Ohio State No. 4 in national ranking of partner-friendly research universities

Ohio State No. 4 in national ranking of partner-friendly research universities

Variety of employment options are available for dual-career couples

The Ohio State University's Columbus campus places No. 4 overall on a national ranking of "partner-friendly" hiring practices by top-tier research universities.

The ranking, the Partner Hire Scorecard, is part of the Dual-Careers Project, a larger study examining issues faced by couples who work in academia. The research team is based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the project is funded by a U.S. National Science Foundation grant.

The ranking aligns with Ohio State's efforts to create a supportive environment for prospective faculty members and their partners and families, said Patrick Louchouarn, senior vice provost for faculty.

"The significance of having a program that is so well-developed as ours sends a message to potential faculty that we are really committing to them being here fully - not just them, but with their family," he said.

By taking a proactive approach - led by Sarah Conley, assistant vice provost for dual careers and faculty relocation in the Office of Academic Affairs - Ohio State has stepped up recruitment and retention of dual-career partners, Louchouarn said.

"What happened last year is that we tripled our number of completed and successful offers to partners," he said. "We went from an average of about 16 to 17 for the past four years to close to 48."

More than one-third of academic researchers are in relationships with other academics, the Dual-Careers Project found. Offering employment opportunities to partners can assist colleges and universities in attracting talent who are national leaders in their fields, Louchouarn said.

"It really is a competitive advantage," he said. "When you make people comfortable and welcome with their partners, then people tend to commit much more easily to the institution."

The Dual-Careers Project highlights best practices in hiring, Louchouarn said.

"It's elevating double talent, rather than just one," he said, "and seeing those double talents as equal."

An effective hiring strategy is providing options in the types of positions available for dual-career partners, Louchouarn said.

"Not everybody wants a tenure-track position," he said. "What we support is the consideration of all types of faculty positions."

Ohio State also maintains relationships with central Ohio public- and private-sector employers who can offer professional opportunities to partners of new Ohio State hires, Louchouarn said.

"When you have a partner that is not an academic or not looking for an academic position, we also make contact with a group of partners that we have outside of the university for potential hires," he said. "We have more of a tailored type of approach for each of the partners we have."

The Dual-Careers Project collected and analyzed publicly available documents related to issues facing couples in academia at 146 R1 institutions. The project defines R1 institutions as doctoral universities with high research activity.

Other Ohio colleges and universities that are ranked in the study are: the University of Cincinnati - Main Campus (49), Case Western Reserve University (52), Ohio University - Main Campus (97) and Kent State University (121).

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