Discussions of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women’s (PCSW) annual Spring Event topped the list of business at the group’s most recent meeting on Thursday, March 4.

The event will be held on Tuesday, March 16, in Miller-Ward Alumni House and is free and open to the public. Regina Werum, assistant professor of sociology, will be keynote speaker, and her talk is titled: “Women Exploring Truth Through Expression—Or Personal Reflections on Why We Do What We Do and How We Do It.” It will run from 4–6:30 p.m.

In other business, Marietta Collins updated members on the gender equity report, which examines the representation and hiring of women faculty, and faculty attrition and salaries by gender. She said the group has received complete data from the School of Medicine, which will be incorporated into the report by the end of the semester. The committee is continuing its research on the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and is preparing a related survey to be administered with this research in a web-based format.

Elaine Gossett of staff concerns said her group was working on a proposal for more funding for the Mentor Emory program. Members said it would be wonderful if the program could grow to be Universitywide, similar to the Passages mentor program for faculty. Gossett said she’d be willing to research the steps necessary to advance to that level and is currently focused on projecting the program’s future financial needs. The group also is continuing work on “Do You Know” informational briefs and updating its information for the PCSW website.

Amy Wheeler said the deadline for 2004-05 PCSW nominations is March 12. The goal is to add new members in April so they can attend the final meeting of the academic year in May. For more information or to apply online, visit www.emory.edu/PCSW.

Bennett Hilley of student concerns said the subcommittee is updating the women’s handbook and resource cards to be distributed on campus. She also asked for PCSW members to sign up to be part of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life on April 16-17 at North Druid Hills High School.

Women in Leadership Chair Allison Dykes said the committee’s work is progressing both on and off campus. Daniel Teodorescu of Institutional Planning and Research sent a survey from the group to other schools inquiring about leadership programs and overall data on women in leadership positions. University Secretary Gary Hauk met with the committee and said he would be willing to co-host a luncheon for women serving on the Board of Trustees this spring. He also said he will talk with his counterparts at other universities to discuss efforts similar to the Women in Leadership committee.

Dykes said the group is working on writing a statement that could be adopted every time a top-level administrative search is conducted and could be endorsed by the PCSW. She also said a proposal is being researched that would send two Emory women a year to the Summer Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.

The next PCSW meeting will be at 4 p.m., Thursday, April 1, in 400 Administration.

If you have a question or comment for PCSW, e-mail chair
Kim Smith at ksmith@emory.edu.