A report from the School of Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge shows how policies have helped to increase the proportion of women from 8% to 19% of faculty members between 1995 and 2010. Rectifying salary inequities and extending the tenure clock after birth or adoption of a child have helped, says Hazel Sive, an MIT biologist. Most faculty members approved of the efforts, but some worried that women get preferential hiring treatment. Deans have pledged to address the potential for bias. The report, out on 21 March, says that because committees have fewer female than male researchers to draw from, equal-representation policies lead to women's time being taken up disproportionately. It recommends improved mentoring for junior faculty members, access to childcare and systems to deal with gender-based harassment.
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