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1st appeared
26 October
1999 Managers Advise How to Climb Campus Ladder Four women who rose the ranks to top management at UCSF told junior-level recently what it takes to get promoted on campus. The advice ran the gamut, such as taking the initiative to join campus committees and do duties outside one’s job description, finding a mentor to offer career advice and support and learning how to communicate effectively with diverse people. It also helps, said Jaclyne Boyden, vice dean of administration and finance for the School of Medicine, to have a graduate degree. Boyden, who has worked at UCSF since 1977 except for a four-year stint at Stony Brook, New York, holds an MBA. "I don’t think I could have the job I have now without an advanced degree," said Boyden at the sold-out forum. Martha Hooven, who started her career at UCSF as an administrative assistant II, concurred. Hooven went back to school to earn a master’s of public administration and is now director of administration for the School of Medicine’s department of medicine. "I was always looking for opportunities to do more and take on more responsibilities," she said. "I always thought big and I didn’t think it was not part of my job description." Boyden also advises staff to be flexible. As chief financial officer for the medical school, Boyden has faced major changes not only in health care financing, but also with the merger of UCSF and Stanford medical centers. "You have to adapt to change. You have to embrace it," Boyden said. "You should not be known as a ‘no’ person. You have to be part of the solution, not the problem." Karen Newhouse, special assistant for diversity planning and management in the department of affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity, began working at UCSF in the clerical pool while completing her college degree. After holding several positions on campus, Newhouse is convinced that her ability to learn new skills, adapt to rapid change and communicate effectively, helped her move up the ladder. "Do not become resistant to learning new skills," she said. Stella Hsu, assistant vice chancellor of campus auxiliary services, earned her MA and MBA degree prior to coming to UCSF. For her, gaining self-confidence was critical to her success. A native of China, Hsu came to the US when she was 18 years old and had to overcome cultural as well as gender differences to advance. "I had to have sufficient confidence to know it’s OK to be different," she said. "That’s what diversity is all about." All but two of the 70 staff who attended the "Navigating Your Way up the Ladder at UCSF" forum were women, mostly minorities working in administrative assistant positions. This pool of employees was specifically targeted and invited to attend the program based on a survey last May when they cited interest in career advancement. UCSF’s workforce includes some 1,770 clerical employees, most of whom are women. The average annual salary for a career clerical employee at UCSF is $35,000. "Many people talk about the glass ceiling, but in this case I think we’re talking about a sticky floor," said Amy Levine, director of the Center for Gender Equity, which co-sponsored the forum with the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (CACSW) and Human Resources’ Development and Training. "We’re concerned about their upward mobility, especially for women," Levine said after the luncheon. Alaf Meleis, chair of CACSW and a professor in the UCSF School of Nursing, says this is the first of several events designed specifically for staff to meet, network and to discuss workplace issues. CACSW, a group of faculty, staff and students, is interested in hearing more from staff to address their needs. The lunchtime series continues next year with the following forums: • Tuesday, Feb. 8: "Effective Communication Techniques for Building Relationships" with Kristine O’Kelley • Tuesday, April 11: "Leadership Skills for Women" with Lynette Crane • Tuesday, June 6: "Personal Goal Setting" with Rebecca Harrison. Source: Lisa Cisneros
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