Spring Break
The Daily OrangeCommittee surveys need for women's center at SU
By Jenae A. Richardson
Posted: 2/10/09, 2:29 AM EST Section: News
"We'll help them if they come through our doors," she said.
Dona Yarbrough, the Emory University center director, challenges people to understand the definition of feminism since that may help clarify what the center's about, she said.
"It's the value at a university that men and women are treated equally, and that's feminism," she said.
The center coordinates several projects for women including Women's History Month, networking events for women, and a health and wellness series.
"If you look at the way women are progressing in the world, you would see the need for a women's center," she said. "Women go into areas that offer low-paying careers and a woman's center can help them with such issues," she said.
At SU, Hanson said that she wants the committee and the SU community to collaborate so the campus can use the center actively. But some SU students aren't sure of the center's purpose.
Cynthia Salazar, a freshman biochemistry major, said she doesn't know what a women's center would look like, but would be interested in having one on campus.
She said she loves biology and chemistry but sometimes finds it difficult to be a female science student. Last semester, Salazar took biology and said she felt alienated at times, especially working in a lab group as the only woman among two men. Salazar said she found that her male peers often disregarded her answers even if they were correct.
"They saw themselves as being smarter than I was," she said.
She said she envisions an ideal women's center as a place that offers more than counseling for women, but also information about opportunities such as internships.
Matt Robin, a freshman in the Setnor School of Music, said he doesn't see a need for a women's center at SU since there aren't any outright issues between men and women. On the other hand, Robin said he can see a women's center as a helpful resource for women.
"I think that there would be women on campus who would benefit from it," Robin said.
The committee hopes to have the results of the student survey by the end of the spring 2009 semester. Hanson said she's excited to see the responses.
"These surveys help us paint the picture of what this ideal on campus center could be," she said. "But what is the 'it'?" she asked, referring to the women's center that some still find abstract and intangible.
"Such a short word carries so much with it," she said.
jarich04@syr.edu
Dona Yarbrough, the Emory University center director, challenges people to understand the definition of feminism since that may help clarify what the center's about, she said.
"It's the value at a university that men and women are treated equally, and that's feminism," she said.
The center coordinates several projects for women including Women's History Month, networking events for women, and a health and wellness series.
"If you look at the way women are progressing in the world, you would see the need for a women's center," she said. "Women go into areas that offer low-paying careers and a woman's center can help them with such issues," she said.
At SU, Hanson said that she wants the committee and the SU community to collaborate so the campus can use the center actively. But some SU students aren't sure of the center's purpose.
Cynthia Salazar, a freshman biochemistry major, said she doesn't know what a women's center would look like, but would be interested in having one on campus.
She said she loves biology and chemistry but sometimes finds it difficult to be a female science student. Last semester, Salazar took biology and said she felt alienated at times, especially working in a lab group as the only woman among two men. Salazar said she found that her male peers often disregarded her answers even if they were correct.
"They saw themselves as being smarter than I was," she said.
She said she envisions an ideal women's center as a place that offers more than counseling for women, but also information about opportunities such as internships.
Matt Robin, a freshman in the Setnor School of Music, said he doesn't see a need for a women's center at SU since there aren't any outright issues between men and women. On the other hand, Robin said he can see a women's center as a helpful resource for women.
"I think that there would be women on campus who would benefit from it," Robin said.
The committee hopes to have the results of the student survey by the end of the spring 2009 semester. Hanson said she's excited to see the responses.
"These surveys help us paint the picture of what this ideal on campus center could be," she said. "But what is the 'it'?" she asked, referring to the women's center that some still find abstract and intangible.
"Such a short word carries so much with it," she said.
jarich04@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Chip
posted 2/10/09 @ 11:31 AM EST
A place to go for women professors? I thought integration and interaction is the goal? You don't accelerate full acceptance by others by segregating yourself. (Continued…)
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