Report to the 2004 Delegate Assembly

Feminist Issues Committee

March 26, 2004

Feminist Issues Committee Representatives:

Bemidji                         Blanca Rivera (2003-2004), Mary Jo Hrenchir (2002-2003)

MSU, Mankato            Mary Bliesmer (2003-2004), Pat Earle (2002-2003)

Metropolitan                 Shannon Skarphol Kaml (2002-2004) Co-Chair

MSU, Moorhead          Vacant, Tracy Ann Scholl, (2002-2003)

St. Cloud                      Tracy Ore (2002-2004)

Southwest                    Suzanne Black (2002-2004)

Winona                        Tamara Berg (2002-2004) Co-Chair

Over the past two years, the Feminist Issues Committee has been working on:

·Addressing concerns arising for the legislature’s removal of domestic partner benefits from the IFO contract;

·Encouraging the expansion of MnSCU support for GLBT faculty and students on individual campuses;

·Providing Safe Space training for Committee Members to take back to their campuses for campus enrichment within MnSCU;

·Encouraging the expansion of efforts to utilize diversity within the IFO;

·Considering the Equity Advocate’s role in representing members in member to member complaints and encouraging campuses to create local equity representatives;

·Promoting efforts to achieve salary equity (including FIC staff liaison Pat Arseneault on the Salary Review Committee);

·Providing information on the salary equity lawsuits and promoting their settlement;

·Addressing issues concerning women’s and men’s pension/retirement situations; including the relation of equity back pay settlements and TRA “high five” salaries for purposes of pension calculation;

·Revising the committee-sponsored awards criterion and grant application process;

·Addressing internal pressures prompting budget reductions for IFO committees;

·Addressing concerns regarding the origination of policy change requests within the IFO;

·Creating and populating a committee website to serve as a communication device for IFO members and a repository of committee history for future committee members and IFO members; and

·Sponsoring a Candidates’ Forum at DA and hosting a webpage for committee-elicited candidate information documenting candidate’s positions and service with respect to equity issues.

Our 2000 Feminist Issues Grant Recipient Dr. Ruthe Thompson of Southwest is currently completing her work on a short video “Business as Usual” regarding gender politics on MnSCU campuses.  The FIC has completed an applicant review for a new $3,000 Feminist Issues Grant for 2004-2006, and will be making a recommendation in April to the IFO Board.

FIC web site:    www.ifo.org/fic