The Gender Equity Council identifies and responds to customs and habits which may perpetuate gender inequities within the university community and elsewhere. We try to think locally and globally about discrimination on the basis of sex and gender, and we work to create an environment in which every individual can thrive. Founded as the "Women’s Council" by university president Doug Lee and the Faculty Women’s Caucus in 1999, the GEC is composed of appointed representatives from all areas of the campus community--staff, administration, faculty, and the student body. When name of this group was changed from "Women's Council" to "Gender Equity Council" in 2004, we sent a signal that awareness of gender issues at Stetson University means awareness of all issues relating to gender and sexuality, not just of the problems faced by university women. Some of our specific goals are
- increasing the health and safety of women on campus
- improving the campus climate for individuals belonging to the LGBT community
- heightening awareness of safety and health for men in the Stetson community
- increasing the number of women in decision-making positions
- establishing fair and equitable workloads for women and men, faculty and staff
- advocating a healthy work/life balance
- enhancing Values Council projects which involve the entire Stetson community
- supporting social justice on campus, in the larger Deland community, and around the world
The Gender Equity Council has actively supported and participated in academic programs, including
- Women & Gender Studies
- Latin American Studies
- Environmental Science
- Africana Studies
The Council also has an ongoing history of working with diverse co-curricular groups across campus, including
- Faculty Women's Caucus
- Panhellenic Council
- Quality of Service Committee (a resource group for staff)
- OSAPE (a student group for responsible sexual expression)
- Kaleidescope (an alliance of student advocates for LGBT issues)
- International V-Day Campaign, which has produce yearly performances of "The Vagina Monologues" since 2001
- Allies (an organization of faculty, staff, and students trained to serve as friends and confidantes for members of the Stetson community coming to terms with sexuality or discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation)
- Counseling Center
- Cross Cultural Center
- Athletic Department
The GEC also works closely with Campus Life, the Center for First Year Studies, and the Academic Support Office. The chair of the GEC serves as the president's consultant on gender issues.
If women be educated for dependence; that is, to act according to the will of another fallible being, and submit, right or wrong, to power, where are we to stop?
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-97), English feminist political writer
"We the people." It is a very eloquent beginning. But when that document was completed on the seventeenth of September in 1787 I was not included in that "We the people." I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation and court decision I have finally been included in "We the people."
Barbara Jordan (1936-96), American stateswoman
Contention is inseparable from creating knowledge. It is not contention we should try to avoid, but discourses that attempt to suppress contention.
Joyce Appleby ( b. 1929), American historian
The main thing is to care. Care very hard, even it if is only a game you are playing.
Billie Jean King (b. 1943), American tennis player
One thing we may be certain of—that what is contrary to women’s nature to do, they never will be made to do by simply giving their nature free play. The anxiety of mankind to interfere in behalf of nature, for fear lest nature should not succeed in effecting its purpose, is an altogether unnecessary solicitude.
John Stuart Mill (1806-73) English philosopher
