THENORTHERNLIGHT MARCH 5, 2013
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Women’s History Month at UAA Past, present and future
By Nita Mauigoa
features2@thenorthernlight.org Alice Paul — Wonder Woman and Laura Croft have nothing on her, yet very few people recognize the name. “This is a woman, along with other women, who went on hunger strikes. They were thrown in jail. They were force-fed. It gives you an idea of what these women went through,” Kimberly Pace, Women’s Studies Department director, said. “She dedicated her life to giving women rights to vote.” In honor of Alice Paul and countless other heroines who broke unjust barriers, UAA is participating in Women’s History Month. The Women’s Studies Department has successfully hosted events consistently on campus since 2005.
Background
Pace said Women’s History Month traces its roots back to Europe, where International Women’s Day started in 1911. Through the years, people have tried in various states and schools to celebrate women’s accomplishments on this day. “The actual celebration of Women’s History Month did not occur until 1987 in the U.S.,” Pace said. “That’s when President Reagan declared a proclamation that it would be celebrated in March.” Tara Lampert, Women’s Studies adjunct professor,
named several unsung heroines who have shed blood, sweat and tears for women’s rights. “Angela Davis was part of the Black Panther movement. She was on the FBI’s most wanted list in the 1960s, and she’s a prominent feminist activist. She’s one of my heroes for sure,” Lampert said. PBS recently aired “Makers: Women who Make America,” an in-depth documentary on women’s history. Lampert said the documentary is long overdue.
Campus involvement
Pace said various departments handled women’s history celebrations before she joined the department in 2005. “Ever since I’ve been the director, it’s been pretty static,” Pace said. Through the years there have been a variety of women’s history events. This year, comedian Erin Jackson will visit UAA. There will also be music, movies and food. Pace also established “Legacy Lectures,” where women professionals share stories of struggles and triumphs.Both Pace and Lampert expressed gratitude for their students who have volunteered much of their time to make events happen. “The university doesn’t provide a whole lot of support for us, so we do what we can with a limited budget,” Lampert said. Pace said she wishes there would be more interest and
attendance with events they host on campus.
Room for progress
Despite the annual events on campus celebrating women’s history, there is still a widespread lack of knowledge. “The first question I ask my students during the semester is to list 20 women in U.S. history and very rarely does someone hit 20,” Lampert said. Students are quick to name Queen Elizabeth and Joan of Arc, but seldom do they recall learning about American heroines in textbooks. “We don’t have a women’s center, which a lot of universities have, where people can come and check out books and videos related to women and women’s history,” Lampert said. “So it’s a lot of making sure the university knows that this is really important to our students.” Pace said the Women’s Studies Department only offers a minor’s program. Only a handful of people are department faculty. “It would be awesome to ultimately have a Women’s and Gender studies major at UAA,” Pace said, “but that’s a ways down the road.” Though the department may be small in numbers, they gladly accept the role of continually educating the campus about the importance of women’s history. “In order to know where we’re going,” Lampert said, “we need to know where we’ve been.”
Women’s wellness exams save lives, despite discomfort By J.Almendarez
editor@thenorthernlight.org The mere thought of pap smears sends a shiver of discomfort through most women’s spines. But because the test can detect potentially abnormal cell growth in vagina, it can also determine whether a woman might have cervical cancer. “No one should die of cervical cancer, because we’ve got the technology to detect it and treat it early,” Georgia DeKeyser, Interim Director of the Student Health and Counseling Center, said. She said that in the same way a virus can impact one’s nose, ears, mouth or other part of the body, viruses could also be warning signs of cancer. Treatment of abnormal
Features
cell reproduction can range from keeping a watchful eye on the questionable growth to undergoing surgery. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website recommends women 21 years old or over to have a pap smear once every two years. DeKeyser said she understands some women might be uncomfortable with the idea of getting a pap smear, and the center is ready to deal with those concerns. “We do a lot of first time exams for women,” she said. The range of women’s wellness exams offered by the center can vary from person-to-person. DeKeyser said an exam for a 16-year-old might be a general health check-up and information about safe sexual practices. A woman wanting to become pregnant might need to address issues such as prenatal vitamins and folic acid needs. “We meet people where they’re at,” she said, adding
A&E
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For more information call the Student Health and Counseling Center at 907-786-4040 or visit their website at http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/studenthealth/contact-information.cfm.
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From government to children’s books, a chat with Fran Ulmer
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that pap smears are never mandatory. She also said women wanting to know more about wellness exams can arrange an informational first appointment to discuss what their best options could be. The health center has seven nurse practitioners and two physicians on staff who are qualified to administer the exams. The wellness exams are free of charge to all students taking six or more credit hours. However, lab work, such as STD or STI testing, incurs an at-cost fee. Pap smears cost $33.50.
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