By Nicole June

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Austin Peay State University (APSU) is joining the ranks of some of the nation’s leading employers through the school’s recently approved parental leave policy.

The new policy, signed June 18, 2018, provides eligible full-time employees of the university with six weeks (225 hours) of paid parental leave, which applies to both mothers and fathers after birth or adoption.

The policy will go into effect Jan. 2, 2019.

APSU is the second public university in the state to create such a policy, following closely on the heels of the University of Memphis. The federal government does not require companies to offer paid maternity and paternity leave, making it difficult for working parents of both genders to balance employment and family.

Dr. Mercy Cannon, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Letters and Associate Professor of English at APSU, was instrumental in bringing the new policy to fruition. As a mother of two young children and an advocate of inclusivity, she has worked for the past two and a half years to help shape a policy that respects the rights of parents.

“It’s been such a long time coming and we worked so hard to make this happen,” Dr. Cannon said.

About two and a half years ago Dr. Cannon was in a meeting with Provost Rex Gandy when she explained to him the bind faculty members often find themselves in after having a baby. She told him it was nearly impossible for employees to accrue enough paid sick leave to cover the time needed.

After her initial complaint, the faculty senate created a task force co-chaired by Dr. Cannon and Dr. Andrea Spofford to research the problem and come up with practical solutions. They held listening meetings, met with administration officials, and researched the policies of other universities.

Dr. Cannon once again brought her concerns to the faculty senate last year. Following the meeting, APSU President Alisa White authorized the Director of Human Resources to begin writing the policy. The proposed language was then sent to several different committees for approval and budgetary requirements.

“Sometimes there are policies – and this is one – that drive a culture. This is going to help create a culture where having a family is welcomed rather than implicitly discouraged,” Dr. Cannon said. “It’s going to work greatly to the benefit of women who have professional careers. It tells employees that the university embraces a life beyond work. It allows us to have our babies and pause and take care of our babies, and then return to those jobs that we’ve trained for, the jobs that we love so much.”

Dr. Cannon feels the parental leave policy will also serve as an excellent recruitment tool by setting the university apart from others and attracting talented employees.

“I think it speaks to a commitment to the employee and the life of the employee,” she said. “This is real and it’s going to impact so many people’s lives.”

Though Dr. Cannon initiated the effort, she gives credit to university officials for being supportive and working with her ideas from the start.

“I have to give President White all of the praise. People can have a voice, and I was a very relentless voice, but I don’t have any power, or a budget, or authority. It takes leaders listening to people, and that’s the kind of leader that we have with President White. She is forward thinking, she cares about people, and she’s practical.”

Dr. Cannon wishes to also give credit to the following individuals for their contributions to the policy:

President Alisa White
Provost Rex Gandy
VP of Finance and Administration Mitch Robinson
Dr. Andrea Spofford
Allie Michael

“There are a lot of others — so many people supported this policy. It was a beautiful thing to behold. This is not something that I could have made happen as just one person,” Dr. Cannon said.

For more information about the paid parental leave policy, visit Austin Peay State University’s website.