Present: Barbara Burrell, Sally Conklin, Stacie Elder, Deborah Haliczer, Sharon Howard, Glenda Jones, Kathy Lockard, Carol Patch, Julie Robertson, Lise Schlosser, Josephine Umoren.
Absent: Stacy Allie, Karen Baker, Virginia Cassidy, Joanne Dempsey, Lisa King, Amy Levin, Sue Ouellette, Julia Sober.
The meeting was called to order at 1:05 p.m. by chair Stacie Elder in Lowden Hall 304. Barbara Burrell made a motion to approve the minutes from the October 8, 2003 meeting, and Glenda Jones seconded the motion. The minutes were unanimously approved.
AADR has not met and therefore has no report.
Kathy Lockard, chair of the Campus Climate and Quality of Life reported that the call box issue has not been made official. Julie Robertson will bring up the issue at the Campus Security and Environmental Quality Committee meeting next week.
The possibility of a pilot 3-credit leadership class UNIV 102 has not gotten permission by the curriculum committee as yet. It is considered a duplication. Efforts will continue to get this course approved.
The sub-committee has not had a chance to contact Bob Self, chair of the English Department, regarding the possibility of including domestic violence as a writing topic in Freshman English.
Josephine Umoren, chair of the Personal and Professional Development subcommittee reported the first Networking Luncheon with speaker Cary Groth, Director, NIU Intercollegiate Athletics, held October 24th was a success. Forty-seven individuals made reservations to attend.
Barbara Burrell, chair of the RESEARCH subcommittee reports that they will be researching the use of the Family Leave Act by employees: Who has used it; How it has been used; etc. A larger survey of the chairs will also be compiled. Deborah Haliczer may have an intern who will be available to assist with this project.
The AWARDS AND RECOGNITION subcommittee does not have a chair as yet. The request for nominations for Outstanding Women Students Award has been sent. Deborah Haliczer announced that the Supportive Professional Staff Award nomination forms will be sent soon, as well as, the Operating Staff Award nomination forms.
SALARY EQUITY TASK FORCE had no report the last meeting was cancelled.
Sheri Kallembach, who is the NIU representative to the ILLINOIS NETWORK OF WOMEN LEADERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION, had given us a hand out with four questions to respond to at the last meeting. These questions were discussed.
1. What is the climate for women on your campus?
There have been recent attempts to encourage women to take leadership roles, i.e. a possible UNIV 102 course (that was voted down), but no definite climate was identified.
2. Would women on your campus participate in campus events? ( If yes, how can the Network assist in preparation for such an event on our campus?)
There was a lot of discussion about the inability of women to take time off from work to attend events. There is a lack of coverage for many jobs, and some events are too long to have approved time off. Events scheduled after work have historically been poorly attended. The issue does not seem to be disinterest, but rather lack of time.
3. What can the Network offer that will best meet the needs of Illinois women?
The Network might be able to offer some information on leadership opportunities; programs could be held off-campus where it women could take the day off to attend and not have to worry about having to return to their jobs.
4. What topics or programs would be most valued at a Network event?
Empowering females; identity theft; nutrition topics, i.e. low carb diets; time management; self-preservation.
There was some discussion about partnering a program with Black History Month, Wellness Fair. Several people, including myself, were willing to volunteer time to partner with the Network in developing a program.
The response was not what I had hoped for, but everyone seemed to think that it would be difficult to fit a program in with all of the events coming up in the spring.
Randi Beth Wolfe, Associate Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education has been appointed to a three-year term to the PCSW.
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Sally Conklin and seconded by Lise Schlosser. The motion was approved unanimously. Stacie Elder adjourned the meeting at 1:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Betty Baugh