Commission for Women searches for student members By ALLISON MILLS STAFF WRITER MXA932@PSU.EDU The Penn State Harrisburg Liaison Committee to the Commission for Women is looking for student members. As a part of the Commision for Women, students would deal with issues that affect women at Penn State Harrisburg like wage equity, safety and awareness, and health. The Penn State Commission for Women, CFW, which was established in 1981, advises the President of the University, promotes women's issues, and suggests possible solutions. Women's issues concerning Penn State are wage equity, childcare and maternity leave, athletics, and professional development. The CFWCommittee atUniversity Park publishes an annual report titled "Status of Women at Penn State". The report focuses on statistics that show what job positions, majors, and degree leve Is women occupy at Penn State. The Commission for Women use the report to make the university a safe and supportive place for all women, employees and students. PSH's Liaison Committee is much more focused on fixing problems facing Penn State Women. "We focus most of our energy toward programming about women's issues, health PSH club offers students opportunity to give back BY PHIL NARSH STAFF WRITER PSNSOOI@PSU.EDU Penn State Harrisburg offers over 45 different clubs and organizations for students to join in their free time between classes. Getting involved in a club is a great way to meet students with similar interests. Some clubs can even help you build your resume. Now, a new organization will provide students with another opportunity: giving back. Cause & Effect is a student outreach club dedicated to addressing social issues and promoting activism within the Photo by OFFICER JENNIFER ALLSHOUSE/ CFW Liaison Committee Members of the PSH Commission for Women at an event. issues, and social issues," said Jennifer Allshouse, chair of PSH's CFW Liaison Committee. Issues on which PSH's Liaison Committee is most focused are wage equity, sexual assault and domestic violence, and both financial and physical health. PSH's Liaison Committee's Chair Elect Donna Howard said gender equality is the biggest issue concerning most women. "Do I get the same respect as a male doing the same community. Although they are very new, they have a lot of big ideas. Cause & Effect has already begun plans to take monthly school funded trips to help out at local soup kitchens, food drives, trash clean-ups, etc. Most recently, the club has collaborated with the PSH Commission for Women to organize a clothing drive. The drive will start in October and all donations will be given to either a YWCA or to the Middletown Interfaith Thrift Store. Sophomore Chris Leidy and Junior Sara Williams are the co founders of Cause & Effect. A transfer student from Lafayatte rircanw.uurTri lifl job?" she said PSH's Liaison Committee focuses on events and programming. Past events include health fairs that involve cancer screenings and weight management, programs for sexual assault and domestic violence, the annual Women in Society symposium, and various fundraisers. Most recent fundraisers have benefited programs likeHarrisburg'sYWCA Domestic Advocacy Program. Currently, the Committee plans College, Leidy has been a member of the Lafayatte campus outreach program and was surprised to find PSH without one. He and Williams attended the Rock For Change concert last semester and were deeply inspired by its message of charity. It was there they formulated the idea for what would eventually become Cause & Effect. Cause & Effect's faculty adviser is sociology professor Dr. Dorothy E. King, who sees the importance that the club brings to the school. "I'm delighted to see that this club has begun at Penn State Harrisburg. In my classes, I talk about my generation's need to to collaborate with the Cause & Effect Club at PSH to prepare a clothing drive to benefit local thrift shops and the YWCA. Allshouse, a PSH Police Services Officer, hopes to add events concerning sexual assault and domestic violence. "I'm all for safety and I'm a big advocate for domestic violence awareness and sexual assault awareness." Allshouse also hopes to fundraise for shelters or likewise charities in the area. turn the reigns of society over to the next generation," said King. "I see this club as a great opportunity for students to identify and get involved in resolving some important issues." Last week on Tuesday, Sept. 16, the Cause & Effect club members went to the Gallery Lounge to hear guest speakers Quay Hanna and Daryl Davis speak about racism and intolerance in America. The Cause & Effect club thought it was important to raise awareness of such important social issues. Future plans for Cause & Effect include setting up Toys For Tots boxes around the holiday season as well as constructing , t. 24 2008 While at separate campuses, all Liaison Committees of the Penn State Commission for Women work together to make the university an affirmative atmosphere for women. Liaison Committees exist to ensure women's issues are being respected at that specific campus. PSH's Liaison Committee's main focus is on women at the Middletown campus. "We work in conjunction with the overall commission with them being the guiding forces of what we focus our issues on. But we want to specifically address women's issues at this campus," Chair Elect Donna Howard said. Students interested in joining the PSH Liaison Committee could use their major-related skills to help the committee. Allshouse encouraged all students to join and Howard promised to work around busy schedules. The committee provides students with leadership skills and it also looks good on a resume. PSH Liaison Committee to the Commission for Women are looking for student and faculty members who are interested in being proactive about gender issues. Those interested in joining should contact any member of the Executive Committee: Jennifer Allshouse, jua 1 @psu.edu; Toni Chaney, tmm7@psu.edu; Lori Ricard, lrr 12@psu.edu; and Donna Howard, dj h 1 @psu.edu. an after school youth recreation program at Pineford, similar to Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The program, described by Leidy and Williams, would allow local area children to play sports and do art and crafts activities with college students. "So many of us live in Pineford," said Chris. "We think it'd be a great idea." The Cause & Effect club meets every other Tuesday in the library at 12:15 p.m. For more information, e-mail Chris Leidy at cjl2l4@psu.edu or Sara Williams at smwso9B@psu.edu.
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