What does the Women's Center do?
Why does Wright State need a Women's Center?
Do other campuses have women's centers too?
Is the Center for women only?
What's the difference between the Women's Center and the Women's Studies Program?
How is the Women's Center connected with the other centers and programs on campus?
How can I become involved in the work of Women's Center?
What does the Women's
Center do?
There are four main facets of the WSU Women's Center:
- Community Space—The Women's Center is a safe, fun place
for women and men to meet friends, use computers or the
library, study, get involved in a student organization,
and generally be themselves.
- Programs & Events—It is vital to our mission that we
provide numerous educational programs about health, wellness,
feminism, activism, and other political and economic issues.
See our Calendar of Events for a complete listing.
- Resources & Information—The Center has a resource library,
pamphlets about local organizations and issues, a wide range
of health information, and the ability to refer you to campus
and community organizations that can help you and answer
your questions if we can't.
- Institutional & Individual Advocacy—The Center is a
place of support for survivors of rape, dating/domestic
violence, stalking, harassment, and hate crimes. The Center
also actively works for an improved campus climate by recommending
better policies, procedures, and practices.
Why does Wright State need a Women's
Center?
The need for resources and support for women at Wright State
and in the surrounding area is well documented in letters
to the administration prior to the center's establishment
in February 1993. In addition, a 1993 report by the Task Force
on the Status of Women in the Academy at WSU addressed the
need for improvements in campus climate and in equitable treatment
and access.
Do other campuses have women's centers too?
Definitely! In fact, there are hundreds of centers across
the nation. Women's centers began to appear in the 1970s as
an outgrowth of women's movement and have been a hub for activism
and social change ever since. Many of these centers, including
the center at LSU, were founded by students. Today, students
and their activism are still the most vital components of
the success of women's centers. Creative Folk is widely considered the most complete listing of women's
centers on the Internet.
Is the Center for women only?
Absolutely not! The Women's Center welcomes both men and women
to utilize its resources and attend programs. We are called
the Women's Center because of our mission to promote the improvement
of women's opportunities and access, a mission that men are
invited to actively advocate and support.
What's the difference between the Women's Center and
the Women's Studies Program?
The Women's Center and the Women's Studies Program are distinct
campus units. Most simply, Women's Studies is an academic
program that provides classes, advising, and programs for
students pursuing a minor, a major, undergraduate and graduate
certificate, or graduate options in Women's Studies. On the
other hand, the Women's Center is charged by the university
to improve general campus climate, support the diverse personal
and professional needs women students, faculty, and staff,
and educate the campus about women's/gender issues. While
the Women's Center and the Women's Studies Program fulfill different roles on campus, they share an interest
in exploring gender and women's issues and often work together
to provide programs.
How is the Women's Center connected with the other
centers and programs on campus?
The Women's Center, the Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center,
and the Asian/Hispanic/Native American Center work cooperatively
to produce interconnected programming, a calendar, and other
shared projects to emphasize the relationships between gender,
race, and ethnicity. Independently and cooperatively, the
three centers seek to better serve the diverse women and men
of Wright State. The three centers also facilitate referrals
to and information-sharing with other units concerned with
diversity issues such as the Affirmative Action Office, the Office of Disability Services, and the Women's Studies and African and African American Studies Programs.
How can I become involved in the work of Women's Center?
There are plenty of opportunities! Attend our educational
programming. Educate yourself about women's issues. Offer
your suggestions for projects and events. Volunteer your time
at the center. Join Mothers Offering Mothers Support (MOMS) or Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA), both are active WSU student organizations. Donate an item on our wish
list. Speak up in the classroom, cafeteria, and all other
areas of campus against comments that hurt women. Treat others
with respect. And, most importantly, visit us!
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