STAND UP: Tell colleagues, especially other men, about your commitment to gender equity and your role as an ally. Have the courage to take  corrective action when you notice gender inequities and bias. Men can more easily raise gender issues because they are less likely to be perceived as acting in their own self-interest.

LEARN AND SHARE: Read about gender bias and discrimination in academia (see References and Recommended Reading handout). Educate yourself about male privilege and advantage (see Recognizing Male Privilege handout). Share what you learn with your male colleagues to improve their awareness of gender issues.

LISTEN ATTENTIVELY: Give women your full attention (eye contact, nod in agreement) when they are speaking to you. Make sure that women faculty members have equal space to speak in departmental meetings. Work hard not to interrupt women when they speak and encourage others to do the same. Men are more likely to interrupt women speakers than men speakers. If you notice that someone is being interrupted, redirect the conversation to the original speaker.

IMPROVE THE CLIMATE: Ask women faculty about their experience with departmental climate and listen to their responses. Then, take concrete steps to improve your departmental climate. Poor climate is a primary predictor of attrition among female (and male) faculty.

PROMOTE BALANCE: Support a healthy work/life balance. Do not schedule meetings early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Recognize that women often have disproportionate responsibilities for such things as child and elderly parent care.

BE INCLUSIVE: Actively include women faculty members in all departmental business. Invite female colleagues to informal gatherings (e.g., lunches, coffee, golf and other social activities) where work-related discussions are likely. Share information equally with female and male colleagues. Men often receive information key to success in academia through informal mechanisms. Conduct business in locations and at times available to all faculty.

VALUE RESEARCH: Talk with women faculty about their research and attend their research presentations. Men are less likely to ask women faculty than men faculty about their research activities. Look for opportunities to collaborate in research with your female colleagues.

RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE: Nominate women for important awards, prizes and leadership positions. Promote the achievements and excellence of your female colleagues.

RECRUIT AND RETAIN: Volunteer to serve on departmental and university committees (e.g. search committees, promotion and tenure evaluation, faculty senate, etc.) with the specific purpose of being an ally for gender equity. Seek ways to recruit and retain women.

LEAD: Hold faculty colleagues accountable and ensure that workload and resources are distributed equitably. Include diversity efforts as a component of appraisals. Insist on diverse applicant pools in faculty searches. Financially support diversity efforts such as invited lectures. Ensure that service obligations, large-section lecture classes and other time-consuming assignments are not given disproportionately to women.