Workshop Activity for Gender Equity Simulation

The objective of WAGES is to advance through the ranks of academic life and be the first participant to become a Distinguished Professor. WAGES-Academic was designed for use with U.S. university faculty and administrators. It is also used successfully with graduate students, upper-division undergrads, and working professionals not affiliated with colleges/universities.

WAGES-Academic works best with six players per set and multiple sets can be used in a session with one inclusive post-game discussion.

• The activity uses a game board divided into three levels: Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor.
• A set of activity cards corresponds to each level and describes situations likely to come up in an academic work context, such as requesting supplemental lab space or being asked to chair a university committee.
• The cards describe how successful one has been and determine a player’s progress.
• All items are based on peer-reviewed published empirical research.

Before playing, four to eight individuals are randomly divided into Green and White teams. Six players work best.

• Players take turn drawing and reading the activity cards corresponding to their current level and team.
• The Green and White team face identical issues, but in Green-team and White-team specific ways as reflected in the activity cards.
• As the game progresses, players become aware that the Green Team represents women’s work life experience, while the White Team represents most men’s.

The activity ends with a discussion of the four goals of WAGES, and specific strategies for effectively addressing the activation of bias in the workplace.

A Facilitator’s Manual includes directions for the facilitator, topics for discussion, and documentation for all WAGES items.

Click here for a brief video describing WAGES and results of one of our empirical studies of its efficacy.