On Friday, the University will celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month by recognizing outstanding Notre Dame faculty members whose research, teaching and expertise have significantly contributed to their disciplines and our larger understanding of the world. For 2021, the theme is "Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World.”
I’m pleased to announce that Cindy Muir (Zapata), associate professor of Management & Organization, will represent Mendoza this year. Cindy, who joined Mendoza in 2019, has developed a body of research on organizational justice and trust, with a focus on the ways in which perceptions of individual behaviors and of race and gender differences may affect the relationships between managers and employees.
Cindy’s research provides important insights into the complexities of race and gender in the workplace and reminds us of the critical importance of advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in our own work culture. As discussed in a previous message, DE&I is a top priority of the University, directly related to all three core pillars of Catholic social teaching (human dignity, solidarity and subsidiarity) and thus to Mendoza’s imperative to Grow the Good in Business.
One area of focus is the hiring and promotion of more female faculty. We currently have three female full professors: Ann Tenbrunsel, David E. Gallo Professor of Business Ethics (M&O); ITAO professor Hong Guo, who was promoted to full professor in May 2020; and Kirsten Martin, who joined Mendoza in 2020 as the William P. and Hazel B. White Center Professor of Technology Ethics.
In addition, we have a number of tenured associate faculty members including: Viva Barktus, associate professor of Management & Organization; Stephannie Larocque, Notre Dame Associate Professor of Accountancy; Cindy Muir (Zapata), associate professor of Management & Organization; Sophie Shive, Viola D. Hank Associate Professor of Finance; Katherine Spiess, associate professor of Finance; Sandra Vera-Munoz, associate professor of Accountancy; and Xuying Zhao, associate professor of IT, Analytics, and Operations.
These developments signal improvements in gender diversity in our faculty over the past decade. We hope to continue making strides in the coming years. Our efforts to recruit female faculty include:
- Adding the position of faculty diversity advocate: In collaboration with the Notre Dame Office of the Provost and Mendoza’s department chairs and search committees, the faculty diversity advocate seeks to increase the number of highly qualified faculty candidates from underrepresented groups. Ken Kelley, senior associate dean for faculty and research, currently serves in this role. The responsibilities include working to recruit, hire, retain and promote diverse faculty, from casting a wide net to increase diversity in the applicant pool to working to ensure any concerns and impediments to success are removed.
- Participating in the PhD Project: Since 2003, Mendoza has participated in this effort to advance workplace diversity by increasing the diversity of business school faculty. Every regular faculty job is advertised at the PhD project as well as other outlets to “cast a wide net” when searching for faculty recruits.
I encourage you to read Cindy’s story when the 2021 ND Women Lead feature is posted on Friday, as well as the Mendoza Business magazine story about her research, “The Humility Paradox.” I also encourage you to read about our past International Women’s Day honorees: Ann Tenbrunsel, Hong Guo, Katherine Spiess, Kristen Collett-Schmitt and Viva Bartkus.
I’m thankful to all of our faculty and staff members who continue to advance the cause of DE&I through their research, teaching, leadership and personal commitment.
In Notre Dame,
Martijn