Penn policy makes paternity leave possible

In September 2008, Classical Studies professor Campbell Grey went on paternity leave to welcome a new child into his family.

The move was not unusual for a Penn professor, as the University has moved towards policies that acknowledge the ability of both mothers and fathers to take charge of early parenting.

In 2006, Penn revised its policies on options for faculty members who wished to leave work to care for their children. The policies were not only made gender neutral, but were expanded to include adoptive and foster parents, as well as biological.

Penn's deans and the faculty committees, among others, were responsible for the policy revision.

Under the revised policy, the main leave option for faculty members calls for a 50-percent reduction in teaching duties, but is different from a leave of absence.

With parental leave, unlike with a leave of absence, faculty members are still expected to conduct their research and take care of other obligations they have with the University. Parental leave is simply a break from their regular teaching duties.

Faculty on parental leave experience no reduction in the annual salary.

For Grey's spouse, taking maternity leave was not an option.

"She is not employed by the University with a capacity to be able to take leave," Grey said.

However, this was not the only reason he decided to take paternity leave.

"In contemporary society, mothers and fathers are both expected to be involved in raising a child," Grey said. "Parenthood is a shared experience and a shared responsibility."

Other leave options offered, which can be used in conjunction with or in place of parental or child-rearing leave, are family and medical leave, short-term disability leave - an option for pregnant women - sick leave and paid leave.

"Since there isn't one specific policy that addresses time off after birth or adoption of a child, the faculty or staff member would utilize the appropriate combination of the policies," according to Human Resources manager of strategic communications Terri Ryan. "Each policy ... has its own eligibility."

Penn's revised policies on child-rearing have increased the number of male employees taking paternity leave, according to Lubna Mian, associate director for faculty affairs in the Provost's Office, who explained that paternity no longer seems "stigmatized."

"We are always in the process of improving faculty benefits," she said. "Even though there are no sweeping changes to be made as of now, we are always open to changes."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.