Peer Reviewed Papers by Leslie Tower
Women tend to sacrifice career, family life, or both in ways men do not. Studies have shown repea... more Women tend to sacrifice career, family life, or both in ways men do not. Studies have shown repeatedly that these career and social costs are higher for women than men. This article argues that career and social costs only exist because workplace policies and practices are based on values that are grounded in beliefs derived from scientific, religious, and spiritual sources. The authors employ three ontological ideal-types to examine workplace policies that affect men and women differently. The analysis considers how different ontological assumptions might lead to more socially equitable policies and outcomes. Characteristics associated with one type in particular may lead to more desirable workplace policies than the others. Therefore, when scholars generically promote "workplace spirituality" in an effort to generate more desirable individual and workplace outcomes, it is important to be specific about which particular beliefs are being promoted and which are being left out.
Papers by Leslie Tower
Journal of Teaching in Social Work, May 27, 2019
In response to the well documented divisiveness throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, facult... more In response to the well documented divisiveness throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, faculty members at one university developed a "teach-in" to help students identify and respond to the resulting difficult communications in positive ways. This was accomplished through planned activities implementing micro/macro theories and skills. In March 2017, as part of Social Work Month, 71 BSW and MSW students participated in a Teach-in event. Paired sample t-tests showed significant differences between pre-post test scores on seven measured items. The teach-in appeared to be successful in increasing student preparedness to talk to individuals with differing political opinions through self-reflective participatory exercises related to their own (and conflicting) political perspectives, knowledge related to understanding contemporary political conflicts, and instruction on positively and professionally responding to divisive communications. Social work educators are important catalysts in helping students effectively respond to and advocate for those threatened during these divisive times. Teach-ins may also be an appropriate tool for addressing contemporary issues when curriculum requirements provide limited options for additional elective course offerings.
Journal of extension, Oct 1, 2011
This article provides a snapshot of the perceptions of workplace climate of Extension faculty at ... more This article provides a snapshot of the perceptions of workplace climate of Extension faculty at a land-grant, research-high activity university, compared with the perceptions of non-Extension faculty at the same university. An online survey was conducted with a validated instrument. The response rate for university faculty was 44% (968); the response rate for Extension was 77% (126). Perceptions of the workplace climate were in the high-to-moderate range. Extension faculty appeared to view campus climate more favorably than traditional faculty. This article calls attention to the benefits of assessing an organization's climate.
Journal of Teaching in Social Work, Oct 20, 2022
Journal of Social Work Education, Oct 2, 2015
This article highlights the contributions of the Council on the Role and Status of Women in Socia... more This article highlights the contributions of the Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (Women's Council) as well as the role and status of women in social work education. For this historical analysis update, the authors drew on several primary and secondary data sources. The first major theme was organizational development (e.g., organizational commitment, strategic planning, and sustainability). The second major theme was contributions to social work education (e.g., furthering the knowledge base, influencing accreditation standards, and monitoring equity). These major themes and subthemes remained constant from the previous publication on the history of the WC (Alvarez et al., 2008), underscoring the resilience, commitment and persistence of the WC to keep a sharp focus on infusing feminist perspectives into social work education. In 2008 a history of the Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (WC), a membership subgroup of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), was published in a special section of the Journal of Social Work Education (Alvarez, Collins, Graber, & Lazzari, 2008). This account highlighted the contributions of the WC as well as its challenges and covered the beginning of the WC in the late 1960s through 2006. Coauthors of this update include two of the four coauthors of the initial history in addition to the cochair and a member of the WC at the time of this writing. Perhaps not surprisingly, the major themes and sub-themes derived from the initial historical analysis are relevant today and are used to frame this narrative. As noted in Alvarez et al. (2008), the WC in 2004 went from being a stand-alone commission to a diversity-related council that was part of the newly established Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice (CDSEJ), which includes CSWE's four diversity-related councils and five affiliated groups. Its charge is as follows:
Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2008
This study analyzes variables related to the context and consequences of women's use of viole... more This study analyzes variables related to the context and consequences of women's use of violence as well as a wide range of violent behaviors used and experienced by court-ordered English- and Spanish-speaking women. Data were derived from intake assessments of 125 court-ordered women over 24 months. Almost all of the women reported a history of abuse perpetrated by their partners. Women committed significantly fewer violent acts against their partners than their partners committed against them. Differences between English- and Spanish-speaking women's victimization, use of violence, and help seeking were largely similar, however, important differences emerged.
Journal of Family Violence, Oct 4, 2006
Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive and serious threat to women&amp... more Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive and serious threat to women's lives and well-being. Medical social workers, family practitioners, and obstetrician–gynecologists are in key positions to screen and offer help. Florida NASW members and board certified family practitioners and obstetrician–gynecologists were mailed a psychometrically tested scale. A total of 388 surveys were analyzed. Education (especially the number of in-service hours)
Disability Studies Quarterly, Jun 4, 2014
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employersto provide reasonable accommodations ... more The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employersto provide reasonable accommodations for any qualified individual with adisability. By examining the ongoing evaluation data from the Job AccommodationNetwork (JAN), this study seeks to investigate whether or not genderdifferences are present in the reasonable accommodation process. Open andclosed-ended data are collected using a 20-minute structured telephoneinterview of JAN customers (n= 1,247; 44% response rate). The results show veryfew differences between men’s and women’s accommodation request types, whetheror not accommodations were granted, the costs of requested accommodations, andsatisfaction with JAN. A significant difference, however, was found by genderon the effectiveness of the accommodation.  Key Words: Accommodations, Disabilities, Gender, Employment, Social Work Practice
Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, Apr 9, 2008
ABSTRACT. A quasi-experimental design was employed to compare depression at intake and completion... more ABSTRACT. A quasi-experimental design was employed to compare depression at intake and completion of a sample of primarily Latina women court-ordered to a batterer intervention program. Data were derived from the intake assessments of 112 women over 24 months. ...
Journal of Human Behavior in The Social Environment, May 6, 2010
This article details the development and evaluation of a lifespan development computer modules th... more This article details the development and evaluation of a lifespan development computer modules that were used in human behavior in social environment courses. An anonymous, Web-based survey was developed to evaluate the modules. Supporting the first hypothesis, the majority of students (83.5%) found the modules to be a good learning alternative. The hypotheses that MSW students will experience more barriers
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Sep 1, 2015
Work/life satisfaction policies are seen as key to recruiting, retaining, and advancing high qual... more Work/life satisfaction policies are seen as key to recruiting, retaining, and advancing high quality faculty. This article explores the work/life policies prevalent at NSF ADVANCE institutions (PAID, Catalyst, and IT). We systematically review ADVANCE university websites (N ϭ 124) and rank 9 categories of work/life policy including dual career support, tenure clock extension, and tuition remission. Our rankings show that for most policies, ADVANCE institutions are highly progressive. For example, protections for birth mothers tend to be generous and more than half of the universities surveyed go beyond the ACA regarding lactation. However, tuition remission and dual-career policies are lagging.
Social Work Education, Oct 1, 2013
This article focuses on the successes and challenges experienced by a social work program offerin... more This article focuses on the successes and challenges experienced by a social work program offering experiential learning opportunities to bachelor in social work (BSW) students. As part of the BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program, policy students collaborated with politically active older adults to develop compelling letters to the editor of a newspaper and influential letters to state-level legislators concerning policies
Affilia, Nov 4, 2014
A successful academic trajectory tends to be characterized by a singular Standard, that is, docto... more A successful academic trajectory tends to be characterized by a singular Standard, that is, doctoral degree, tenure-track position, tenure, and promotion to full professor, administration, or both. Significant numbers of social work faculty struggle with the intersection of the traditional career life cycle and the developmental life cycle. This article discusses barriers that emerge from the intersection of these life cycles. Strategies to support career success and family satisfaction are also discussed, including, current law, work/life policies, self-care, and mentoring.
Women & Therapy, Apr 27, 2007
An unanticipated consequence of pro-arrest policies for domestic violence is the arrest of women.... more An unanticipated consequence of pro-arrest policies for domestic violence is the arrest of women. With the resultant creation of court-ordered groups to accommodate this new population, a thorough understanding of the motivations, contexts, and consequences of women's use of violence is needed. Widely used current treatment models are reviewed, and a model is proposed. This model incorporates aspects of group
Journal of Policy Practice, Dec 21, 2010
This article describes an Internet-based, policy-practice assignment required in the second cours... more This article describes an Internet-based, policy-practice assignment required in the second course of a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) policy sequence. Students were required to join e-action alert lists, respond to multiple alerts, and document their experience. More than 98% of students reported that they would remain on e-action alert lists. In addition, students reported learning that this form of
Advances in gender research, Oct 6, 2014
Abstract Purpose To implement and assess an intervention designed to promote gender equity and or... more Abstract Purpose To implement and assess an intervention designed to promote gender equity and organizational change within STEM departments in two Colleges at a single Research High university. Department climate impacts the retention and success of women faculty. Methodology/approach A survey was administered both before and after the department intervention in order to capture departmental change on variables that measure a positive climate for female faculty. Findings Across all of the science and engineering departments, levels of Collective Efficacy toward Gender Equity significantly increased while levels of Conflict significantly decreased after the department facilitation. In the science departments, the level of Vicarious Experience of Gender Equity among faculty significantly increased while in the engineering departments levels of faculty Dependence significantly decreased. There was a statistically significant decrease in Optimism about Gender Equity among the science faculty. Practical implications Organizational change within universities has been documented as slow and labor intensive. Departmental climate, particularly interactions with colleagues, remains an area wherein women continue to feel excluded. The departmental intervention resulted in measurable improvements in key aspects of climate critical to women’s success (e.g., reductions in conflict and dependence; increases in collective efficacy) as well as more realistic view of the effort needed to attain gender equity (decrease in Optimism).
Journal of Social Work Education, Oct 1, 2003
ABSTRACT Because domestic violence is a serious threat to women’s lives and well-being, social wo... more ABSTRACT Because domestic violence is a serious threat to women’s lives and well-being, social workers are encouraged to screen, assess, and implement intervention. National Association of Social Workers members from Florida were surveyed in order to understand their screening barriers and behaviors. Participants with more Continuing Education Units, agency inservice hours, and additional training perceived fewer barriers to screening, screened more, and identified more domestic violence victims. Multiple regression analysis showed that perceived self-efficacy, paperwork screening reminders, and inservice training hours explained 38.5% (35.8% adjusted) of the variability in screening behaviors. Screening is an important component in the process of helping battered women.
Affilia, Jan 12, 2016
Female faculty may experience disproportionate caregiving-type responsibilities in the academy an... more Female faculty may experience disproportionate caregiving-type responsibilities in the academy and at home. A web-based survey inquired about the impact of childcare responsibilities on research-related travel. A convenience sample of full-time faculty participated ( n = 127). From the overwhelmingly female faculty respondents (81.3%), results show that childcare issues impact their ability to plan research travel, submit to professional conferences, and travel to give an invited talk. Faculty rank, discipline, and whether their partner was employed at the same university negatively impacted their ability to travel. Work/life travel policies may reduce barriers to travel, hence reducing a type of cumulative disadvantage.
Public Administration Quarterly, Jun 22, 2013
In the twenty-first century, women continue to be paid at a substantially lower rate than men in ... more In the twenty-first century, women continue to be paid at a substantially lower rate than men in the United States. A recent study of the status of women's pay in different states reveals some good and some bad news (Hartmann, Sorokina, & Williams, 2006). The good news is that the female-to-male-wage ratio improved from 69% in 1989 to 77% in 2006. The wage gap reduction may be linked to the increase in education levels of women in the job market. In addition, women are now more prevalent in better paying positions, namely, professional and managerial positions (35.5%). There was also some bad news. Full-time working women earned less than full-time working men in all states. Also, there was a great deal of variation in improvement in the female-to-male wage ratio from one state to another--1% in one state to 17% in another. If progress remains at the pace shown in this study, the U.S. will not see wage gender parity until the year 2056--nearly a century after employment discrimination against women was outlawed. Wage disparities cannot be blamed solely on sex-based discrimination. These disparities are linked to issues of representation, family choices, and human capital characteristics. Indeed, research has repeatedly shown that it is difficult to separate market-wide wage disparities from issues of representation of women in the workforce (Alkadry & Tower, 2006; Tower & Alkadry, 2008). Women tend to be segregated in lower paying position levels (e.g., clerical positions), lower paying occupations (e.g., social work or education), and/or lower paying agencies (e.g., agencies that provide health, education or human services). It is also difficult to separate issues of wage disparities and representation from the human capital characteristics of women in the workforce. Particular human capital factors, such as experience and education, have historically been used as excuses for female segregation in lower paying positions or in certain fields and agencies. However, the gender gaps in education and experience are rapidly narrowing. There are other developments that are likely to help remedy the under-representation of women and the gap between male and female earnings. By 2002, women had a pattern of uninterrupted work that paralleled men's (Women at Work, 2003). More specifically, women have stopped exiting the workforce between the ages of 25 and 34 and re-entering between the ages of 45-54. The gap in educational attainment between men and women is closing. The percentage of women and men 25 years and older who have at least a Bachelors degree are very close: 26.5% of women compared to 29.1% of men (Hartmann et al., 2006). These statistics refer to national trends; consequently, the numbers vary from state to state. For instance, the gap in educational attainment between men and women in West Virginia is 15.2% for women holding at least a Bachelor's degree compared to 15.6% for men (Hartmann et al., 2006). Although educational attainment for men and women in West Virginia is much lower than the national average, the educational attainment gap between men and women is much narrower. Instead of focusing on the disparities in pay and representation, this article focuses on how these disparities are changing over time in West Virginia's state administration. The West Virginia economy was ranked 47th best for women--only better than Idaho, Louisiana and Arkansas (Hartmann et al., 2006). The literature review discusses the interplay between representation and equal pay--highlighting issues of pay disparities, agency, position level and occupational segregation. The literature review is followed with a discussion of the distinctiveness of the West Virginia state economy, demography, and public administration. It also highlights initiatives undertaken by the state to improve the representation and status of women in the public sector. After presenting the results, the article concludes with policy implications and recommendations for future research. …
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Peer Reviewed Papers by Leslie Tower
Papers by Leslie Tower