Women's Agenda, Women's Choices

Debbie Becker

Cavalier Daily

Cavalier Daily

1988-04-05

Women’s Agenda, Women’s Choices
Recently, the University community has seen many women's concerns issues enter the public eye. The reporting of four sexual assaults and the National Organization for Women's mock date rape trial were among the events which brought attention to women’s issues.
Many concerns are unique when examined from a woman's point of view. Sexual assault and pregnancy are just two items on a list of such issues. Sexual harassment, pornography, sexual discrimination, comparable worth, affirmative action – among many other topics – all should be added to this list.
It is not clear what women’s aims should be with respect to these issues, nor is it evident which actions should be taken to reach these ends. Nevertheless, almost all agree that women as well as men at the University are affected every day by the present status of women's concerns.
The Women’s Concerns Committee of Student Council is designed to address these matters of importance to women and to encourage changes which will improve the status of women and their relationship to the University.
This task is much more challenging and complex than it may sound at first. The lack of agreement among participants in the women’s movement is very real even today. A fundamental question, for example, is whether women should approach their fight by attacking male dominance in society or by focusing on the attainment of "equality. " This is only one of the many issues which a group addressing the concerns of women has to face,
Women's concerns are not only theoretical or philosophical. We at the University are affected daily by matters of importance to women end thus must analyze whether we are satisfied with the status of those concerns.
Please help the Women's Concerns Committee work for students at the University. This semester,the Women 's Concerns Committee and Students for Rape Awareness will write a revised copy of the recently distributed sexual assault pamphlet. Other issues to be addressed in the next month will be decided at the meeting this week. Marsha Garst, the newly appointed vice chairwoman of the committee, and l, the newly appointed chairwoman, will be holding our first meeting tomorrow night at 7:30 in Peabody Hall, Rm. 110.
The committee is designed to address any concerns of female students at the University. This interaction with the student population is essential to our effectiveness. Please attend the meeting and voice your opinions and thoughts so that we can make a committee that will respond to student needs.
Beginning April 13, the meetings will be held at 6 p.m. every Wednesday in Peabody Hall, Rm. 110.
Debbie Becker
Chairwoman
Woman 's Concerns Committee
Student Council
CLAS 1