Meetings: 2002 (2.5) | President’s Commission on Women’s Issues

MINUTES – February 5, 2002
0154 Tawes Building

Meeting commenced at noon.

PRESENT:

Chair: Lauri Grunig

Guest: Roberta Kaskel

Members/Liaisons:

Chris Aggour
Barbara Finkelstein
Kay Bartol
John Martin
Patty Bernales
Laura Nichols
Margaret Bridwell
Beth Platz
Christine Clark
Yunna Rhee
Roberta Coates
Terry Sayler
Mary Cothran
Andrianna Stuart
Joanne DeSiato
Dianne Sullivan
Susan Farr
John Zack
Sara Eno
Rob Waters

Welcome:

Lauri Grunig welcomed Commission members back to a new semester.

Approval of Minutes:

The December minutes were approved as amended.

Announcements:

Grunig reminded the Commission that Roberta Kaskel would be joining the meeting at 12:30 p.m. as today’s guest; Commission members are invited to ask her questions.

The PCWI is a co-sponsor of the Vagina Monologues, which will be presented Feb. 13-14, 16.

Grunig attended the first meeting of the new Maryland Work-Life Alliance, held in Annapolis Jan. 31. She is a member of the Alliance’s Advisory Council.

Grunig read a thank-you note from Peggy Wood, former undergraduate student member of the PCWI, who acknowledged receiving our graduation memento.

Committee Report:

Staff Issues: Christine Clark introduced her committee’s draft resolution, which had been distributed electronically to PCWI members before this meeting. That draft was revised as a result of feedback and further discussion in the Staff Issues Committee before the Feb. 5 meeting. The Commission agreed to review the latest draft in conjunction with a campus Senate report on staff issues and to discuss the resolution at the next regular PCWI meeting.

Guest:

Grunig introduced Roberta Kaskel to the Commission. Kaskel is associate director of the Career Center. She has three decades of experience in women’s rights, especially employment rights. She serves as state coordinator for the Maryland Network of the American Council on Education (http://www.acenet.edu/programs...). She described the work of the Network in helping prepare and promote women and people of color to senior levels of administration in higher education.

Old Business:

Women’s History Month: There is no theme for Women’s History Month. We may want to revisit the question of developing a theme for next year. The announcement for submissions to the calendar has gone out on FYI. Membership: The Commission is searching for a new undergraduate student representative to replace Peggy Wood. [Note: Subsequent to the Feb. 5 meeting, the work-study student assigned to the PCWI has been promoted for membership. The president’s office has agreed to send Dana Falorio, a sophomore in Spanish, a letter of invitation.] Colloquium Series: Barbara Finkelstein reported that she and Harriet Presser are moving forward on planning for the colloquium series on “Dilemmas of Power and Institution Building” they are initiating. They are in the process of considering dates, venues, and panel participants. The first in this series will take place during Women’s History Month and will replace our regular membership meeting for March.

New Business:

Commissioners discussed opportunities presented by Susan Farr and the Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts spring programs on women in theatre. We agreed to pursue the chance to meet with the performance artists coming to campus in April, perhaps through special receptions in addition to the performances themselves.

Andrianna Stuart, CUSS representative, shared a letter from the Council of University System Faculty asking the Board of Regents to review the issue of providing benefits to the domestic partners of USM employees. Commission members agreed to review and comment on this issue when we receive more information and have more time to review the Domestic Partner Benefits Task Force Report. Responses are needed by April.

Distribution of Documents:

Information on the Maryland Network of the American Council on Education and two handouts from Mary Cothran and the Outstanding Woman of Color Committee (nomination form and draft of prior winners) were provided.

Next Meeting:

The PCWI meeting originally scheduled for March 6 is cancelled. We will meet for a special colloquium on “Dilemmas of Power and Institution Building” during Women’s History Month, exact date to be decided.