Brief Report: Exploring the Experiences of Women Faculty with Caregiving Responsibilities during the Onset of COVID-19

The onset of COVID-19 forced many in higher education to adjust to remote work. This presented a challenge for women faculty who have for decades been shuffling between the conflicting demands of work and home. An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken by conducting confidential semi-structured interviews with full-time women faculty that had caregiving responsibilities during the Spring 2020 semester. The goals of this research were to listen to these women to hear about their struggles, perseverance, and coping strategies and to explore what institutional supports were offered to them during this time. Using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the theoretical framework was applied to assess how institutions fulfilled the needs of women faculty with caregiving responsibilities during the onset of the pandemic. Thematic analysis revealed four primary categories that highlighted topics related to stress and support.