Have you signed the petition?

Are we in the dark ages at the University of Arizona? According to a proposal for a professionally directed Women’s Resource Center, the University of Arizona is way behind the times. There is no doubt that there is a need on campus for a non-discriminatory organization devoted to providing resources, information, and programming for women-identified students, faculty and staff. The Daily Wildcat has reported that the U of A is “behind the times” all PAC-10 universities outside of Arizona have professionally directed women's centers. Likewise all of U of A’s peer institutions (aside from the University of Florida) have substantial women’s centers. These centers typically have 3or more full-time staff, a large space of 1,400 sq. feet and budgets well over $200,000. Contrarily, the current space that holds the UA Women’s Resource center is a mere 200 sq. feet, run by a group of students, has no paid staff and operates on a 7,000 budget from ASUA. In an interview with KVOA Carly Thomsen , author of the proposal and co director of the WRC states, “with a larger center, budget and a paid staff, we could have more programs, and I think the UA and surrounding community wants that."

Despite all of these problems the Women’s Resource Center continues to work hard to provide the campus community with four strands of continuous programming: Safe Walk, Sex Ed Workshops, A Film Series, and Self Defense Classes. Also the WRC holds famous headline-making events such the Breast Party, Take Back the Night, Women’s Herstory month, and much more. The Women’s Resource Center has developed successful internship program that has trained over 45 interns in two semesters. Also the WRC has brought in over $50,000 in outside grant money to make over 75 well-attended events possible, this unprecedented for a student-run organization. Issues relating to social justice, oppression and gender are issues that our University and Administration must care about. And right now, due to the lack of support, that’s not the message being sent to out women students. We know that we deserve better. The Women’s Resource Center has started circulating a petition to students, staff and faculty; they are hoping to get a least 3,500 signatures or approximately 10% of student support.

HEAD OVER TO THE WRC AND SIGN NOW!