Unspoken Penalties: An Institutional Ethnography Exploring UArizona Parents' Experiences with Extended Parental Leave

Abstract

Following a prologue in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 delves into the pivotal role of departmental culture and leadership in shaping parental leave experience. Findings reveal that the parental leave policy at one R1 institution fell short in providing adequate support due to the absence of proactive guidance from supervisors and department heads. The chapter emphasizes the limitations of policies as standalone solutions and highlights the need for supportive leadership to complement institutional structural support.In Chapter 3, the exploration shifts to an introspective examination of maternal identity, interwoven with personal narrative and narratives collected from new mothers. Drawing from Adrienne Rich’s conceptualization of motherhood as both an experience and an institution, the chapter elucidates the emotional, physical, and institutional pressures new mothers face as they navigate conflicting expectations from societal norms and workplace demands. Chapter 4 uncovers the subtle yet pervasive nature of covert discrimination experienced by academic parents on parental leave. Despite explicit anti-discrimination policies, participants reveal instances of retaliation and interference, often difficult to report due to vague policy definitions. This chapter advocates for a proactive approach to address systemic barriers and calls for more explicit definitions and enforcement mechanisms within anti-discrimination policies. Chapter 5 concludes with actionable recommendations to improve the parental leave experience for UArizona employees. These recommendations, outlined in a white paper intended for the Office of University Initiatives, underscore the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive culture, providing accurate information, mitigating faculty workload pressures during leave, and implementing return-to-work plans.