UNews - Campus Women's Centre

Federal funding spurs gender-based violence project

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:15:04 +0000

The Government of Canada Status of Women is funding a $195,892 project at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, part of a nearly $4 million investment nationwide, designed to implement mechanisms for preventing gender-based violence on campus.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, YWCA Lethbridge and District and the Sexual Violence Action Committee will collaborate on the project, one of 23 such initiatives being funded across the country.

"There is no place in our society for incidents of violence against women," says Jim Hillyer, Member of Parliament for the Lethbridge Constituency. "Our government is committed to providing the means necessary to create safe and inclusive communities across the country, and that begins by giving our students the opportunity to pursue their educational goals in a secure environment, with the support services they need to be successful."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to prioritize the creation of a healthy, supportive and collaborative environment for its students, and by working with partners such as the YWCA and the Sexual Violence Action Committee, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ further strengthens its connection to the southern Alberta community.

"This is an outstanding initiative that speaks to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's ongoing efforts to offer its students a safe and supportive campus atmosphere," says Judith Lapadat, the U of L's associate vice-president (students). "What's more is that this project is another example of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ working with community groups for the betterment, not only of our campus experience, but of society as a whole."

The project will be largely student driven and is designed to augment the U of L's already existing student services, promoting additional safety mechanisms and, most importantly, engaging the student population in an ongoing campaign of awareness and education about gender-based violence.

"We haven't yet determined the scope of the project because the direction for this must come from the students and the priorities that they identify," says Lapadat.

A safety audit of campus to determine areas of need related to risks associated with gender-based violence will set the stage for the implementation of the project, after which students will play a key role in setting the agenda for the development of points of action.

"Campus is home to many students; some of us live here, many of us meet friends and create new families here, and most of us launch and re-launch our lives here," says Danika Jorgensen, U of L student and co-ordinator for the Campus Women's Centre. "I'm incredibly excited that students will be front and centre in this campus directive, and I look forward to the opportunities it presents for students to be heard and to get involved with helping to maintain a safe campus atmosphere."

YWCA Lethbridge and District will play a key role in moving the project forward.

"We are overwhelmed by the support of Status of Women Canada to further our community's work in addressing gender-based violence," says Kristine J. Cassie, Chief Executive Officer. "The opportunity to partner with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and continue work with the Sexual Violence Action Committee creates the prospect to build a unique and student-driven initiative that is both meaningful and sustainable in addressing the impacts of gender-based violence on our community."

Education begins with respect

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:04:10 +0000

A year after opening a dialogue on diversity and respect, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty Association's Gender, Equity and Diversity Caucus is looking to build upon that momentum with the 2nd Annual Respect & Diversity Awareness Week.

Running Mar. 5-9 at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, this year's theme for the weeklong conversation is "Respect and learning go hand in hand".

"Last year was great for an inaugural event," says Dr. Carly Adams, Chair of the Gender, Equity and Diversity Caucus. "We thought how it was taken up by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community was wonderful. It's a conversation that needs to be ongoing."

Events such as a Talking About Teaching panel discussion through the Centre for the Advancement of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CAETL) spurred the campus community into thinking about how we interact with one another, in classrooms, meeting rooms and even as we walk through the hallways.

"As a faculty member who attended these talks, I thought about the issues raised and then took them into my classroom," says Adams. "I hope that others took the things they heard and tried to adapt new strategies in the ways they dealt with students or fellow faculty."

If anything, the week created an environment where issues of inclusion and respect can be discussed. It also established an awareness of the caucus and took its work to another level. In early February, the caucus played a role in the Discover Diversity conference hosted by the City of Lethbridge and co-sponsored by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"I was really pleased we were able to be a part of that because not only did we have an opportunity to talk about the caucus but also the respect and diversity week and some of the other initiatives we're involved in," says Adams. "It led to an even wider discussion about workplace diversity and respect beyond our campus."

This year's awareness week will feature a few new additions, including an Ignite! event on Wednesday, Mar. 7 at 5 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library (10th floor). Described as a fun, informative, rapid-fire session, participants are tasked to speak to 20 pictures or slides of their choice, all in a five-minute window of time, as they wax eloquent about diversity and/or gender.

"We're really excited about this event," says Adams. "We have a number of faculty lined up to take part, as well as people from the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG) and the Students' Union. In total it's about 12 to 15 people, and it should create a really lively discussion from all the different perspectives across campus."

The line up of speakers includes Dr. Kevin McGeough (Geography), Yale Belanger (Native American Studies), Dan Johnson (Environmental Science), Carol Williams (Women and Gender Studies), Phil Jones (CAETL/Health Sciences), Marinus Swanepoel (Library), LPRIG, Shelia McManus (History), Rob Sutherland (CCBN/ULFA) and Tanya Harnett (Native American Studies/Fine Arts).

Other events for the week include a film screening of MissRepresentation, a documentary exploring how the media's misrepresentation of women has led to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence. The Gender, Equity, and Diversity Caucus is joining the YWCA, Womanspace, Campus Women's Centre and LPIRG in sponsoring the film screening that takes place Thursday, Mar. 8 at 7 p.m. in Galileo's Gallery and coincides with International Women's Day.

On Friday, Mar. 9, Craig Milner from the Faculty of Management will present Student Diversity Rocks: Developing High Performance Teams in the Classroom (1 p.m., M1040).

"He's discussing diversity in teams, and how we might leverage some of the different experiences of our students in the classroom to create different conversations in groups," says Adams of the one-hour workshop.
While the week concludes with Milner's presentation, the conversation does not, and will be picked up a week later when the Department of Women & Gender Studies, with assistance from Adams' group, will present Why Women and Gender Studies? A Multigenerational Roundtable and Conversation, Friday, Mar. 16 at 2 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballroom.

"Last year, we came away thinking it was a very positive week and worth continuing," says Adams. "We invite everyone to come out for these events and I hope that this will give these important issues even more exposure."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty Association's Gender, Equity and Diversity Caucus consists of: Andrea Amelinckx, Andrea Glover, Dr. Hester Jiskoot, Dr. Kevin McGeough, Dr. Noella Piquette, Dr. John Sheriff, Dr. Robert Sutherland, Jennifer Thannhauser and Dr. Carly Adams (Chair).

This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Events - October

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:33:47 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics

Oct. 15 | Canada West
Men's Hockey
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary vs. Horns
7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 16 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary vs. Horns, 7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 22-23 | Canada West
Basketball
Trinity Western vs. Horns | Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m.
1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Oct. 22-23 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta vs. Horns, 7 p.m. nightly
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 22-24 | Canada West Women's Rugby | Canada West Championship Tournament, Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 23 | Canada West Soccer
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta vs. Horns
Women's game, noon; Men's game, 2 p.m., Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 24 | Canada West Soccer
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan vs. Horns
Women's game, noon; Men's game, 2 p.m., Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 29-30 | Canada West Men's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba vs. Horns, 7 p.m. nightly
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Nov. 6-7 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia vs. Horns
Nov. 6, 7 p.m. | Nov. 7, 2 p.m.
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Nov. 12-13 | Canada West Basketball | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan vs. Horns | Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Lectures

Oct. 13 | Art Now: Writer Simon Houpt | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 14 | Responding to Sexual Violence on Campus | For faculty and staff. Pat Anderson, Counselling Services, discusses how you can respond effectively if a student discloses sexual violence to you.
3 to 4:30 p.m., AH118

Oct. 15 | Art Now:
Curator Steve Loft
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 18 | Art Now: Multimedia artist Laurel Woodcock | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 18 | CAETL Graduate Student Workshop | Class Discussion and Tutorials with Dr. Harold Jansen and Dr. Janice Newberry | 2 to 4 p.m., L1102

Oct. 19 | Between Imaginary and Real Islam in Europe and France: Professor Raphael Liogier
7:30 p.m., TH201

Oct. 20 | CAETL Graduate Student Workshop | The Multicultural Classroom with Dr. Hillary Rodrigues and Dr. Dayna Daniels | 1 to 2:30 p.m., TH143

Oct. 22 | Art Now: Curator Candice Hopkins | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 25 | Architecture & Design Now: Dr. Victoria Dickenson | 6 p.m., C610

Oct. 27 | Art Now: Curator and historian, Richard Hill | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 1 | Architecture & Design Now: Winnipeg architect, Neil Minuk
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 3 | Art Now: Anne Henderson
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 3 | WestGrid Seminar: Molecular Simulations of Biomolecules using GROMACS | Gurpreet Singh, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary
12:30 to 1:30 p.m., CRDC L1126

Nov. 5 | Art Now: Alison McTaggert
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 8 | Art Now: Photographer Lynne Cohen | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 8 | Architecture & Design Now: Calgary architect, Gerald Forseth
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 15 | Art Now: Daniel Young & Christian Giroux | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 15 | Architecture & Design Now: Furniture designers, Brothers Dressler | 6 p.m., C610

Performances

Oct. 14 | President's Choice
Honouring U of L President
Mike Mahon | 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Oct. 15 | Art Gallery Open House
Behind the scenes at the Art Gallery 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Art Gallery

Oct. 19 | Music at Noon: Peter Visentin (violin) and Deanna Oye (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 19-23 | Uncommon Women and Others | By Wendy Wasserstein, five women reunite to discuss where their lives have led | 8 p.m. nightly, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Oct. 26 | Music at Noon: Akiko Tominga (piano) | 12:15 p.m.
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 28-30 | TheatreXtra
The Good Egg By Michael Lewis MacLennan | 8 p.m. nightly, David Spinks Theatre, 2 p.m. matinee Oct. 30

Nov. 2 | Music at Noon: Joel Gray (trumpet); Dr. David Renter (piano); Elior Lawson (piano) | 12:15 p.m. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 5-6 | Opera Around the World
U of L Opera Workshop presents a world tour | 8 p.m. nightly
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Nov. 9 | Music at Noon: Dr. Magdalena Adamek (piano) | 12:15 p.m. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)
Nov. 16 | Music at Noon: Musaeus String Quartet | 2:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Miscellaneous

Sept. 12 to Oct. 24
Shifting Myths
Helen Christou Gallery

Sept. 16 to Oct. 29 | Jamelie Hassan: At the Far Edge of Words
U of L Main Gallery

Oct. 13 | Jet Programme Information Session | Learn about opportunities to teach English in Japan
6 to 7 p.m., W646

Oct. 12-13 | Faculty Focus Groups
Contact Nicole Leusink at nicole.leusink@uleth.ca to participate
3 to 4:30 p.m. daily

Oct. 20 | Oldman Watershed Council Science Forum | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (registration 8:30 a.m.)
Students' Union Ballroom A& B

Plays and Prose Writing Competition
Submission deadline: Dec. 13 by 4 p.m.
Submit to Rebecca Gray, W850

UNews - Campus Women's Centre

Federal funding spurs gender-based violence project

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Education begins with respect

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Events - October

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