1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«This paper presents a review of the literature on trailing spouses in higher education contexts and calls to educational administrators of higher education institutes in Canada to carve out necessary space for trailing spouses in policy and support programs.» (p. 4)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«[W]hat does the literature state about the experiences of trailing spouses in higher education contexts? How can educational administrators respond to the challenges facing trailing spouses of academics who relocate for employment?» (p. 4)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«The three institutions chosen were Dalhousie University, the University of Alberta, and McGill University.» (p. 13-14) The authors «collected and analyzed the official documents of the three chosen institutions via their websites to function as a form of policy research […].» (p. 12)

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

«In conclusion, a content analysis of the readily available policies and practices of three Canadian universities related to support for trailing spouses reflects the shifting nature of academic careers, the internationalization of higher education, increased gender representation among faculty, and shifting family dynamics. Faculty members have historically been expected to relocate to other cities, and perhaps countries, to obtain employment, but these aforementioned changes require continued exploration of university policies that support faculty and their families. As the literature identifies a connection between family supports provided by academic employers at the administration level and faculty retention, we see an increasing and timely usefulness among Canadian post-secondary institutions to invest time and resources in making this geographical transition easier for academics and their families. In addition, to support academic “families” requires the use of diverse and inclusive language practices that reflect the changing nature of family systems.» (p. 24) Note that McGill University is the only one of the three universities to explicitly state that they support common-law and same-sex unions. «In addition to employment services, the Faculty Relocation Office at McGill University will also provide information and support around issues of housing, childcare, schools, public transportation, health care, volunteer opportunities, and language learning for new faculty and their families […].» (p. 16) «In terms of the challenges facing trailing spouses, McGill University has clearly-stated multi-faceted employment supports, both at the university and in partnership with the city of Montreal.» (p. 20)