WOMEN'S STUDIES
BULLETIN

December 2003

Table of Contents:
ASSOCIATE OF THE MONTH
LGBT CURRICULUM WORKSHOP: A SUCCESS
THE YOUNG WOMEN’S CONFERENCE: ANOTHER SUCCESS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
SWIM FOR MOM: FUNDRAISER FOR MMSF
FORUM ON THE WARS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, INCLUDING PANELIST, AMY LEVIN
LUNAFEST: FILMS BY, FOR, & ABOUT WOMEN
STILL NEED A CLASS FOR THE SPRING?

ASSOCIATE OF THE MONTH
Carole Minor, Presidential Teaching Professor in Counseling, Adult, and Health Education, is the associate of the month. As a professor of counseling, her research has been on career development, including the career development of women. Minor’s own career developed partly in response to her interest in helping guide the career paths of high school students. Minor began with as a high school math teacher after receiving her B.S. in mathematics and education from Michigan State University. However, she realized that her passion lay elsewhere when she noticed how students needed more direction and focus with career decisions. As a result, she returned to school to complete her M.S. at Florida State in Counseling and finally to the University of Maryland, College Park, for her Ph.D. in Counseling and Personnel Services with a specialty in career development. At Maryland, her focus turned more toward the career choices of women because, as Minor explains, “there were a lot of feminists at Maryland.” Soon after completing her degree she came to NIU.

Currently, Minor is involved in several projects. One project that is culminating this year, with two presentations scheduled thus far, focuses on the career decisions of academic women, for which Minor interviewed 34 full professors at NIU. Two of her other projects are stemming from the access to resources to support teaching she gained from her Presidential Teaching Professorship. One of the projects is a book series that focuses on experiential activities for teaching career counseling. Volume 1 is already complete and has earned her an award from the National Career Development Association. Another project that she hopes to begin in the near future is a video series that features women theorists and their theories about career choices.

As part of her service at NIU, Minor has been involved in women’s issues on campus, beginning with an appointment on PCSW in 1989. Most recently, she has become active with the Women’s Studies Program, including several terms on the executive committee. She has served as chair last year and this year. Her main focus has been on the Mother’s Memorial Scholarship Fund, which she helped initiate partly in response to her own mother’s death. She considers this fundraiser to be the main focus of her service to the Women’s Studies Program.

To learn more about Minor, visit her web page at: http://www.cedu.niu.edu/cahe/minorbio.html.

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LGBT CURRICULUM WORKSHOP: A SUCCESS!
On Friday, October 31, the Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation and the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center hosted a curriculum development workshop on integrating LGBT theory and issues into the classroom experience. The workshop included 43 registered participants, 19 presenters including the keynote speaker, and 13 volunteers, for a total of 75 participants. Registrants came from institutions such as the University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Beloit College, Southern Illinois University, Kishwaukee College, and Miami University of Ohio in addition to NIU. According to one of the key organizers, Diana Swanson, “discussion at sessions was animated, people were talking with each other in the halls, and the written evaluations, on a first quick overview, are overwhelmingly positive.”
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THE YOUNG WOMEN’S CONFERENCE: ANOTHER SUCCESS!
The Young Women’s Conference was held on Wednesday, October 29, 2003. Twenty-eight high school girls attended, and the Women’s Studies faculty associates sponsored seven scholarships. The girls attended sessions where ten members of the NIU community presented valuable lessons and insights about their lives and careers as women. The students also attended tours at the Observatory and Barsema Hall, both of which were highly applauded. According to one student, “I learned I don’t have to feel afraid of being a successful woman.” Thanks to everyone, especially the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences External Programming Office, for producing another successful conference!
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Pending Graduate Colloquium approval, we have two colloquium speakers lined up for March’s Women’s History Month. The first, Karen Eliot, Associate Professor of Dance at the Ohio State University, will give a formal lecture on Tuesday, March 16, at 7:30 on the experience of six women dancers from the 18th Century to the present. She will also meet with graduate students in the morning of the 17th to discuss unique career opportunities in Dance and English based on her professional experience as a dancer with Merce Cunningham and as a scholar of 18th century British literature. Our second speaker is Nancy Naples, Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at the University of Connecticut. She will visit on Thursday, March 25. She will lead an informal workshop on integrating feminist activism into the classroom at 3:30 and a formal lecture on women and globalization at 7:30. Faculty may wish to consider these important speakers as they plan their spring syllabi.
We have many other exciting events planned for March. A few highlights include Pink Bloque, a feminist street activist group that dances in protest, sponsored by Unity in Diversity, Women’s Alliance, and Women’s Studies, a series of workshops that explore physical movement—from Yoga to self-defense techniques—brought to you by Women’s Studies and the Department of Kinesiology, and much more! Stay tuned for upcoming announcements.
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SWIM FOR MOM: FUNDRAISER FOR MMSF
On Sunday, February 22, Women’s Studies plans to hold a swim-a-thon to kick off Women’s History Month and to raise money for the Mother’s Memorial Scholarship Fund. The lap pool at the Kishwaukee YMCA has been reserved for the morning. Swimmers will have the opportunity to burn off those last few holiday calories and simultaneously raise money for an important cause. We are seeking both swimmers and donors. Interested? Contact the Women’s Studies office at 815.753.1038.
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FORUM ON THE WARS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, INCLUDING PANELIST, AMY LEVIN
On Wednesday December 3, 2003, from 12:00 to12:50 p.m. in B 211 Theater at Kishwaukee College, four panelists will briefly summarize different facets of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. There will be time for questions and discussion. The panelists are as follows:
--The Reasons We Went to War: Then and Now. Jennifer Jossendal: Kishwaukee College History Instructor, former NIU WS graduate assistant
--Our Military Presence in Iraq and Afghanistan: What are the Facts? Chad Schoenrock: Kishwaukee College Student and Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Egress Systems Technician
--The U.S., the U.N., and International Politics: Changing Attitudes and a Changing Relationship. Tom Conley: NIU Ph.D. Candidate in Russian History
--Life for Women: How has it Changed? Dr. Amy Levin: Director, NIU Women’s Studies Program
This event is brought to you by: International Education Committee, Coalition for Global Awareness, and Women and Family Issues Committee.
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LUNAFEST: FILMS BY, FOR, & ABOUT WOMEN
Lunafest, a national festival of films by, for, or about women, will return to DePaul University on January 16, 2004, at 7:00 p.m. in the Student Center Room 120, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave. The cost is $5 for students / $7 for community. In addition to providing national exposure for emerging women filmmakers, Lunafest also supports The Breast Cancer Fund (TBCF). In the past, Lunafest has raised more than $25,500 for TBCF. For a preview of this year's films visit: http://www.lunabar.com/lunafest/article.cgi?ID=7
For information contact: Sarah Opheim (sarahopheim@yahoo.com) or the Women's Center at 773.325.7558.
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STILL NEED A CLASS FOR THE SPRING?
Women’s Studies still has openings for the following courses. To register, please contact the Women’s Studies office at 815.753.1038.
--WOMS 430.P3/510.P1 Special Topics in WS: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies 3:00-5:40 T Swanson
--WOMS 430.P2/430H/ENGL 382 Special Topics in WS: Women Writers: The Tradition in English 11:00-12:15 TTh Layson
--COMS 410 Communication and Gender 11:00-12:15 TTh Keehner; 2:00-3:15 TTh Blisplinghoff
--FCNS 406 Global Food and Nutrition Issues 6:00-8:40 M Staff
--SOC 354 Families and Social Change 11:00-11:50 MWF or 1:00-1:50 MWF Sullivan
--SOC 357 The Sociology of Gender 12:30-1:45 TTh or
3:30-4:45 TTh Myers
--SOC 385 Gender & Crime 9:30-10:45 TTh Miller
--WOMS 530 Research in Women's Studies 5:30-8:10 W Kamenitsa
--WOMS 510.P2/ENGL 529 Special Topics in WS: Women in Rhetoric 6:00-8:40 W Peters
--*SOCI 675 The Sociology of Knowledge 6:00-8:40 Th Myers
--*FCNS 550 Conceptualizing and Treating Eating Disorders Naperville/Wknd Hotelling
* with approval of Director
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