Posted on March 5: Female faculty challenge the chill

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BY Chantall Van Raay

March 5, 2003

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/IWD.jpg” caption=”Challenging the Chill”]Conditions facing female faculty at Canadian universities will be explored during a lunchtime discussion today (Wednesday).

Hosted by Women's Studies, the event is one of several planned this week leading up to International Women's Day, Saturday, March 8.

The discussion and brown bag lunch was inspired by the book Canadian Women and the Academic Tundra: Challenging the Chill, by E. Hannah, Linda Paul and Swami Vethamy-Globus.

“International Women's Day is a time for asserting women's political and social rights, and reviewing the progress that women have made,” says associate kinesiology professor Nancy Bouchier, one of the key organizers of the event. “Perhaps best of all, it is a day for celebration. Our event aims to provide us with a forum to reflect upon the working conditions of, and our own experiences at the university.”

Challenging the Chill gives a voice to women's experiences as teachers and researchers on university campuses across Canada, adds Bouchier, “and it embraces so many different perspectives from people of very different disciplinary, administrative, and pedagogical backgrounds.”

Participants do not have to read the book to participate in the discussion. But Bouchier says it will serve as a springboard for people to air their views about things like how they have felt about the social and academic climate at McMaster for women, what changes have happened during their tenure here, what work is left to be done, and what accomplishments they should celebrate.

Other events planned this week:

  • March 5: Sanbanuu: Working with Women in Mongolia — A talk by Laurie Elit, assistant clinical professor in obstetrics and gynecology, who will speak on her experience of working with women to improve quality preventative health care in Mongolia. The lecture and discussion will take place in MUSC, Rm. 314/315 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
  • March 6: An Old Wives Tale  From 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the MUSC, Rm. 311-313. The World University Service of Canada (WUSC) will present the play 'An Old Wives Tale' that deals with issues surrounding rape and sexual violence against women. Discussion to follow the play.
  • March 7: Redefining Leadership — MacWIN and the Gender Equity Committee will present a day-long conference beginning at 9 a.m. in Gilmour Hall Council Chambers. Conference events include both open discussions and presentations by such speakers as Sue Fraser (MSU president 1989-90), Andrea Horwath (Hamilton city councilor) and Marie Bountrogianni, MPP (Hamilton Mountain).
  • March 7: International Women's Day Fair  Hosted by the Vagina Monologues Group at McMaster, the fair begins at 10 a.m. in the MUSC Market place. The Fair will include various stalls and tables by various companies as well as on-campus McMaster clubs that cater to various Women's Issues. Events include the cutting of the Vagina Cake at noon. Later that evening they will also present the play “The Vagina Monologues”.