Present: Stacy Allie, Karen Baker, Barbara Burrell, Virginia Cassidy, Stacie Elder, Deborah Haliczer, Amy Levin, Kelli Lyon Johnson, Kathy Lockard, Sue Ouellette, Julia Sober, Jie Song, Josephine Umoren, Pat Vary
Absent: Susan Carter, Joanne Dempsey, Sharon Howard, Lisa King, Phinette Maszka, William Minor, Marilyn Stromborg
The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. by chair Sue Ouellette in Lowden hall 304. Sue Ouellette added an item to our agenda. Barbara Burrell moved to approve the minutes from the meeting of January 15, 2003, and Virginia Cassidy seconded the motion. Minutes were unanimously approved.
The Commission offered its congratulations to Kelli Lyon Johnson who has accepted an assistant professorship in English at Miami University in Ohio.
Affirmative Action Diversity Resources (AADR) Sue Ouellette reported for Sharon Howard that the diversity of the committee’s membership has been improved and that the committee will be meet soon.
The Campus Climate and Quality of Life subcommittee chair Kathy Lockard reported for interested members the dates of the Voices for Change workshops: Monday, February 17th at 6p.m. in Lincoln Hall TV Room; Tuesday, February 18 at 7 p.m. in Grant North C/D Formal; and Tuesday, February 25 at 7 p.m. in Douglas Big Blue Room. Those interested should call Diane Pospisil-Kinney to tell her you are planning to attend. The Commission discussed various methods of improving student participation at the Voices for Change workshops, and, at Virginia Cassidy’s suggestion, decided to send those recommendations on to the Office of Student Affairs. Kathy Lockard will draft those recommendations and bring them back to the Commission at the March meeting.
Kathy Lockard also invited discussion on the Commission’s letter to President Peters in support of the suggestions of those who worked for the Department of Justice grant on stalking and sexual violence. After a fruitful discussion, Sue Ouellette suggested that Kathy talk to Sharon, under whose auspices some of the grant members’ suggestions might fall, and draft a letter advocating for a personnel position to coordinate the wide number of services that the university offers its students, staff, and faculty who face sexual violence and/or stalking.
Pat Vary requested an email version of both of Kathy Lockard’s drafts so that members could give some thought to the materials before the next meeting.
The Personal and Professional Development subcommittee chair Jie Song reported that Mrs. Peters has agreed to speak on the subject of "dressing for success in the twentieth century," an event at which she will display professional dress for women from a variety of periods. The pending questions include Mrs. Peters’s acceptance of the Duke Ellington Ballroom as an appropriate venue for her lecture; the appropriate procedures for collecting money for the luncheon; the possibility of offering free admission to those not interested in eating the catered lunch; the possibility of box lunches; the possibility of coordinating this even with a suit drive for Dress for Success; the person or office accepting reservations; the cost of handing the event over to External Programming. With the help of her committee, Jie Song will report the answers to these questions at the next meeting.
The Research subcommittee chair Pat Vary reported that her committee is working on three projects: 1) Stop the Clock; 2) Salary Equity; and 3) Evaluation of Joint Appointments. The committee has not had an opportunity to meet about the Evaluation of Joint Appointments, but they are planning a meeting.
For Stop the Clock, Deborah Haliczer has given the names of the committee to Steve Cunningham’s office, and the committee is in the process of doing research about a variety of tenure clock policies. They are waiting to meet.
For Salary Equity, Pat Vary is pleased with the increase in membership on the committee considering the matter. Professors Lynn Neely, Doris Macdonald, Michael Gonzalez, Martin Williams, and Christine Sorenson have joined the committee. The committee membership has reached thirty-two. As a result, the committee has split into two groups—one gathering and studying quantitative data and one gathering and studying qualitative data. The two groups will communicate frequently, so that both aspects of the salary equity issue are considered. Deborah Haliczer praised Pat Vary’s assertiveness, hard work, and ability to synthesize and present a lot of information to the committee about the value of qualitative research in such a process.
For the Awards subcommittee, Sue Ouellette reminded us that we have the revised criteria and that the materials for the award are in the process of being finalized. She also exhorted commission members to attend the Awards ceremony for the Stricklin Award and the Outstanding Women Student Awards on April 13th.
Amy Levin has been elected the Co-Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee for the National Women’s Studies Association. She welcomes input and will keep the Commission informed about upcoming focus groups. Amy Levin also presented information about the Mother’s Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was created by Women’s Studies faculty to honor mothers and those who act as mothers. The fund is not restricted to memorials but also to honor mothers still living and mothering. The scholarship will be awarded to a student. As the fund relates to the Commission, Amy Levin would like to see 1) one member of PCSW on the selection committee; 2) the award announced at the Outstanding Women Student Award ceremony; 3) fliers on the tables at networking luncheons.
Sue Ouellette asked for volunteers to represent PCSW for the search process for the Provost position. Amy Levin and Barbara Burrell will attend the February 18th meeting with George Bishop. Deborah Haliczer will attend the February 14th meeting with Paul Bauer. Amy Levin, Barbara Burrell, and Deborah Haliczer will attend the February 26th meeting with Earl Seaver. These Commission members will let us know if PCSW needs to make an individual report.
Other announcements included the date of the International Woman’s Day Luncheon: March 5, 2003. The speaker will be Josie Mendez-Negrete. Interested Commission members should reserve their seat early by calling 753-9614.
Pat Vary moved that the meeting be adjourned, and Kathy Lockard seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned by Sue Ouellette at 2:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kelli Lyon Johnson