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Women’s Studies Program
Strategic Plan, 2007-2008 Implement the plan for joint faculty appointments between Women’s
Studies and the following academic departments, where faculty has
voted (Feburary 2008) to approve such an arrangement: Work to recruit and retain excellent faculty members across colleges and schools of the university who will teach our classes, advise our students, and help develop curricular and other policies. Support and mentor Women’s Studies faculty affiliates as they move toward tenure and promotion in their respective departments. Maintain adequate compensation levels for faculty members teaching Women’s Studies core classes Maintain funding for and support of faculty and graduate student travel to scholarly conferences in Women’s and Gender Studies Facilities Complete the process of refurnishing of the Women’s Studies office (Haley 3227), made possible by WS program funds, plus funds from the University’s Concessions Board in 2006 and some funds from the provost’s office. Lobby for permanent space for a part-time administrative assistant responsible for financial matters. At present this person is a temporary employee who uses the director’s faculty office one day a week. Space has been allocated in Foy Union, (memo from John Mouton, 10/07). Attempt to identify a more convenient space.
Continue to seek out ways that Women’s Studies can build interdisciplinary connections to different colleges and schools. Pursue initiatives leading to proposals for new courses in cooperation with different campus units. One initiative under discussion involves working with WISE faculty affliliates to design a course or courses in gender and science. Work actively to recruit new faculty who have Women’s Studies training at a previous institution and who might offer a course in their discipline that can be cross-listed as a women’s studies course. Lobby for joint faculty appointments between Women’s Studies and academic departments, particularly those departments where disciplinary scholarship on women and gender are not at present represented. Continue to explore joint appointments also with Political Science and Psychology departments. Maintain excellence in women’s studies core courses while expanding offerings in new areas, particularly Race/Class/Gender and Women and Science. Identify faculty members willing to work in the summer to develop a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies. Lobby for release time for existing AU faculty to teach new courses in a graduate Women’s Studies program. Develop a parallel M.A. in Women’s Studies (2/29/08).
Build on progress made over the last years in promoting the image of Auburn Women’s Studies as a serious field of interdisciplinary studies. Continue to capitalize on the goodwill generated for the program by the Gee’s Bend programming and exhibition (Fall 2005), and the Awards Luncheon (1/14/08). Utilize different media to publicize the program, including print and electronic media, newspaper interviews, student activities, Camp War Eagle publicity; Tiger Transit advertisements Financial Lobby for additional funding to make available release-time for the director. The current director has a 2/1 teaching load, plus Ph.D. and M.A. students. Schedule summer classes that will serve student interests as well as generate revenue for program needs. Pursue the reorganization of the Women’s Studies budget, so that teaching funds are separate from operating expenses. Outreach Continue to maintain strong ties to other campus units working on diversity, especially the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (ODMCA, Dr. Jenda); Women’s Initiatives WIN (Dr. Sollie); Africana Studies (Dr. Gadzie); Spectrum Alliance (LGBT). Encourage interested faculty to engage in outreach at the local, state, national, and international levels. Continue to offer on-campus programs that appeal to a variety of publics and learning communities. Development Seek advice from faculty committees on special needs that can be a focus of fundraising efforts. Ruth Crocker |