Institutional benefits policies and family formation among engineering faculty

This work in progress examines family-related benefits policies across doctoral institutions and the family formation patterns of engineering faculty. The nationally representative data come from the 2004 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty surveys of institutions and faculty. Data show that a little over half of engineering faculty members provide financial support to one or more dependents. Yet, many doctoral institutions do not provide childcare benefits or parental leave for full-time faculty and instructional staff, highlighting the need to examine the role of institutional structures and benefits policies in the career progression of engineering faculty with dependents.