Women’s Center informs, educates
In 1974, former first lady Betty Ford was present at the ribbon ceremony to officially open the Women’s Center at Utah State University and dedicate it to lifelong learning.
Students may obtain information concerning the opportunities and resources available to them in the community and the USU campus at the Women’s Center. The center serves as an advocate for women, educating the campus and community on constituencies on the changing status of women and gender-based issues.
Janet Osborne, director of the Women’s Center and adjunct professor in sociology, said the center provides education programs, sources of information on gender issues, and where to find gender-related information if the center doesn’t have it.
“One of our main missions is to help re-entry students – men and women – come back to school,” Osborne said. “We show them what to do and how to do it. Peer facilitators will take them to admissions and financial aid.”
The center is the only place at USU to offer scholarships specifically for returning students who have been absent from school for five years or more.
It provides information on health care services, counseling services, counseling on equity issues and childcare. The center also answers student’s questions in regards to state and national issues, family leave act and family friendly work environments.
The center does not just address solely women’s issues.
“We feel that there are very few exclusive women’s issues. What impacts a woman’s life impacts a man’s as well,” Osborne said. “Often, the dialogue has to start from women because it’s generally their lives who are impacted but they also discuss men’s roles in this as well.”
Osborne said there are also a variety of educational programs that cover current issues.
“There are programs that deal with breast cancer issues or how men and women might use different health services or draw their attention to certain health issues that might impact their lives,” Osborne said.
They help organize kits and seminars about the Red Zone, a time when college women are most at risk for experiencing sexual assault or date rape. The Red Zone runs from August to November.
“While the Red Zone certainly impacts a woman’s life, it also affects men who are the friends or spouses of these sexually abused women,” Osborne said.
The center also hosts a number of speakers who cover topics such as campus health for men and women, panels on men’s view of sexual assault and tips on dating communication and respect in a relationship.
Projects such as the clothesline project, a visual display of shirts with messages and illustrations by friends, family and survivors of violence are hosted and organized by the center.
The Women’s Center also hosts “Finding a Voice,” an ethnographic performance piece that involves music, poetry, dance and drama. The piece reflects a woman’s healing journey and is also a window of music therapy.
-kassrobison@cc.usu.edu