Student parents: connect to other parents on campus

 Students with children, eldercare, or other caretaking responsibilities can feel extra stretched, and sometimes isolated.  Talking with others is a great way to discover resources and family friendly events on- or off-campus, set up study-and-play dates (or play dates/study breaks) and to share advice.  

If you would like to join a virtual discussion forum comprised of other caregivers (students and employees), please subscribe to the FamilyResources listserv:  email listserv@listserv.syr.edu a message of:  SUBSCRIBE familyresources FirstName LastName (Please substitute your own name for those last fields, and leave the “subject” line empty).

If you have any questions or need assistance subscribing, please contact Heather Engelman, engelman@esf.edu

Is ESF friendly to nursing parents?

ESF Lactation Room: 313 Baker Lab. 258 Marshall Hall, coming Spring 2023!

SU's lactation rooms: see Map

Carer Grant Application. For more information on this trial grant program, click here.

Although lots of ESF kids are nursed, neither ESF nor SUNY have lactation policies in place for employees or students-- it is not addressed in the college's sexual harassment policy, or student, graduate student, or employee handbooks. As such, we did not have an official "lactation" or "mother's" room until July 23, 2013--you may now find it in 313 Baker, with renovations completed over the fall semester. Thanks are due to: Computing and Network Services next door for the more comfortable, easier to clean chair: Physical Plant giving up the room, and for the structural renovations (finishing the walls, replacing the original floor basin with a counter and sink, additional outlet, installing a mirror for checking that all buttons have been refastened); Tim Blehar, HR, for shepherding the upgrades; and the VP for Administration for authorizing the work.

How do we fit into the bigger picture?

New York is among the states that have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location, and that exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws.

Employees have had ample legal support. A 2007 NYS law (see PDF) requires employers to provide new mothers with a private space to either express milk or breast feed for three years after child birth. Employers are also required to give mothers the time to either express or breast feed. The company does not have to pay the mother for that time (but they also cannot dock her if she can use scheduled breaks or otherwise makes up the time; see PDF). A 2010 federal law states that the employer must also provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public for the employee to express breast milk for the child's first year. If these requirements impose undue hardship, an employer that employs fewer than 50 employees is not subject to these requirement.

Putting this into practice was another matter, however. If you were able to schedule when a child could be brought to you to nurse, you were, and remain, free to use almost any place on campus (there are some labs that no one should be eating in; and that should go double for our babes! This is true for the bathrooms!). For those lucky enough to have private offices (ie, faculty, administrators) pumping could and can still be done in the privacy of your office. The rest of us had to be more creative, and were only successful if we had supportive (vs barely tolerant) colleagues. And effective, July 23, 2013, 313 Baker Lab (near the freight elevator) was designated for nursing moms.

According to Tim Blehar, the door should remain unlocked except when in use, so moms do not have to reserve it to nurse, pump, or clean their pumps. HR assures us that the room is available to student and visiting mothers, too. If repairs are needed, please contact Tim, but for general use questions, feel free to contact Heather Engelman.

Syracuse University has also created a series of Lactation Rooms across campus, which have been mapped by Syr Grad Students with Children. See also https://hr.syr.edu/work-life-benefits-and-resources/raising-a-family/lactation-support for locations and links explaining who to contact for each space, and to access those additional resources.

On a related note, the Gateway Building was designed with a family restroom (i.e. large enough for a family member to accompany any person requiring assistance and with room for the individuals wheelchair or other mobility device, including a stroller) with a changing table in its basement.

We still have a way to go to develop policies that support all parents, including flextime and part-time options, but its good to know that we have support for moms at so many levels of the administration. That said, additional Lactation Rooms across campus would be a lot more accessible for administrative staff--especially in the winter.

Please note that while the nursing room appears on the "Locations of Women’s and Gender Inclusive/All-Gender Bathrooms", mothers should NEVER be referred to a bathroom to pump or nurse.

Support Participation and Advancement of Women in STEMM

On Women's Equality Day (today), National Academies reminds academia to  “continue to drive bias, discrimination, and harassment out of our institutions and society. Despite decades of research, funding, and programs dedicated to increasing the representation of women in science, engineering, technology, mathematics, and medicine, the numbers, particularly in leadership roles, have remained low or stagnant in many fields, especially among women of color. Our [free, downloadable] reports explore the wide range of structural, cultural, and institutional patterns of bias, discrimination, and inequity that affect women, and the steps that can be taken to increase representation in STEMM.”  Historically, these materials are promoted most heavily to marginalized groups.  However, those impacted most negatively by marginalization cannot fix the bias, or the culture that penalizes them for asking, by themselves.   

We all have a role in creating, and maintaining an inclusive, equitable work and learning environment.  Our students learn not only from course content, but by the examples set by faculty, staff and administration in their classroom and team management, policies, and mentorship models.  NAP titles include:  Promising Practices for Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine: Opening Doors (2020); Seeking Solutions: Maximizing American Talent by Advancing Women of Color in Academia: Summary of a Conference (2013); Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2018), The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM (2019), and Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering (2007).  These, and other reports and proceedings under heading of “women and minoritites”, are available to read online or download here.  Some titles are also available for purchase in ebook or print editions.

Some strategies suggested in these reports include:

• Networking and group mentoring for those in marginalized groups.  The ESF Women’s Caucus will be continuing its networking coffee breaks virtually this fall.  Please let us know your availability and a little bit about you  at  https://forms.gle/2xEqkXLSjzsDbPKx7  Also stay tuned for information from the IDE Committee/OIDE about affinity groups for students, and those newly forming for faculty and staff.
• Recognize that balancing work and family is a universal challenge, with potential impact on retention, equity and quality of work life.  The ESF Women’s Caucus, therefore, invites all caretakers (of children, parents, friends) to subscribe to FamilyResources to share resources, family friendly events on or off campus, or to request information from other list members.  To subscribe, email: listserv@listserv.syr.edu and leave the subject line blank, and message of:  SUBSCRIBE familyresources FirstName LastName.

In addition, the Association of American Medical Colleges Gender Equity Lab (GEL)  also invites registration for its upcoming webinar, Community Call: Creative Strategies to Address the Gendered Impact of COVID-19, September 3, 2020
3-4pm ET, With so many personal and professional changes to our lives as a result of the pandemic, more attention must be paid to how these changes disproportionately impact women, especially women of diverse backgrounds. During this community call, hosted by GWIMS, discuss with your colleagues creative solutions to the gendered impact of COVID such as caregiving and dependent care issues, working remotely, virtual practices and other topics – this call is open to all. [GEL] recently launched … to assist members with these emerging issues and more calls can be scheduled to meet the needs of the community and share resources. REGISTER.   Submit your questions and resources to discuss on the call.  Questions? Contact Rebekah Corlew or Diana Lautenberger

Mentoring networks resume this fall

Semesterly reminder that short breaks help individuals regroup and gain fresh perspectives, that women benefit Networking and group mentoring as their stress responses moderated by social supports.  Stresses will remain high while there are so many unknowns, so let us know when you could be available (about monthly) to meet virtually* and a little about you so we might group participants at  https://forms.gle/2xEqkXLSjzsDbPKx7  Also, if specific cohorts are already meeting on their own, or would be interested in doing so under a larger umbrella, let’s talk!

* I asked prior to last semester for thoughts about virtual meetings.  The general consensus was “no”, that conversation might be inhibited or people might find it distracting.  However, campus closures necessitated an unplanned experiment with this format.  Participation did drop for most coffee breaks, but there was a lunch cohort that continued to meet every few weeks.  This was invaluable for sharing information across offices, and strategies from working from home, in spaces that hadn't been planned for that.  The were welcome brief respites with friendly folks rather than crabby colleagues (some of whom may, or may not, be kids or partners also plunged into work/school-from-home 😊 situations).  Since many will continue working from home due to continued need to reduce density on campus/lack of physical meeting spaces, and some folks haven’t yet been relocated for planned renovation or surprise ventilation issues, coupled perhaps with child- and elder-support issues, we’ll be continuing remotely for the foreseeable future. 

 

Coffee Break: Virtual Edition

During the standard business week, it gets so busy that we have skipped lunch, opted not to refill water bottle to save that time (and that of the inevitable restroom break)—and we are running out of steam carrying more than our fair shares of mental load and taking care of everyone around us.  The new need for "social distancing" and remote learning for our students and for some of us, for our children, may actually increase the need for contact this semester.  So, put on the brakes, recharge batteries a bit, reconnect, bounce ideas off of one another, and offer and receive advice about handling work and life pressures--from wherever you happen to be.

Unfortunately, with this format, we must ask you to provide your own coffee/tea and snacks, but we can still offer an ear and a (virtual) shoulder.  We have got this, and we have each other's backs!  

We are keeping the same schedule, [Mostly] Third Thursdays (3/26 and 4/16) 3:30-4:30 and First Fridays (4/3, 5/1), 11:40-12:35, but rather than walking across campus:  meet.google.com/sru-kxfo-qt or dial: +1 518-600-1124  PIN: 751998318#

FamilyResources now live!

Childcare and eldercare issues are universal concerns, unbounded by title, gender, sexuality or marital status.   So, after discussion with some others about how better to share resources with employees and students, inclusive of all family structures, and facilitate direct communication among interested parties, we launched:  FamilyResources!  Intended for any parent (or other person caring for, or supporting in any way, any family member, friend, or colleague--past, present, or future) to share resources, family friendly events on or off campus (including online!), and to request or offer advice.

To subscribe, email: listserv@listserv.syr.edu and leave the subject line blank, and message of:  SUBSCRIBE familyresources FirstName LastName

Please note:  this was hatched before the community was plunged into "social distancing" and indefinite landscape-level virtual work and study.  These factors actually increase the need for strong support, so please subscribe and stay connected.

Also, the Women's Caucus is seeking partners interested in co-owning this group.  To discuss, please Heather Engelman, engelman@esf.edu.

Morningstar discusses healing socio-ecological wounds through plants and land justice

As an herbalist, academic, activist, and indigenous ethnobotanist, Stephanie Morningstar has learned to see the world through multiple lenses. She visited SUNY-ESF on March 4th, 2020 to discuss how these different worldviews have helped her in her work addressing socio-ecological problems of today. The talk was sponsored by the ESF Women’s Caucus and the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment.

The lecture, titled “Co-creating Indigenous Futures: Finding My Place as a Haudenosaunee Woman in Academia, Land Sovereignty and Healing Justice”, began with the Haudenosaunee thanksgiving address, an expression of gratitude for all that supports life – from the sun to the plants to the animals to the soils. Morningstar encouraged the audience to envision where we find peace in nature, and center ourselves on that image. She then guided us into recognizing the ways that our relationships with land have been damaged over the years, and how we can learn to heal those broken relationships. Morningstar’s life work has focused on this mission, and she approaches it from both a social and a biological perspective. In her many different roles, she says she is always grounded in service to community.

As an herbalist at Sky World Apothecary + Farm, Morningstar develops relationships with plants and uses their gifts to help people heal. As an academic, Morningstar works with Global Water Futures, bridging western and traditional ecological knowledge in water research projects. And as an activist, Morningstar works with the North East Farmer’s of Color Land Trust to help return land to people who have been denied it for generations - specifically black, indigenous, and people of color (BI-POC). She noted that in the United States, BI-POC farmers and stewards own less than 1% of farm land. Morningtar encouraged us to recognize how historical injustices are continued today, and that we must actively work to correct them.

Throughout her talk, Morningstar helped the audience diagnose the ecogrief we may be feeling about the state of the world today. As environmentally-minded citizens, many of us feel the heavy weight of climate change upon us and the loss of beloved ecosystems. In addition to ecogrief, she also described the psychological toll of ethnostress - losing one’s sense of place in the world. These harms weigh especially heavy on indigenous people who have been cut off from their land and culture due to colonization, boarding schools, and land theft. Morningstar’s work to heal these wounds has led her to working for both ecological restoration as well as restorative social justice. 

Morningstar’s lecture ended by asking us to envision once again our wild place of peace, centering us on a vision of a healthy future. Despite the many environmental and social wounds we carry today, she showed us that there are also many paths for healing. To learn more about her work, you can visit her personal website and blog (www.skyworldapothecary.com), her research at Global Water Futures (https://gwf.usask.ca/projects-facilities/indigenous-projects.php), and the work of the North East Farmers of Color Land Trust (https://nefoclandtrust.org/)

              For more information about the ESF Women’s Caucus, and upcoming speakers, please visit: https:/www.esf.edu/womenscaucus.

As part of the requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share responsibility for reporting on presentations in the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series. The preceding was prepared by By Lauren Tarr (Environmental Science, PhD).

Women in Science and Engineering Panel

Students from all majors were invited to a Women in Science and Engineering Panel, featuring Q&A bon success and advancement of women in STEM.  Panelists included Cristina Albunio PE, Agency Engineer, OCRRA (formerly a consultant with Arcadis; alumna ERE); Katie Cooper (air dispersion modeling) and Maria "Mimi" Scicchitano (wastewater; alumna ERE), O’Brien and Gere; and Danielle Hurley, Department of Water, Onondaga County (alumna EFB).  Maria is also currently a part-time graduate student at SU.  The panel was moderated by ERE department chair (and sole female member in that department) Dr. Lindi Quackenbush.  The event was coordinated and hosted by NYWEA and the ERE Club.

What is the climate  like at your workplace?  May vary depending on the group, composition and the manager.  The percentage of women is more balanced in the younger cohorts.  Two had issues (different sectors) with single individuals that has treated differently, to the degree they went to HR--which improved the situations. (See follow up question below).  Women were dropping out at 8-10 yr mark because part-time was way out, not way up. All received encouragement to move forward.

Difference between industry and public sector?  Yes. 

In ERE, current class is ~50% female.  

Are any of you in the field you anticipated as a little girl?  Cristina says yes, was inspired by a tour at OCRAA's waste to energy plant, and lucky a position opened up there a few months ago.   Katie as well:  Meterology didn't come into her focus until a freshman in high school, but didn't want to be on TV, radio, etc., but air pollution route interested her through college.  Maria became interested in science in high school, but didn't consider wastewater until college.  Danielle: not many 5 year olds will tell you want to work in wastewater (Katie:  but they will ask what happens to what goes down the toilet!), but wanted to work with animals, focusing on fish in masters program.  Lindi discovered surveying in 10th grade.  

Were you ever told what you do like or don't like [as a child, because a girl]?  Yes, one was told to "do something easy and find a husband." Another  "Are you sure you can do that?" by engineer relatives.  Challenge accepted!  And she surpassed them in scope of job and credentials, noting that "Bias has been motivation to do more."  However, contrary to their mothers' generation, all were expected to go to college, and choices were no longer limited to teaching and nursing. One of their mothers was explicitly told no, although all her brothers were anticipated to go.   And another was told "So, what do you want to do?  You can be anything."  But when the response was "nuclear physicist", counselor backpedaled, revealing that by "anything", they'd meant "nursing or teacher." 

Had impression that older cohorts were male because that's who was going into engineering, not because women were dropping out at faster rates.  What could individuals do differently? Coworkers that successfully stayed within the field re-prioritized their time, and sacrificed career advancement opportunities.  Those that "off-ramped" to care for families have had a very difficult time finding opportunities to reenter the workforce.  What can companies do to make it easier for women to stay, or for it to be more acceptable for men to temporary off-ramp?  Many managers didn't realize that part-time was even an option, so didn't offer it and if they did, didn't know how to advise appropriately. Make the schedule transparent; individual schedules should show the times not scheduled to work clearly, so important meetings aren't scheduled when you aren't expecting to be there.  Pro-rate timelines for promotion, rather than eliminating the option. Increase communication within teams to meet client needs.  Expect all employees to have work-family balance.  Partner may also be in a time constrained profession which will also compound that.  One of the panelists with children noted that she was asked many times during pregnancy "So, are you going to go part-time, or become a stay-at-home mom?" and the repetitive nature of the question could cause employees to second-guess a choice that doesn't include either option.  [note: the expectation that this is going to happen at some point or another can also cause women to be overlooked for advancement opportunities].   She also noted that husband was never asked the same question, and recommended not asking it of anyone, or to make it equal opportunity "Are either of you going to cut back workload or stay-at-home?"

Cultural expectation:  In Australia, people take vacation.   If you take time off, you won't come back to all that compiled work.  Here, industry folks are expected to be available by phone and email even while on vacation and get negative comments when don't.   Which is not what company officially promotes.  For the panelist working around classes, also receives comments about that.  County employee--most positions are team based, so other people are on call for coverage during your vacation, which is a much better scenario.  One notes a spouse who has a position where he is not only not expected to check in from time off, he cannot--he must use company time and resources to check email.  Another's spouse has a similar schedule:  when shift is over, responsibilities are passed on to the next shift, and he's 'free' until next scheduled shift.

Other advice?  Advocate for self:  earn your advocacy, need to work hard and prove yourself, and also learn who to ask.  When hear something that bothers you, say something.  You'll feel better, and may make a change.  May need to go to a higher authority.  Small, soft-spoken "You will not be taken seriously."  

Do you have a network of supporters to bounce things off of?  How confident were you in approaching HR?  Neither's first impulse was to go to HR.  They discussed with family members, and trusted coworkers, who encouraged them to do so.   In general, when you are the only (or one of few) women,  its more challenging to recognize as a systemic issue.  But when you do, you choose either keep working in this environment as is, and it weighs on you, or address it.  Once you advocate for yourself a few times, it does get easier.  Find a network that you can bounce things off of, whether or not they look like you.  

What does future hold--what challenges moving forward and what do do about it?  Read Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg.   Get past gender issues, as children generally have two adults in their lives.  Help each other along.  

Panel: Strategies for Professional Success for Women in Engineering and Science.

The ERE Club hosted a panel discussion November 15, 2017, featuring current ERE graduate student Meghan Mussehl, who studied engineering at the all women's Smith College (with work experience between and throughout); ERE Advisory Council Chair and ERE alumna Meghan Platt, a recent ERE alumna; Kiana Morse, and ESF GPES alumna Hayley Effler, who both work for local engineering firms; and SU alumna Meghan Gilbert, who works for the DEC. Questions were drafted by ERE Club President Isabelle Horvath, who moderated the panel.  ERE Chair Ted Endreny welcomed the panelists, introduced and thanked Ms. Horvath, and then stepped out to encourage more candid discussion. 

Panelists echoed the empowerment brunch’s mention of the importance of mentors, strong role models, and people who told them they could do it.   Each of the panel shared instances where their recommendations were discounted until reiterated by a male colleague or supervisor, one sharing the this came more from within an organization with the common refrain “are you sure?  Did you do enough research?” while male colleagues similar recommendation would be accepted without those questions.  They have been catcalled on jobsites.  Gilbert returned the workforce after “off-ramping” to care for one of her children; Platt went part-time to better balance work and family, and notes that part-time options have become more common, without the “you won’t go anywhere” stigma that used to come with that.  She notes that men also use the flex-time options.  Others shared that particularly in private firms, that with laptops and cell phones, there is quite a bit of work that can be taken home (DEC was the exception;  all work must be done on DEC computers, phones, cameras, as they are subject to seizure through FOIL).  Their closing advice to the students:  say it with authority, believe in yourself, find yourself a mentor. 

All Gender Bathrooms, effort to designate some others as

Friends,

At a meeting recently, it came to my attention that there are almost no All Gender bathrooms on campus,  that even single stall bathrooms are still designated as single gender and cannot be re-designated.  At this meeting it was pointed out that some of our community members who are transgender, not on the gender binary, gender non-comforming or transition were uncomfortable using a rest room and would wait all day to return home.  So why aren’t all the single-stall bathrooms designated as “all gender” you ask?  Apparently there is a law that requires that if one single gendered bathroom is re-designated then the opposite single gendered bathroom must be also.  As many of you know in some of our buildings at ESF we have a  dearth of bathrooms, and in many of the oder buildings the bathrooms were converted men’s rooms to women’s rooms.  And sometimes there aren’t equal numbers of mens and women’s rooms at all so that has made re-designating these rooms difficult to impossible.

In the Jahn and Baker complex due to the youth of the building or the recent renovations there is a plethora of bathrooms.   These restrooms are not single-stall bathrooms but there are men’s and women’s rooms on each floor.  Sierra Jech, Heidi Webb and myself have written the attached petition to request that the multi-stall first floor women’s and men’s rooms on the first floor of Jahn be re-designated as All Gender bathrooms.  These bathrooms are extremely accessible and within 30 steps of a set of single gender bathrooms in Baker Laboratory and about 150 feet from single gender bathrooms in Gateway - all on the same level, no elevators or steps required.  There will no doubt need to be some remodeling but we feel that we need to make the request to get the conversation started.  I know that not everyone is comforatble with a multi–stall All Gender bathroom but for some, this will be a huge relief and for visitors a sign of our inclusivity.  Further, there is precedent at other SUNY schools.  Personally, I hope that on a campus where many students in field classes are told that the rest room is the nearest bush, this initiative will find wide support.

Sierra, myself and others will be tabling next week in Gateway and if you’d like to sign the proposal we would appreciate your assistance, we will be there hopefully Wednesday and Thursday.  Additionally, you are welcome to come to my office and sign.  Or you can send me an email indicating your support, or print the PDF, sign the document, scan it and email it back or even electronically sign it and return.  I don’t know how many signatures it will take or what the next steps will be, but all the support we can get will help as we move this forward.

Thank you,

Kelley

---

Kelley J. Donaghy, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Chemistry

Immediate Past Executive Chair of Academic Governance

SUNY Senator

Director of the Environmental Scholars Program

315 Jahn Laboratory

1 Forestry Drive

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Syracuse, NY 13210

RESOLUTION TO RE--‐DESIGNATE THE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BATHROOMS ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF JAHN LABORATORY AS ALL GENDER

Whereas a new bill is being considered within the New York State Legislature “that would make all single--‐ occupancy restrooms in public places gender neutral”;1 and

Whereas gender--‐specific bathrooms present problems for parents with differently gendered children and disabled people with differently gendered attendants; and

Whereas there are currently few facilities on the SUNY--‐ESF campus where individuals not on the gender binary, transgender, gender non--‐conforming, or transitioning individuals are comfortable “Peeing in Peace”;2 and

Whereas the Jahn Laboratory has a wealth of bathrooms having been constructed after 1993 and having both men's and women’s rooms on at least four floors; and

Whereas the first floor of Jahn Laboratory is connected by the sky bridge to Baker Laboratory and therefore additional men’s and women’s rooms are within approximately 30 steps of and located on the same floors as the first floor Jahn Laboratory bathrooms; and

Whereas the first floor of Jahn Laboratory is centrally located, wheelchair accessible from the Campus Drive entrance, open on weekends when the computer clusters are open, and is a high traffic area;

Therefore be it resolved that the chemistry department and other concerned SUNY--‐ESF community members request that the SUNY--‐ESF Administration re--‐designate the multi--‐stall men's and women’s bathrooms on the first floor of Jahn laboratory as All Gender bathrooms. We would also request that the urinals in the men’s bathroom be enclosed or at a minimum a sign indicating “unenclosed urinals may be in use” be prominently displayed.

We believe that having a multi--‐stall bathroom re--‐designated sends a strong message to our community that all people are welcome within the chemistry department and would be a strong step toward an inclusive and accessible campus.

----

1 NY  Bill  Proposed  statewide  requirement  for  gender  neutral  bathrooms,  Geoff  Herbert  Syracuse.com

2  Peeing  in  Peace,  Transgender  Law  Center,  transgenderlawcenter.org

changing the game with flextime

Earlier this week, I stumbled upon two opinions regarding gender equity and the workplace.

President Obama, in a joint interview with Michelle Obama, told LHJ that he suspected that more women don't run for office because they are either uncomfortable with the idea, or lack the option to, be away from their children that long. (I argue that these are not mutually exclusive.  An unsupportive spouse, or the rigid and overtime-exempt work schedule of an otherwise empathetic spouse, could easily be a source of that discomfort). Being the child of a single mom, 'taught [him] that there wasn't anything women couldn't do--but also that the game was a little rigged.  Its tougher for women.'

The following day, a linkedin article popped into my mailbox:  "In Big Idea 2013: Flexibility without Shame", Sallie Krawcheck discussed the problem as it pertained to women in general, and to moms. She never stated that the solution would be, or should be, limited to only moms.  It's too bad that she didn't explicity say that policies should be open, however, because getting buy-in from others that could benefit at work (and on the homefront) is important to encourage businesses (and spouses) to offer (or ask for) such polices and build employee loyalty by encouraging work-life-community balance for every employee.

If only mommies can shift their schedules to drop off packages at the post office or to get kiddos or grandpa to a doctor's appointment, then there is no impetutus for the other parent (or sibling) to help lessen those burdens (and build those relationships).  Many workers (dads, and the childless, too) might like to restructure their workweek, to shorten their commutes by timing them during less busy periods or to bundle conference calls and number crunching so they can be done at home and simply reduce the number of trips to the office.  Both methods can save precious time, reduce wear and tear on aging vehicles and roadways, and reduce CO2 emissions--all laudable goals in their own rights.   If those vehicles happen to be employer owned, or subject to billable mileage, its even more business friendly.  If that intelligent use of business time also allows someone to toss in a load of laundry or start dinner for their families, well, then, the playing field gets leveled a little, and whole families can enjoy that.

--he