WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S STUDIES NEWSLETTER

VOL III, NO 8

APRIL 1997

COORDINATOR'S CORNER

This month I'd like to use the Faculty Profile to introduce you to the two newest staff members at Services for Women Students: Kallie Parkinson Coles and Carol Merrill. Both have been busily helping WSU students since the end of last summer.

I'd like to call your attention to a couple of events in April that will focus on human rights issues. At 10:30 a.m., Thursday, 3 April, Morris Dees will present the convocation address. He was recognized in 1987 as Trial Lawyer of the Year, and he founded and represents the Southern Poverty Law Center in Alabama. The title of his talk will be "America's Radical Militia Movement." The annual Holocaust Memorial will be held Thursday, 10 April. I urge your support of the convocation address by Benjamin Jacobs and the 12:45 p.m. march along Harrison Blvd. from WSU to Ogden High School, followed by a 1:30 p.m. talk.

The first statewide meeting of the Gender Equity Technical Assistance Centers will be held in Salt Lake City on 3 and 4 April. The Thursday evening banquet will feature an address by Molly Murphy MacGregor of the National Women's History Project. On Friday, attendees will hear from such locally prominent speakers as Dr. Cecelia Foxley, Utah Commissioner of Higher Education, and Dr. Grace Sawyer Jones, President of the College of Eastern Utah. For further information, call (801) 222-8498.

Thanks to those of you who supported last month's statewide meeting of Utah Women-Centered Programs, with a special thanks to Provost Dave Eisler who took time to join us for the morning sessions. Thanks also to those students who attended and assisted with the annual conference of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN), held 22 March at Snowbird. Finally, I would like to acknowledge former Weber State student and pioneering Women's Studies minor, Pam Harrison, for participating in the statewide meeting and planning "Wings of Freedom: Beyond Abuse," held at the Ogden Park Hotel the evening of 21 March.

Congratulations (!) to Kathy Edwards, chosen recently to serve as the next Chair of the Department of Communication. We wish her a successful tenure in the position.

FACULTY PROFILE

Kallie Parkinson Coles looks to James Baldwin for the motto that inspires her and guides pursuit of her passions of genetics and language. Remembering that "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced." she seeks to achieve her humanist and feminist goal of "see[ing] individuals function optimally," maximizing the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses we each acquire from our family heritage. She sees language as supremely important, not only in reflecting reality but also in shaping it, and works to change social constructs leading to inequities, in part by encouraging awareness and practice of inclusive language.

In addition to her position as Counselor at SWS, Kallie is also an Adjunct Instructor for the Department of Social Work and Gerontology. She received her B.S. in Social Work from Southern Utah (then, in 1986) State College and her M.S.W. from the University of Utah, with a clinical track in Health/Mental Health. Prior to joining the staff at WSU, Kallie worked as a psychotherapist and medical social worker for McKay-Dee Hospital, FHP, and several home health care groups. She also worked from 1991-92 as tutoring coordinator for WSU's Student Support Services. She maintains membership in her professional organization, the National Association of Social Workers, and is a member of several other community groups, including the Utah Chapter of the National Neurofibromatosis Foundation which she helped to formalize and for which she has served as president.

Carol E. Merrill is a 1994 graduate of Weber State, holding a B.S. with honors in Social Work and a minor in Psychology. She also completed her M.S.W. at the University of Utah with a clinical track in Healt/Mental Health. A member of the National Honor Societies in Social Work and Psychology, she also is active as a Board member for the National Association of Social Workers and several state organizations. Carol has made profesisonal presentations to national, regional, community, and campus audiences. Prior to coming to Weber State as a student, she worked for the California Department of Public Social Services in Long Beach. Since she arrived in Utah, she has been employed as a grief counselor, medical social worker, psychotherapist, and crisis intervention specialist for private and state agencies. Her current position at Weber includes being a Counselor for SWS as well as an Adjunct Instructor for the Deparment of Social Work and Gerontology. A person who "believes firmly that it is possible to change the direction of your life once you begin to understand your intrinsic value as a woman," Carol came to that critical point after many life experiences that left her "emotionally, intellectually and spiritually saturated with negative feelings." Once she understood the self-made nature of her barriers to success, she was committed to helping others recognize and break through their own self-made barriers and accomplish great strides in their lives. Identifying and focusing on strengths, she and her clients work together to develop strong foundations from which they can act as capable and responsible individuals.

We are delighted to welcome these committed and talented professionals to Weber State and we look forward to working together with them in supporting women's issues on our campus!

CALENDAR

31 Mar. - 11 Apr.: "Women in History" photo display, 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m,. bridge from UB to SSC.

2 Apr.: Readings by Russell Burrows, Jayne Blair, & Michael Wutz, 7 - 9 p.m., Thought Continuum.

3 Apr.: "America's Radical Militia Movement," Morris Dees, 10:30 a.m., UB.

3 - 4 Apr.: Gender Equity Conference, University Park Hotel, Salt Lake City; for information, call (801) 222-8498.

10 Apr.: Holocaust Memorial featuring Benjamin Jacobs; Convocation, 10:30 a.m., UB; march to Ogden HS, 12:45 p.m.; Ogden HS presentation, 1:30 p.m.

7 Apr.: Executive Council Meeting, 3:30 p.m., SS137

16 Apr.: Readings, Utah Aids Foundation, Weber County Library, 7-9 p.m.