"Women Studies Center" at my college

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I go to a Catholic college. We have this “Women Studies” center at my Catholic college. I am an active member of the Pro-life club, and this week is pro-life awareness week. Anyway, we have had problems with the Women Studies center in the past, and this year they are doing this, as posted on my school’s online bulletin board:
The Women’s Studies Center in lower Wege (by The Corner) will be passing out “Hello My Name Is: Pro Choice”
stickers all week. This is intended to be a peaceful and silent way to communicate our beliefs this week.
If you would like a sticker, please feel free to stop by the Women’s Studies Center anytime between 9am-3pm this week.
How is this center getting funding by the college? We, as a pro-life club get about 500 dollars a year in funding. The Women Studies center gets much more, and they have faculty, an office, all sorts of stuff.
 
I would ask the dean who oversees the student groups for an explanation, in writing, of why this particular organization is a recognized group and is given college funds to operate in light of this recent action.

It could be that the dean, president, and board members are unaware or out of touch in regards to what this group is doing. I recommend informing the dean who oversees student groups(there is always a dean ultimately in charge) of the actions of the “Women’s Center”, asking for a written response, and informing the dean that this response will be included in a letter to the president and board members stating your concern for the Catholic identity and example that the College should set.

I believe this course of action respects those in authority and allows them to formulate an appropriate response to the situation. It also lets the dean know that this won’t just go away if they make you wait long enough (with the explanation that you will be writing the president and all board members)

Good luck. You’re doing the right thing. Let us know how it goes.

God Bless,

YACatholic:thumbsup:
 
I would ask the dean who oversees the student groups for an explanation, in writing, of why this particular organization is a recognized group and is given college funds to operate in light of this recent action.
allows them to formulate an appropriate response to the situation.
The biggest problem I see is that it is not a student group. It is run by employees of the college, and has funding from the college and donors, separate from student clubs. There is a “gender studies club” that is sponsored through the Women Studies center, but the center itself is not a club.

Here is the website for the center: aquinas.edu/womenscenter/janehibbard.html

Whereas these are the clubs: aquinas.edu/students/clubs.html
 
After reading the “About AQ” section of the website, it seems to me that the college mentions its Dominican “roots” a lot, but never states anywhere maintaining the Catholic identity or teaching of the Dominican order, or the universal Church. I would still ask the dean for an explanation and also voice your concern to the president and trustees. If they give you an answer of “we think it’s fine” then you at least have an answer. But, if they don’t agree with the Women’s Studies Center’s actions, or there is disagreement about it, there is a possibility to bring about change. You have to appeal to the ones who are in a position to change things. That is the president and the board.

At least you’ll have clarification of what the leadership of the college believes. Then you can go from there. Good luck. I’ll be praying for you (and them)

God Bless,

YACatholic:thumbsup:
 
Here are some steps you could take to draw attention to this problem. Which if any seen appropriate is up to you. If you contact anyone, you should identify who you are and sign any letter, and include documented evidence for what you say, though it may seem best to tell them not to use your name.
Speak to an administrator at your college.
Write a calm letter to the college newspaper, who may publish it. If they do publish it, they will your name.
Write to the bishop, including evidence for what you say, such as releases from this woman’s center.
Write to the Vatican Congregation in charge of education. They probably would not act in this particular matter, but if there are a number of complaints, they may issue statements about such problems–or the Pope will. Addresses of Vatican Congragations can be found in the book, “Official Catholic Directory.”
Send the information to the Cardinal Newman Society, who probably will draw attention to this with a news item, which will appear on their website. This society, findable through google.com, is a national organziation dedicated to the reform of Catholic higher education. This and the following possibilities would alert the Catholic public to this problem in general and put pressure on your school to deal with this problem (though probably an alert from the Cardinal Newman Society would not produce enough pressure).
Send the information to an orthodox Catholic newspaper–one of them is the National Catholic Register. They may report on this in your newspaper. This would put a lot of pressure on your school to deal with this problem.
Such measures are hardly calculated to make you popular at your school (and a letter to your campus newspaper in particular could open you to widespread hostility there from students and others), which is why it may seem best to ask that your name not be released when possible.
After reviewing these messages again, I see that someone suggested writing to the board members. This is one idea I had never thought of, though I work at a Catholic university. If you worked there this might very well get you fired, but that is not the case when it comes to yourself. This may be a good possibility. The reference librarian at your school could identify the board members, though you may not wish to say why you want this information because that person might not help you then.
 
Might I recommend that you migrate to St. Joseph’s College in Rennselaer, Indiana ( about 40 miles south of Gary and 40 miles north of Lafayette and Purdue U.). Run by the Precious Blood Fathers and academically excellent. Costs should be comparable unless you are living at home.👍
 
This is intended to be a peaceful and silent way to communicate our beliefs this week.
How is this a “silent” way to communicate? Wearing signs that say “pro-choice”? Apparently they mean silent as in, “does not create auricular vibrations” rather than “is unnoticeable.”
 
Might I recommend that you migrate to St. Joseph’s College in Rennselaer, Indiana ( about 40 miles south of Gary and 40 miles north of Lafayette and Purdue U.). Run by the Precious Blood Fathers and academically excellent. Costs should be comparable unless you are living at home.👍
I thoroughly enjoyed my four years there. Teaching is in communion with the Church, amazing academics, and great ministry opportunities. I entered Catholic, left Catholic, and am currently a young adult Catholic. They did right by me. I actually would look there. I don’t mean to hijack the thread, but it is an alternative to staying at a Catholic school that does not adhere to Church teaching.

God Bless,

YACatholic:thumbsup:
 
I would make up a t-shirt to counter this…

Pro Choice? YES… Just make the “choice” at the right time
…BEFORE CONCEPTION (We “Choose” to have sex, we know the possible outcome)
 
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