition of providing the quality educational and research programs.

Once again, thank you to the University of Iowa for co-sponsoring the 3rd Annual Dual Career Conference. It was a very informative and worthwhile conference.