ASU Provost Remarks from the Women’s Power and Influence Index 2.0

The following is a transcript from remarks given by ASU Provost Nancy Gonzales at the Women's Power & Influence Index 2.0

Thank you, Ehsan, for that welcome.?

You know … there is just nothing in higher education quite like the Difference Engine. True to its name, it is an entirely new approach to how we solve the wicked problems of our times.?

Occasions like this bear witness to the impact the Difference Engine is making and the future it is creating.

Ehsan, thank you for your leadership … and for creating a space for our incredible ASU students to connect, convene and share their brilliance with the world.

Friends and colleagues, welcome. My name is Nancy Gonzales, and I have the honor of serving as executive vice president and university provost of ASU.?

On behalf of the academic community of students and scholars, welcome to our ASU California Center.?

A little later in this program, I’ll be joined on stage by three inspiring industry leaders for a panel discussion on gender equity in the workplace.?

I want to welcome and thank Susan Stevens from Resolute Square, Laurie Leshin from the Jet Propulsion Lab and Mukta Mohan from Higher Ground Audio.?

Thank you Susan, Laurie and Mukta for joining me in this important conversation. You each have inspiring stories and are leading amazing lives. Thank you for being examples to our students, especially our young women who look for mentors and role models when envisioning their careers. I’m looking forward to our conversation.?

I’d also like to thank Kai Ryssdal from American Public Media’s Marketplace for moderating our conversation.?

Kai …? I feel like you’ve been my copilot on my commute home for years. You have a unique gift for telling the very human stories behind the numbers of our economy. Thank you for sharing your time and talents with us today and for helping me navigate Phoenix rush hour traffic while listening to Marketplace all these years.?

Okay … now let’s talk a bit about why we are here.?

We all know this by now. For the entire history of the United States …? women (and people of color) … and especially women of color …? have earned less than men, regardless of the job or their experience.

While we are making progress, that progress is still measured in literal pennies to the dollar. Women now earn approximately 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. Since the year 2000 … already 24 years ago … we’ve only closed that gap by 2 cents.?

My 2 cents? That’s entirely too slow.

By some estimates, it will take about 100 years to close the gender inequality gap in the American workplace.?

At that rate, no one in this room will see that reality. And it means that our children, and most of our grandchildren will experience this pay inequity … personally.

We believe that acceleration must happen … and tools like the Women’s Power and Influence Index can help us achieve an equitable workplace in our lifetimes.

This updated version of the Index is the most comprehensive measure of workplace fairness in the country. It employs a simple and easy to understand score that lets employees and civil society know how well companies are doing in their efforts to increase gender equity at the workplace.

The Index sorts companies into three groups ..?

trailblazers,?

pacesetters,

and late bloomers.?

Dr. Esma Gel & Elisa Thomas will speak in a moment about what distinguishes these companies.?

It is built on data released by the companies it measures … as well as publicly available government data and sophisticated data modeling techniques that measure over dozens of? unique metrics.

And, unlike almost any other measure, the Index prioritizes what women say matters to them, and gives more weight to criteria that women surveyed have told us is most important to them.

---?

For me .. here’s one of the most exciting stories behind the Women’s Power and Influence Index. It was built by our very own ASU students from various disciplines - all of whom are here today.

I met with these students earlier … they are absolutely brilliant young minds with a built-in understanding that society must evolve toward equity.?

They have high standards for our shared future –?as they should.?

And, they are savvy. They understand how to leverage technology and data to make positive change.

We are grateful for them, and for the Difference Engine … which empowers their talents and perspectives.?

If you’re not familiar with the Difference Engine, here’s a quick primer.?

ASU’s Difference Engine is an ASU-wide academic center and venture studio doing groundbreaking work like the Index with the goal of eliminating structural inequality.?

It is a true expression of our ASU Charter –?our set of foundational ideals of academic excellence, education access and community, societal and global impact.

Traditionally, communities have had two ways of creating social change:?

1) through the largesse of donors and?

2) through the civil society approach (legislating, lobbying, litigation, etc.)

The Difference Engine is building a third way, one where communities can build their own solutions to problems in partnership with academia and industry.

The time is right for this new approach because traditional models have been limited in their impact. And, practical solutions are now more accessible and affordable than ever. The creation of virtual products and services is easier than ever before. And, the democratization of knowledge is rapidly accelerating.

I am proud to lead an academic community that not only gets this, but embraces it through investments in the students, faculty and staff that make up The Difference Engine.

Speaking of investment, I want to express my thanks to the Henry Luce Foundation. We are deeply grateful for the Henry Luce Foundation and their support of The Difference Engine.?

---

Now, I know I likely do not need to convince anyone in this room that pay equity should be given. But in case you need some talking points for conversations with those who need convincing, here are some additional reasons why pay equity is so vital to our future.?

Number 1: A more equitable workplace is better for businesses.

Equitable workplaces, such as those that rank higher on the Index, have teams that experience lower turnover, have higher morale, are more efficient and generate higher profits.

Number 2: A more equitable workplace is better for the country.

For our nation, a more equitable workforce would advance our economy. "Closing gender gaps in the workforce would add between $12-$28 trillion to global GDP.”

Number 3: A more equitable workplace is better for people.

Equity improves mental health. Americans are spending more and more time working … and mental illness continues to rise. A fairer workplace increases health outcomes like agency and meaning, dramatically reducing the chronic symptomatology associated with mental illness.

Number 4: Building a more equitable workplace … is just the right thing to do.?

It is difficult to change that which is not measured.?

The Index matters because measuring a problem is the first step in solving it.?

And, public rankings like the Index have been known to ignite behavior change, especially when they are well-considered and trustworthy. The Index is can be this trusted tool for the public and for industry alike because our goal with the Index is not to shame … but to celebrate those doing well, give companies that need improvement a roadmap, and partner with those companies that want to advance equity, but need the knowledge of one of the nation’s leading research universities to get them there.?

---?

While this is a truly exciting day, I know that this work is just the start.?

In speaking with the students involved in the Index, I’ve been told that future versions will be intersectional, expanding beyond women to cover all genders and include consideration of other protected categories.

And, versions 3.0 and beyond will employ the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, gathering even more data on unique metrics that will enable more customization.

It’s an exciting time to be at ASU, where all of us are Difference Engineers. I invite you to stay engaged with us as we advance this work and continue to leverage our place here in L.A. to make positive impacts in the lives of the students and scholars who join us here to advance our vision for the future.?