As the mission of Alma College seeks "to prepare graduates who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully and live responsibly as stewards of the world they bequeath to future generations," it is imperative that the changing role of women in society be recognized and studied and that women's roles and contributions to our College be fully affirmed. Furthermore, all members of the College community need to be educated so that women of this campus are never the objects of ignorance, prejudice, and parochialism.
The Women's Issues Advisory Board will serve as an umbrella organization representing women from the five campus constituencies: administration, faculty, housekeeping/maintenance, students and supporting staff. The purpose of the Board will be to improve the campus climate for women by recommending change, educating the Campus community, and providing opportunities for the development of women. This purpose will be enacted through the following functions of the Women's Issues Advisory Board:
- To explore and report on climate issues for women on the Alma College campus.
- To gather information on the status, concerns and accomplishments of women at Alma College.
- To identify ways in which the institution can support both women and men as they balance academic, work, family, and personal responsibilities.
- To make recommendations of these issues to the Executive Staff of the College.
- To promote active and beneficial relationships between women students/ employees and the President, Executive Staff and the College community.
- To educate and raise the awareness of all members of the College community--including advisory boards, administrators, faculty, students and staff--about local community and broader societal issues for women. This may include cooperative programming, newletters, publishing and/or reports to the campus.
- To encourage personal, professional, and academic development for women in the
Campus community.
- To promote skill-identification programming for women.
- To promote curricular and co-curricular programming on women's issues.
- To foster mentoring opportunities for women at all levels.
- To promote support groups for women.
- To promote recognition of women's accomplishments.
- To promote an environment supportive of the academic and personal growth of women.
- To advise and assist the residents, manager and advisor of the MacCurdy House
(women's residence and resource center).
- Residential issues
- Resource development
- Community relations
The Board is encouraged to utilize subcommittees representing other interested individuals from the administration, faculty, housekeeping/maintenance, students and support staff to carry out its functions.
Composition of the Board
The membership of the Women's Issues Advisory Board will represent five campus constituencies: administrators, faculty, housekeeping/maintenance, students and support staff. Students will have four representatives, while every other constituency will have two representatives. Each representative, except for the students will hold a two-year term. Student representatives will hold terms of one year.
In addition to these voting members, the Provost, Past Board Facilitator and the MacCurdy House Manager serve as ex-officio members. The coordinator(s) of the women's studies minor serve as a consultants and resources to the Board.
Elections
Each representative will be elected by the female members of his/her constituency through elections conducted by current WIAB members. Non-students representative elections will alternate so that one representative will be elected from each constituency each year.
Members of each constituency will be given the opportunity to nominate individuals to be elected. The elections for these non-student representatives will be held in April of each academic year. If no individuals are nominated, the Board reserves the right of appointing its membership.
