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Staff Opening at the Women’s Center

Posted by on 15 May 2012, 7:33 am

The UMKC Women’s Center is searching for a new Violence Prevention Coordinator to work with our Violence Prevention and Response Project. Details and a job description are below. You must apply online at http://bit.ly/J4Df7K Applications are due by Monday, May 28.

Job Description

The Violence Prevention Coordinator works with the Project Directors of the UMKC Violence Prevention and Response Project, community consultants, staff from the Women’s Center and other UMKC campus offices to assist with the coordination of the Violence Prevention and Response Project at UMKC, including programming, education, and support services for sexual violence survivors, their families, and the UMKC community. The Project and position are funded by a three-year grant through the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (VAWA Grant). The main purposes of the grant are to: 1) increase awareness of sexual violence and provide services to survivors of sexual violence, their families, partners, and friends; 2) provide education about the problem of sexual violence, and 3) increase the number of reports and on- and off-campus adjudications of sexual violence. The Violence Prevention Coordinator reports to the Assistant Director of the Women’s Center. This is a half-time (20 hours per week) position.

Responsibilities Include:

  • Design and implement violence prevention and awareness programming (including events such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, the V-Day College Campaign, Take Back the Night, and Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Months) for women and men students, faculty, staff and community members;
  • Serve as a resource and provide consultation to the university community regarding issues of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and other forms of sexual violence;
  • Assist in the coordination of the Violence Prevention & Response Project social media efforts (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blog, etc.);
  • Assist in developing and implementing on- and off- campus outreach and marketing efforts;
  • Work with the Victim Services Adjudication Advisor and the Violence Prevention and Response Task Force to review and revise current violence response policy and protocol at UMKC;
  • Serve as co-chair (with the Victim Services Adjudication Advisor) of the Violence Prevention & Response Task Force;
  • Provide program assessment as needed;
  • Provide backup support to victims of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and other forms of sexual violence. Provide referrals to long-term counseling as needed;
  • Aid the project directors in creating quarterly grant management reports, maintaining the grant budget, and other grant management activities as needed;
  • Represent the Violence Prevention and Response Project and/or Women’s Center on University and community committees as assigned;
  • Other duties as assigned;
  • Evening and weekend hours, and some travel may be required.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies, Social Work, or related field required;
  • One to two years directly related experience is needed; an advanced degree may be used as a substitute for the work experience.
  • Experience in program planning in a not-for-profit organization and/or University environment.
  • Strong public speaking skills as well as solid writing, analytical and organizational skills;
  • Demonstrated commitment to activism and women’s issues and ability to meet the needs of a diverse population.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in College Personnel/Student Affairs, Social Work, Counseling, Women’s Studies, or related field preferred;
  • Advocacy experience in domestic violence or sexual assault preferred.
  • Ability to prioritize and manage multiple demands;
  • Ability to delegate and oversee multiple projects to completion;
  • Proficiency with MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and internet applications required;
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively in complex shifting environments.

Full Time/Part Time

Half Time .50 FTE

20 hours per week

Hours are flexible between the hours of 8-5pm M-F

Salary

$18.32/hour

Filed under Violence Prevention and Response Project. Tagged 
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We’re Hiring at the Women’s Center!

Posted by on 10 May 2012, 1:05 pm

Attention UMKC students! The Women’s Center has 4 work-study positions open this summer. If you have a passion for women’s advocacy and want to work with an awesome staff, please consider applying for these positions. We need your energy and enthusiasm to assist with events, the Her Art Project, public relations, violence prevention, and/or social networking. You MUST have a work-study award from Financial Aid to qualify. Click here to download an application. Contact Arzie Umali at 816-235-5577 or umalia@umkc.edu with questions or for more information.

We are also hiring a graduate assistant for technology to work during the upcoming academic year (starting in August). To learn more about the graduate assistantship and how to apply, please visit the Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Graduate Assistantship Program page. A job description can also be found here.

Work Study Position Descriptions

Office/Events Student Assistant (Work Study)

  • Assist with the development, coordination, and execution of Women’s Center events;
  • Assist with office duties (answering the phone, greeting visitors, etc.).

 Public Relations Student Assistant (Work Study)

  • Assist with design and creation of marketing materials for Women’s Center programs including fliers, posters, posters, and event calendars
  • Assist with coordinating the distribution of fliers, posters, postcards, brochures, events calendar, and other advertising/marketing material on campus and in the surrounding area.
  • Assist with online publicity, including, but not limited to, website editing,  listing Women’s Center events on community calendars, and updating the Women’s Center events calendar

Program Assistant – Her Art Project (Work Study)

  • Assist with the development, coordination, and execution of programs for the Her Art Project including art exhibits, music and dance performances, lectures, panel discussions, etc.
  • Assist with publicity and marketing for above programs
  • Background in arts and familiarity with Kansas City arts community preferred

Violence Prevention and Response Student Assistant (Work Study)

  • Work with the Violence Prevention Coordinator to assist with the development, coordination and execution of all violence prevention programming.
  • Assist with publicity and marketing for above programs.
  • Assist Victim Services Adjudication Advisor with training and violence prevention education.

Social Networking Assistant (Work Study)

  • Assist with updating and monitoring the Women’s Center Social Networking sites including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube.
  • Coordinate Social Networking efforts with marketing of all Women’s Center programs

Blog Editor (Work Study/Student Worker)

  • Assist with regular maintenance of the Women’s Center Blog
  • Write clear and critical blogs on relevant topics
  • Edit all staff blogs for content and grammar and post to Women’s Center blog on a regular basis
  • Strong writing skills required. Please submit writing samples.

 All Student Assistants are also responsible for:

  • Answering phones, directing calls, and taking messages. Record every incoming call onto the telephone and referral log located next to the phones.
  • Answering requests for information about the Center and our services, including referring victims/survivors of sexual assault, domestic/relationship violence, and/or stalking.
  • Assisting visitors with our library, including checking out and in books/videos.
  • Posting Women’s Center flyers.
  • Running business errands around campus.
  • Typing correspondence, labels, and forms on the computer.
  • Assist in keeping the Women’s Center in an orderly fashion. This includes, but is not limited to, organizing brochures, dusting, and general cleaning.
  • Posting event reminders, relevant articles and current events regarding women’s issues, and status updates to the Women’s Center social networks
  • Writing at least one blog per week on a relevant women’s issue
  • Attending ALL staff meetings.
  • Attending Women’s Center programs as needed/available.
  • Other tasks as assigned.

Graduate Assistant for Technology Position Description

The Women’s Center is seeking a half-time (20 hours per week), Graduate Assistant for Academic Year 2012-13 to assist with web and publication design and office duties. Dates of employment are August 1, 2012 (tentative start date) – May 31, 2013. Continuation in the summer may be possible depending upon performance and funding availability.

Duties:

  • maintain websites, assisting with design and technical issues;
  • graphic design for logos, websites and publications;
  • revise and design publications and other promotional materials;
  • create videos of events and programs;
  • create and send biweekly e-newsletter
  • maintain library database;
  • maintain other databases as necessary and design new ones if needed;
  • assist in supervising undergraduate student workers performing data entry;
  • assist with organizing programming as necessary;
  • office duties (answering the phone, greeting visitors, etc.) as necessary;
  • perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Director or Director of the Women’s Center.

The Graduate Assistant reports to the Assistant Director of the Women’s Center. Knowledge of HTML, graphic design, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Pagemaker, Flash, Premiere Pro, and ASP/PHP, along with familiarity with Microsoft Office applications (especially Word, Excel, and Power Pont) is required. An interest in or previous experience working with women’s, gender, and/or sexual violence issues is preferred.

Contact: Brenda Bethman, 235-1643, bethmanb@umkc.edu

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In Memoriam: Shona Kelly Wray, 1963-2012, beloved colleague and friend

Posted by on 7 May 2012, 12:29 pm

The following is cross-posted from the UMKC Women’s and Gender Studies Blog

It is with great sadness that we write to share the news that yesterday, May 6, Shona Kelly Wray, our medievalist colleague in the Department of History at UMKC and longtime WGS faculty member, passed away. Having been awarded a prestigious grant, Shona has been on leave this year at Villa I Tatti, the Harvard Research Center for Renaissance Studies in Florence, Italy. Her project for this grant focused on the family of Bolognese university faculty in the fourteenth century. She had just returned from a conference in Brussels and experienced an aneurysm and cardiac arrest. Emergency personnel were able to restart her heart and she was placed on life support. Her family was with her at the end. Roisin Cossar, a long-time colleague and collaborator of Shona sent this email message:

“I was at the hospital last night with Shona’s family, her son Shane, daughter Alina, her husband Randy, and her sister Maggi. Several of Shona and Randy’s closest Italian friends were also there and were extremely supportive of the family. They all had a chance to be together to say goodbye to Shona, and begin to make some plans for the next days. The only good news in all of this is that Shona wanted to donate her organs, and this has been done successfully. Maggi said that it seemed especially fitting that Shona would be giving new life to Italians.”

The Department of History has organized a gathering for Tuesday, May 8 at 3:00 pm. Home of Gary Ebersole, 3800 Locust, KC, MO.

In addition, the next meeting of the Mid-America Medieval Association, our annual medieval conference, which will take place in February 2013, will be in Shona’s honor, reflecting her work, her teaching, and her collaborations. Shona’s family and colleagues are discussing scholarships in her honor, as well.

Shona was not just an exemplary scholar and colleague. She was also a devoted mentor to UMKC students, with both undergraduate and graduate protegés whose academic growth benefited significantly from their contact with her. Many of the students with whom she worked were turned toward a feminist consciousness because of their experiences with her. She was one of the best ambassadors for WGS at UMKC we could hope to have.

Please keep Shona’s family in your thoughts and prayers. You may also post your remembrances of Shona at: http://shonakellywray.squarespace.com/contact/

Virginia Blanton, Kathy Krause, and Linda Mitchell

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Women Around the World

Posted by on 30 April 2012, 10:37 am

By Courtney Neaveill

[Photo credit: Seamus Murphy/VII for The New York Times]

In case you missed it, here are a few news articles from around the world that recently hit the press!

SAUDI ARABIA: A Ministerial Committee Considers Allowing Women Sport Clubs

UNITED STATES: Strong Women Take Center Stage in Tribeca Foreign Films

AFGHANISTAN: Why Afghan Women Risk Death To Write Poetry

AUSTRALIA: Australian Leader Julia Gillard Vows to Cling On to Power

SYRIA: A Look at Syrian First Lady, Asma al-Assad

 
Filed under Courtney Neaveill, UMKC Women's Center.
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A Memorable 40th Anniversary Gala Event!

Posted by on 27 April 2012, 11:58 am

By Tria Tatum

The mission of the Women’s Center at the University of Missouri- Kansas City is to advocate, educate, and provide support services for the advancement of women’s equity on campus and within the community at large.

Congratulations to the Women’s Center on celebrating 40 years at the University of Missouri-Kansas City! The Center was honored on April 20th, 2012 by families, friends, community members, and musical guest -  Barclay Martin Ensemble. Throughout the months of preparation for the gala, we at the women’s center were continually reminded of the incredible support that we receive both from the university and the community.

My experience at the gala was a memorable one. I was able to meet new people and engage in fellowship with the guests throughout the evening. I danced, laughed, and munched on great food. It was a night that I was so happy to be a part of. There were women and men –  all from diverse backgrounds who came together for an unforgettable evening of celebration. I was especially inspired by all of the culture and color in one room. I look forward to continue working for the advancement of women. I wish the UMKC Women’s Center 40 more years to come!

Filed under 40th Anniversary, Tria Tatum, UMKC Women's Center.
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WEAR JEANS AND PREVENT VIOLENCE, DENIM DAY 2012!

Posted by on 25 April 2012, 9:44 am

by Armelle Djoukoue

YouTube Preview Image

In Italy in 1998, an 18-year old girl was picked up by her married 45-year old driving instructor for her very first lesson. He took her to an isolated road, dragged her out of the car, wrestled her out of her jeans and forcefully raped her. The offender was arrested and prosecuted.  The case made it all the way to the Italian Supreme Court and within a matter of days the case was dismissed. The driving instructor was released in a statement by the Chief Judge, which said “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape but consensual sex.”  As news of the judge’s decision spread women in Italy and all over the world joined in proteset. In 1999 the state of California established the first Denim Day in the United States. The Denim Day campaign rasies awareness and promotes education about rape and sexual assault. 

To prevent sexual assault, each year the UMKC Women’s Center holds a Denim Day display and encourages students, staff and community members to wear jeans.  Check out our Denim Day display on campus today April 25th, in the quad.  There are NO excuses for sexual violence!  It is time to raise awareness, it is time to let the victims know that they’re not alone and it’s never their fault. So how can you raise Sexual Assault Awareness this April?  Simple, wear your favorite pair of jeans and make a statement!

Check out our event page for Denim Day! https://www.facebook.com/events/271488952914506/

For more information about the UMKC Women’s Center and our upcoming events please visit our website: http://www.umkc.edu/womenc/ or call us at (816) 235-1638

 

Filed under Armelle Djoukoue, Denim Day, Sexual Assault Awareness, UMKC Women's Center. Tagged ,
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More Common Than You Think…

Posted by on 23 April 2012, 9:03 am

By Sarah Jensen

A couple of weeks ago, the feminist blog Jezebel posted an article, “Rape Culture at Boston University”, which specifically addressed collegiate problems of sexual assault. First of all, for rape and sexual assault to be distinguished as a culture is problematic to say the least. This past year, there has been an overwhelmingly large number of assault cases involving students. Most notably, a few instances concerning hockey players. Several students, who were interviewed, commented on how normal it is to experience assault in the campus community, as if it were encouraged: “‘there’s an emphasis on praising the aggressive, violent aspects of sports culture’” said recent graduate Allison Francis. It was noted that the BU administration could be at fault, for not putting enough emphasis on solving the problems or even providing adequate support for victimized students.

One female undergraduate who once wrote a paper on “Douchbaggery at BU” for an anthropology class said that “everyone has at least one story of a friend who had a bad run-in with a hockey player or rare frat guy.” She cited a campus staircase that for decades students have jokingly referred to as the “rape stairs” — for a series of alleged assaults that may have taken place there in the 1980s — as an example of “the type of normalization [on campus] when it comes to sexual assault and rape.”

The sad truth is that any large university with a prominent sports program is subject to this type of behavior. One might wonder whether the school administrators are more interested in keeping up the money-making images of the sports teams or in maintaining the integrity and safety of the entire student body. University students, faculty, and administrators should be advocating for the well-being of the student body as a whole. The issue of “rape culture” is something that plagues many universities. It is in our best interest to instigate discourse about the topic and to offer up solutions in the interest of eliminating the problem as whole.

[Photo credit: Jezebel.com]

Join us today from 12-2pm at the UMKC campus in Royal Hall (800 E 52nd St) for Sexual Assault Awareness Month tabling event. Come check out our tables with information about sexual assault, how to deal with it, or help a friend deal with it. We’ll also have information about campus and community resources.
https://www.facebook.com/events/301836579861971/

Sponsored by the UMKC Violence Prevention and Response Project

For more information or with questions contact the Women’s Center at 816.235.1638 or umkc-womens-center@umkc.edu

Filed under Sarah Jensen, Sexual Assault Awareness, Uncategorized.
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Tickets! Get Your UMKC Women’s Center 40th Anniversary Gala Tickets Now!

Posted by on 19 April 2012, 12:13 pm

By Courtney Neaveill

A buzz is in the air as the UMKC Women’s Center is preparing for its biggest event yet! TOMORROW at 7PM we will kick off our 40th Anniversary Gala Event! After days, weeks, months, and dare I say years of planning the members of the UMKC student body, staff, and faculty will come together with the Kansas City community to celebrate a momentous occasion. Over the past forty years, the UMKC Women’s Center has advocated, educated, and provided support services for the advancement of women’s equity on campus and within the community at large. Tomorrow’s gala gives the Women’s Center a chance to thank the hundreds of community members who have been active in our events and services throughout the years. Likewise, it will also give everyone who has been involved with the Women’s Center a chance to come together for an evening of music, fun, and, celebration!

For the event tomorrow, the UMKC Women’s Center commissioned a song in honor of the 40th Anniversary. Written by local singer/songwriter Barclay Martin, the Barclay Martin Ensemble will perform the premiere of “So Beautiful.”

In addition to performances by the Barclay Martin Ensemble tomorrow evening, you can also enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks, bid on incredible items at the silent auction, and have fun in the photobooth.

YOU will not want to miss this event! YOU still have the chance to register for tickets online until 5PM this evening. Tickets are $65 and STUDENTS TICKETS ARE $20! Click HERE to purchase tickets!

We understand that never everyone will be able to purchase tickets by 5PM this evening and therefore we will be accepting walk-in registrations at the door tomorrow, Friday April 20th!

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening!

All proceeds benefit the UMKC Women’s Center’s programs and services. For more information or with questions, contact us at 816.235.1638 or umkc-womens-center@umkc.edu

Join us to celebrate 40 years of telling our stories with the UMKC Women’s Center! http://www.umkc.edu/womenc/40thanniversary/

For more information about the UMKC Women’s Center and our upcoming events please visit our website: http://www.umkc.edu/womenc/ or call us at (816) 235-1638

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ATTENTION UMKC STUDENTS!

Posted by on 18 April 2012, 10:29 am

By Courtney Neaveill

If you haven’t already heard, on Friday, April 20th – we at the UMKC Women’s Center are celebrating our 40th Anniversary! Starting at 7pm at the River Market Event space we will begin the anniversary festivities. Savor delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks, bid on incredible items at the silent auction, and celebrate to the music of the Barclay Martin Ensemble, who will premiere a song written in honor of the 40th anniversary. YouTube Preview Image

Tickets for students are available for purchase at a bargain rate of $20 per person. (Regular tickets cost $65.) We don’t want everyone showing up in their favorite little black dress for the evening or a plain old shirt and tie – we want to see your creative side! That’s why the dress code for the evening has been deemed “creative cocktail”. Be innovative with your outfit!

Come out and mingle with UMKC students and faculty, Kansas City community members, and local artists &  musicians! Friday night’s UMKC Women’s Center 40th Anniversary Gala will be a night that won’t soon be forgotten! We would love to have you celebrate with us!

 

 Click HERE to purchase tickets for the event!

Join us to celebrate 40 years of telling our stories with the UMKC Women’s Center!
http://www.umkc.edu/womenc/40thanniversary/

For more information about the UMKC Women’s Center and our upcoming events please visit our website: http://www.umkc.edu/womenc/ or call us at (816) 235-1638

 

Filed under 40th Anniversary, Courtney Neaveill, UMKC Women's Center.
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April 17th Is Equal Pay Day

Posted by on 13 April 2012, 9:00 am

By Carolina Costa

 

[Pictured above: Women Pressers on Strike for Higher Wages. Kheel Center, Cornell University: Ithaca, New York]

Although enforcement of the Equal Pay Act as well as other civil rights laws such as Title VII have helped to narrow the wage gap, significant disparities among men and women remain which need to be addressed. 1 Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men’s and women’s wages.

Census statistics showing the latest wage figures will not be available until late August or September, so the NCPE leadership decided years ago to select a Tuesday in April as Equal Pay Day. (Tuesday was selected to represent how far into the work week women must work to earn what men earned the previous week.) The date also is selected to avoid religious holidays and other significant events.

Because women earn less, on average, than men, they must work longer for the same amount of pay. According to the U.S. census Bureau and Bureau of Labor statistics, women who work full time earn about 77 cents for every dollar men earn. Minority women face an even larger wage gap: compared to white men, African American Women make 70 cents on the dollar (African American men make 74 cents); Hispanic or Latina women make about 60 cents (Hispanic men make almost 66 cents).1

This year the UMKC Women’s Center and Career Services will host an information table to raise awareness of the wage gap. Stop by our table to learn helpful negotiating skills, ways to improve your resume and cover letter, how to ace an interview, or to just learn interesting facts about women and minorities in the workforce. We will have pizza to help illustrate a pie chart about the pay disparity, and information about upcoming events that will help you narrow the gap. Don’t miss it! 

National Equal Pay Day Table
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Time: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Location: UMKC Royall Hall
800 E. 52nd Street
Kansas City, MO

 Want more information on National Equal Pay Day?  Stop by these websites.

For more information about the UMKC Women’s Center and our upcoming events please visit our website: http://www.umkc.edu/womenc/ or call us at (816) 235-1638

To find out more about Career Services visit their website: http://php.umkc.edu/career/  

Filed under Carolina Costa, gender equality, Sexism, UMKC Women's Center, Women's Rights.
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