Programming
The Women's Center offers a variety of educational programming including
presentations, panels, forums and workshops that examine a variety of
issues related to gender, sexism and feminism. Most of our programming
is of interest to a diverse constituency including students, staff, faculty
and community members, and to both women and men. A sampling of topics
that we have addressed through programming in the last two years include
eating disorders, sexual assault, women's leadership, politics, perspectives
of women of color, women's activism, pornography, women's health, international
women's perspectives, work and family issues, and self-defense. Formal
programming throughout the year includes National Love Your Body Day,
"Women on Wednesday" (a weekly noon-hour lecture series), International
Women's Day (March 8), National Women's History Month (March) and Take
Our Daughters to Work Day (fourth Thursday in April).
view program schedule
Advocacy
Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, harassment based on sexual
orientation, and relationship violence (dating or domestic) are encouraged
to report these crimes and obtain assistance from the Women's Center.
The staff can help people learn about laws that prohibit these behaviors,
legal rights, how to file complaints, and campus and community services
designed to help victims of violence and harassment. We serve as advocates
in other arenas as well; these include crisis pregnancy, housing and safety
issues, and various equity issues.
Support
The center's staff provides support and makes referrals for women seeking
assistance with personal and professional decisions. Re-entry, non-traditional
and traditional-age students are encouraged to use the center's services.
Faculty and staff are also users of center services. We organize occasional
support groups depending on need and available resources. Every semester,
at least one sexual assault support group is run by the Sexual Violence
Prevention Program, but other groups are also organized. Check our support
group schedule.
Information and referral
The Women's Center provides information on important community services
and issues such as sexual assault, child care, divorce, counseling, crisis
pregnancy, eating disorders, dating violence, and sexual harassment.
Resource Library
The Women's Center houses a small, specialized resource library that
holds books and other materials by and about women. The center also has
files, brochures, fact sheets and limited magazines that address a variety
of topics of interest to women: domestic/dating violence, multi-racial
and multicultural issues, sexual assault, homophobia, eating disorders,
women and work, and financial management.
Visit our Resource Library
Sexual Violence Prevention Program
The Sexual Violence Prevention Program exists in response to the pervasive
problem of sexual assault on college campuses, and in the larger society.
A combination of education, meaningful policies, and victim-centered services
is the framework for the program at SCSU. Incoming students enrolled in
six credits or more are required to attend a one-time educational session
on the prevention of sexual assault presented by the Women's Center, entitled
Respect and Responsibility. Staff and students from Campus Advocates Against
Sexual Assault (CAASA) organize Sexual Assault Awareness Month, in addition
to special educational programs for student organizations and students
in residence halls. A Women of Color Advocacy Project (a collaboration
with the Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center) and the Male Peer Education
group offer valuable perspectives and services necessary for a well-rounded
sexual assault prevention program.
Services for victims of rape and other forms of sexual assault include
support, advocacy, information and referral, support groups, and resources
from a specialized loan library. The philosophy of the Sexual Violence
Prevention Program is victim-centered, thus victims/survivors receive
non-judgmental support to choose services that are best for them and to
direct their own process of healing.
The Women's Center is the designated department at St. Cloud State University
to collect reports of sexual assault, and students, staff and faculty
are urged to report such incidents. Third party reports are accepted
and anonymity is preserved. We work closely with the Public Safety Department
and St. Cloud Police Department in order to serve the needs of victims.
For information, or to report a sexual assault, contact the Women's
Center's Sexual Violence Prevention Program at (320)308-3995 or 308-4958.
Visit the Sexual Violence Prevention Program Website
Scholarships
The Women's Center implements six scholarships for non-traditional women
students at SCSU (transfer students and current students are encouraged
to apply). Scholarships include the Mary Jane Young Scholarship for the
Education of Women, Grace McDowall Memorial Scholarship, Claude F. and
Helen I. DelZoppo Scholarship, Colleen and Jon Petters Scholarship, Elaine
L. Leach Scholarship for Women in Educational Leadership and the Marcia
Summers Career Opportunity Scholarship for Single Mothers, and they provide
more than $13,000 annually for SCSU women students. Application packets
are available from the Women's Center on February 1 of each year and are
due on April 1. For more information about the specific scholarships administered
by the Women's Center, click here Scholarships
Find out more about Women's Center Scholarships
Networking
The Women's Center is connected with a variety of local, state, national
and international networks via organizational memberships and personal
and professional networks. This translates to more information that's
available to Center users and staff. We are members of AAUW (American
Association of University Women), Minnesota and National Coalitions Against
Sexual Assault, National Council for Research on Women and the Minnesota
Women's Consortium. The Women's Center receives a variety of publications
that keep us in touch with various networks and activist groups; a sampling
of these publications include Media Watch, Sexual Assault Report, About
Women on Campus, Women in Higher Education, the Women's Research Network
News and Color Lines.
We are also fortunate to have developed collaborations and coalitions
with groups and organizations on campus and in the local community. They
include numerous academic departments such as the Women's Studies Program,
Ethnic Studies, Human Relations and Multicultural Education, Social Work,
Communication Studies and more. We are well-connected with other Student
Life and Development departments including GLBT Services, Counseling and
Related Services, and Multicultural Student Services. Various Center staff
are also members of local advisory boards and networking groups. The Women's
Center is part of a vibrant feminist community that exists on campus and
in the local community.
Student Activism
The Women's Equality Group (WEG), Campus
Advocates Against Sexual Assault (CAASA) and Size Oppression Support
(SOS) have their offices at the Women's Center, but many of their
meetings and activities are in Atwood Memorial Center, SCSU's student
union. We urge you to get involved in one of the many student organizations
at SCSU.
There are numerous benefits to being involved including the
development of leadership and organizing skills, the creation of
friendships and collaborations, and the acquisition of new knowledge
and skills--Not to mention improving society!
The groups listed above
are a great place to start, but also consider organizations such as
Jugglers Against Oppression, Student Coalition Against Racism, Council
of African American Students and the International Women's Club, to name
just a few. These organizations need people like you to become active
members.
Tapping Into Women's Center Services and Resources
There are three ways to initially tap into Women's Center services and
resources. The first is through our website. You can get details about
our scholarships, books and videos in our resource library, or programming
and special events.
Second, if you want an appointment with an advocate or staff member,
call (320) 308-4958 or the Sexual Violence Prevention Program at (320)308-3995
to schedule a time to meet. Same day appointments are possible, but we
can't guarantee this because of other appointments and commitments. Each
advocate/staff member schedules her own appointments, so if you are comfortable
telling the receptionist why you are calling, it will help us to direct
you to the right person.
The third way to access what we have to offer is by coming to the Center.
You do not need an appointment to use the library, check out the bulletin
boards for information, pick up materials, or just look around. We have
a comfortable room in our lower level that is available for study and
quiet activities that is open to all. Stop by for a tour and a look in
our resource library. We are located on the north side of campus in Colbert
House North, between Mitchell Hall and the Newman Center. Unfortunately,
the Women's Center is currently not wheelchair accessible. Fortunately,
almost all of our programming and events are in accessible buildings throughout
campus. The Center is slated to move in 2003, and we will then be in a
wheelchair accessible building.
Find out more About the Women's Center
Please call us if you have any questions or want more information. Our
number is (320) 308-4958.
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