VOL.2, NO.1

COORDINATOR'S CORNER

This month our faculty profile features Priti Kumar from the English Department. She is a long-time supporter of women's issues and a steadfast contributor to the Women's Studies Program in many capacities. We are all delighted to call Priti our friend and colleague.

The June newsletter acknowledged two of our minors - Kimberly Stone and Johnn Tan; there are two others who slipped through the (growing) crack in my mind. My apologies to Andrea Cheney who has accepted a position as an office assistant for a local author and to Cheri Lachenmeier who graduated in absentia and will begin a graduate program in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling and Community Inclusion at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

There are congratulations in order for several members of the program. Natasha Kap, soon to be a graduate, will serve as co-chair for the Weber State University chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. June HarmoneyQ, one of the Phoenix Achievement Award recipients, was chosen "Women of the Year" during the Crystal Crest Ceremony held last June. Gwynneth MacKenzie Mary Joan Murphy was ordained an Episcopal priest on 28 June 1995 at All Saints Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City.

Nancy Haanstad is the contact person for the newly-organized group known as A.A.V.O.W. (Advocates Against Violence Over Women) that will spearhead awareness education about domestic violence. The group will sponsor a vigil on the State&127; Capitol steps (Salt Lake City) to be held the evening of 10 October 1995. The scheduled speaker is Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson; Attorney General Jan Graham will also be in attendance. A.A.V.O.W. membership is open to all interested persons; pay $5.00 dues to Nancy (Pol. Sci., W.S.U., MC 1203, 626-7234).

Women's Studies will have a table at the Information Fair held in conjunction with orientation for beginning Weber State students scheduled between 28 August and 15 September. Faculty, staff and students will be present to distribute informational materials and answer questions about the program. Anyone interested in volunteering please contact the office at 626-7632.

FACULTY PROFILE

Priti W. Kumar has been a member of the English faculty at Weber State since 1981. She teaches for the Women's Studies, Asian Studies and Honours Programme at Weber also. Originally from India, she has a B.A. from Allahabad University (U.P., India), two M.A.'s - in Hindi language and literature - from Rajasthan University in Jodhpur, India, and another M.A. from the University of Utah in comparative literature.

Priti is strongly committed to diversity and multicultural issues and has been active in scholarly activities, course development and workshop presentations in these areas. She teaches the core class WS 205, Introduction to Women's Studies, in addition to English 275, Indian Women Writers (writing in English) each autumn quarter and English 271, Asian Women Writers: China, Japan and India (many in translation) each spring quarter. Both are cross-listed with Women's Studies and Asian Studies; English 275 is also cross-listed with the Honours Programme.

Priti collaborates with Kathy Herndon (English) and Linda Oda (Teacher Education) in presenting a workshop on using multicultural literature in language courses from kindergarten to university level. During the past year, they were invited to present at the National Association of Multicultural Education (Washington, DC), Asian Reading Congress (Singapore), National Council of English Teachers' International Conference (New York University). Anyone interested in having them address additional audiences, should contact one of them or the Women's Studies Office. Development of this workshop was supported by a grant from Hemingway Faculty Vitality Funds. Priti has collaborated also with Dr. Judy Elsley (English) in the development of a paper entitled "Living Between Cultures" which they presented on several occasions last year and will present again at the October meeting of the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association in Spokane, WA. She will also be a member of a panel on teaching international literature for the National Council of Teachers of English in San Diego, CA in November.

Priti is developing a course with support from the Diversity Subcommittee on Teaching that will focus on world literature with an emphasis on non-western writers; it will be offered in the summer quarter of 1996. In addition, supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to Sarah Tinkler (Economics), she is developing a course on introduction to Indian cultures and Hindi language, to be taught in the spring quarter of 1996. She will travel to India in Winter Quarter to do research and gather materials for this course. Priti is married to Raj Kumar (Communications); he will be conducting research in India winter quarter also to develop an international communications course, supported by the same grant.

Priti loves her work, her Friends and her family, not necessarily in that order, and she continues to inspire us with her compassion, enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity.

New Women's Studies Program brochures are available. Copies will be available at the opening gathering; anyone else who would like to have some brochures for potentially interested students, please call the office (626-7632.)

The Utah Women and Mathematics (WAM) Program coordinates public school visits to provide information on careers relating to math. They are considering developing a student mentoring program this year as well. There is a dearth of volunteers in the Ogden, Logan and Provo area. If you are interested in becoming a resource, please contact Ellen George (278-4118) or Carolyn Tucker (488-4174, work; 521-9778, home.)

CALENDAR

28 August - 15 September: Orientation for first-year students; 8-9 a.m. or 5-6 p.m (9/7 & 9/12); Ballroom C, W.S.U. Union Bldg.

7 September: Women's Studies Opening Gathering, Metro Center, 10 a.m. -2 p.m.

13 - 15 September: W.A.C. Retreat, Alumni Center, W.S.U.

14 - 16 September: Utah Math Science Network Retreat, Park City. Call Ellen George (801-278-4118) for more information.

25 September: Autumn Quarter Classes begin.