Issues affecting women on campus, in addition to current and upcoming programs for women, were discussed at a Center for Women Students orientation session held yesterday afternoon.
The meeting, which was co-sponsored by the Center for Women Students and the USG Department of Womens Studies, was intended to attract new members and reacquaint returning members with current women's issues on campus, said Sabrina Chapman, the center's director.
The session began with all in attendance stating their name, their initial concerns, and any additional information for the group. Chapman confirmed that the emphasis of the center is on outreach, friendliness, and a forum for women to sit down and talk about the status of women at Penn State.
"The best way to become involved is by attending women's concerns meetings on Wednesday nights and using the Center for Women Students," said Chapman.
The center serves as a place to connect with other women and feel good about being a woman, Chapman said. Further explaining some of the center's functions, Chapman said it helps for women to create new self-images of empowerment and self-importance in their minds to replace the stereotypes instilled by an older culture.
One particular issue addressed was the "chilly" classroom/campus environment present at Penn State. Along with outright sexist remarks and jokes heard in the classroom, there is a "tendency to overvalue the masculine, call on men more frequently, and reinforce their answers more often," Chapman said. She also noted that all minorities deal with the problem of this "chilly" environment.
In reference to sexual assault, new women students learned that although State College is a rural community, it is not necessarily a safe one. Many women admitted to being afraid to walk to the library at night.
Patricia Johnstone, support staff and co-chair of the Sexual Assualt Policy Committee, said women walking on campus or in town are not safe. Citing the number of rapes reported last year, Johnstone said this figure is below the actual number committed because many acquaintance or "date" rapes go unreported.
Acquaintance rape is a threat incoming freshman women should be aware of, said Beth Stokes, co-director of the USG Department of Women's Concerns. An effort to create a mobile escort system for women was initiated in spring. It will officially be considered in September and probably decided on in October, Chapman said.
Chapman clarified the distinctions between the Center for Women Students, the Department of Women's Concerns, and Women's Studies. The first is a division of Student Services and is staffed by full-time professionals. The second is run solely by students, and the last is the official cluster of University coursework devoted to women, she said.
"It's a very close working relationship," Chapman said, commenting on the interaction between the three.
According to a brochure, the six objectives of the Center for Women Students are advocacy, information, educational programs, services and referrals, coordination with existing groups and liaison with campuses. Women need to know that support systems exist for them to voice their opinions about issues of concern, Stokes said.
Summarizing the meeting, Chapman said the center is "affirming the equality of all persons through our work and through our lives."
