Continuation of Oxford Presentations

We want to continue on with the next presentations:

The next professor, L. Nevarro, Austin Community College discussed women and equal leadership in higher education. She suggested that women of power in education are often dicrimintated against. They either join the "good old boys club", or other women ostracize them. It is a no win situation. Women give up child-bearing years and a personal life. Women join at there own peril. Women in places of power, at the conference, shared their distressing stories. It made me feel really good about myself and my dean at home at CGCC, Susan Wolfe (who is doing a great job). She gives me lots of freedom and support.

Professor Judy Tinelshof; Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, Californa. Title of workshop: The Contribution of the Value-Scale to Gender Equalities. She spoke to the issue of sexism being alive and well at spiritual colleges. This creates a double bind for women who are expected to be religious and non-confrontational. She has come a long way in trying to represent women on campus. She feels she needs lots of support and prayers to get her job done in a religious atmosphere.

The next presentor, Jeff Weatherly--professor of the University of North Dakota, and Cheryl Terrance, assistant professor. We know the problem, but do we know its source? Retaining female faculty. At their college, they supplied statistics showing their hiring practices are fairly equal. Cheryl noted she can not obtain public documents which show male vs. female pay-scales. She seemed concerned that this issue needs to be addressed. They have trouble keeping female faculty and turnover is great. They are committed to doing better in their Psyche department.

Jackie Halstead, from Christian University TX, presented. The Academic Climate of Women Faculty in Faith-based Institutions. In her experience, she is also troubled by taking risks at her job. She has a positive out-look and she works with a very high-risk population. She reports she experiences the double-bind of the "good old boy club" guised in religion. She feels she's come a long way as well.

Next presentor: Julia A. Malia, associate professor, child and family studies; University of Tennessee. Julia reports women need clubhouses. She describes special places women create on their campuses for safe-haven. Julia creates music and operas on the side to reduce her own stress. She is an accomplished musician and she lives what she prescribes for keeping stress at bay. She is comfortable with her college role, and she is a good model for other women to follow.

Helga Madland, professor Emeritus, University of Oklahoma--was the next one to present: the Tention Between Family Leave and Female Faculty. She reports women are being persecuted for raising families and keeping their jobs. We have lots of roads to travel.

Janelle Melvin, professor of Evergreen Valley College, California: Women of Indian Origin in U.S. Graduate Engineering Programs. She reports Indian women with engineering degrees are not allowed to work in the U.S. Their husbands are allowed, the wives are kept at home. Domestic violence has increased and they are trapped in their homes.

Hulya Unlu, Senior lecturer, German language program, Pennsylvania State University: Turkish Feminist Literature. She reports women from her country are competing with eachother for jobs. This is a sad state of affairs, a no-win situation. She has come far and represents her family very well. She is an educated and outstanding individual. She keeps a great sense of humor about her country and the women.

Tess Fegel-Osborne, professor of Psychology, Columbia Gorge Community College, OR: I described the difficult role of young women who are abused at a young age who come to my classroom later in life, who feel very left behind. Pandora's Paradox, Disclosing the Hidden Truths of Gender Discrimination. These women have locked away their dreams, they are afraid life will no longer build their dreams. Many of these women have also suffered from child sex-abuse. Their "box", metaphorically speaking, is full of rage, domestic violence, drug/alcohol abuse, and depression. I am also the director of a Children's Trust Fund Program servicing young parents. These women are caught in a horrible paradox. Do they move forward when they come to school, or are they forever caught in secrets and lies? A poem of loss and recovery challenging women to find their shield, fight the demons, and with the help of women they can overcome their ghosts.

Anne Lazaroff, associate professor of Psychology, Antioch University, Seattle WA: The Role of the DSM Manual in the Maintenance of the Subordination of Women. Anne warns us to go carefully in diagnosing women's mental health issues. We need to use critical thinking skills and caution in order to not put women in boxes. They have been harmed enough. Proceed carefully and cautiously in our diagnostic efforts. Anne has great humor and courage to work with women who have been offended by our culture in more ways than one.

Helen Nabasuta Mugambi, associate professor, California State Univ. The Crooked Shadow, Gender Inequality and the Global Commodification and Exploitation of the Image of the African Woman. Helen presented a dinamic report reminding all of us of the beauty of the individual cultures. Always look beyond the color of the skin and see the beauty within.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We had a wonderful ceremony concluding our conference. A five-course banquet meal was served in the great hall of Harris-Manchester College. Much laughter and tears to say good-bye to new-found friends and powerful comrades, professionals, and soul-mates.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now, if anyone would like to hear my presentation of Pandora's Paradox (the very same which I presented to the Oxford Round Table), please click on the link below:

~Pandora's Paradox~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We also interviewed a student of Harris-Manchester, Jouko, who is majoring in the field/s of Psychology. To hear his interview, please click on the link below:

~Student Interview~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And on a final note, thank you to all of the conference members as well as guests (and also our very helpful interviewee, Jouko). Thanks also goes to all of the commenters and viewers as well. We had a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Oxford, and we will not-soon forget it.