Family-Friendly Scheduling Guidelines

We recognize the importance of creating a supportive environment for faculty members with family or personal commitments. In line with recommendations from a 2015 FEC memo on family-friendly scheduling, we encourage department chairs, program directors, and event planners to consider the following guidelines when scheduling meetings, events, and courses. These considerations aim to foster greater balance between professional responsibilities and family life, ensuring that all faculty members have equitable access to opportunities and resources.

  • Avoid Assumptions About Availability: Recognize that 5:30 p.m. is not a universally convenient time for all faculty; avoid the assumption (or statement) that it is “the only time everyone can make it.”
  • Acknowledge Family Responsibilities: Understand the logistical, financial, and interpersonal challenges late-afternoon events and teaching blocks pose for faculty with family and other personal commitments.
  • Be Considerate of Staff: Recognize that after-hours events place an additional burden on staff, and that requesting staff to be present for events held outside of their normal work hours may be unwelcome and unfair.
  • Be Mindful of Late-Running Course Blocks: Consider family-friendly course scheduling that avoids hardships caused by late-ending seminars.
  • Schedule with Programming Purposes in Mind:
    • Public Programming: Events aimed at engaging the broader community might reasonably take place in the evening, as they are not primarily for faculty scholarly development.
    • Research Programming: Events designed to enhance faculty research and professional development should occur during regular work hours.
  • Offer Alternative Interaction Opportunities: If an event must occur at 5:30 or later, proactively schedule workday interactions (e.g., coffees or lunches) with visiting scholars to ensure accessibility for all faculty.
  • Vary Event Times: Rotate the timing of workshops, seminars, and lectures to ensure that the same group of people is not consistently excluded due to scheduling conflicts.
  • Respect Brown’s Business Hours for Governance and Hiring Meetings and Events: Department meetings and job talks should conclude by 5pm (the end of Brown University’s business hours), or as shortly thereafter as possible.

Please note: Brown University’s business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Brown-affiliated child care centers (Mount Hope/YMCA; Fox Point) close at 5:30 p.m.