Challenging the Myths of Gender Equity

Challenging the myths of gender equity Lucy Hansen Exponent news editor Most people on the Montana State campus know what the words gender equity mean. But, how many people know what "think purple week" is? February 13- February 19 of this year "'.'as designated as "think purple week" for the purpose of ce leb~atmg the progress of gender equity in both Montana schools and m the state itself. Becky Bird, the gender equity coordinator for the State of Montana, was the guest speaker at Thursday's sack lune!-. seminar. She emphasized the progress that has been made, and what steps need to be taken in the future to ensure gender equity. "Gender equity means eliminating the barriers that women have traditionally had. We need equity for men and women, not gender discrimination. This isn't a woman's issue, ifs a human rights issue." Bird spoke extensively about equity not in terms of an equal number of men and of women in the work force. but in terms of "allowing people to make choices," concerning employ"Tlent. She spoke on other subjects such as single parents, di5p!aced homemakers, welfare reform, educational reform, and the frustra- • tions of many female students. Because Bird's office is directly affiliated with the higher education system, she emphasized edu cation and educational reform. She spoke of the need for practical training in Montana high schools, citing that only 20% of high school grads (nationally) go on to college. "We emphasize college too much and do a great disservice to the 80% of the students that do not go." Bird spoke of the need for more training which would enable more individuals to be self sufficient. She added that the State of Montana has received a $200,000 federal grant to create a "school to work" training program in high schools across the state. "If you want to have any impact when speaking about this issue (of gender equity), you have to have an open disc~ssion, both me?, and women. It is important not to lump people mto a category, Nathan Howard/EXPONENT Bird said of her own experiences both in speaking about gender equity and in overseeing the implementation of it. Bird maintained that although she herself is a feminist, she does not believe in the exclusion of anyone. She also addressed some problems of gender Fire in the hole ... equity including the battle of the sexes and stereotypes of the "typical white male." DA Y Two additional MSU students were "The nineties will be another decade of increased, highly Lucy Hansen on the scene, Justin Jarrett and emotional gender wars. We have to stop bashing each other. It's a Exponent news editor Taig O'Donnell. matter of respect." Bird maintained that although women have f EBR UARY18 Being a part of the department been fighting for equalit~,r for a long time, they should not pit requires some real commitment, themselves against men, and vice versa. The RAE Fire Department is a since all of the members are volun "Because of economic need or desire, women are entering the 9 9 4 volunteer department which oper teers. The volunteers are allowed ates in Bozeman and in the sur to leave their places of employ See Gender Equity page 24 rounding areas. ment, but they do not get paid for volume88 The fire department is com their time spent fighting the fires. prised of 16 members, five of whom Three of the volunteers live in are Montana State students. Be Amsterdam, a half- hour drive from Campus heating n umber36 cause they have to cover such a Bozeman, which takes additional large vicinity, the department uses time. the system of "mutual aide" which "In order for these people to plant readies itself means that it relies on five other protect the lives and property of . departments. the citizens of the valley, they have These departments include: to be deeply committed, highly Bridger Canyon, Belgrade, Sour trained and well equipped," said for improvements dough, Gallatin Gateway and the Brian Crandell the department's Amsterdam Fire Department. assistant chief. On Wednesday, the RAE Fire Crandell also wanted to thank John Pettit Department received a call for help. the people of the valley for their Exponent editor There was a fire in the mobile continued support, stating that the home complex located on 17th department would not exist with If you think your heating and utility bills are steep, imagine Street. They received the call at out such support. getting a $250,000 bill every month. That's what it can cost to keep 11: 16 am at the RAE headquar Although the mobile home that campus buildings toasty and lighted. ters. Six minutes after the fire teams caught fire had working smoke The engineers that run the heating plant to the south and east arrived, they checked for any life detectors, Crandell emphasized the of the SUB work 24 hours a day to see that all of that heat and in the mobile home. At 11 :38 they need for fire safety. He listed three electricity are delivered to each building. The heating plant, built in 'Cats determined that the home was important precautions that every 1922, is beginning to show its age, while personnel in facilities vacant. By 11 :49, the fire was un one should take in regard to smoke services make it ready for a new face lift. der control, but the teams stayed detectors. As the campus readies itself for it's new steam tunnels, the on the scene through the early The precautions included: heating plant will have one boiler overhauled and two others afternoon. changing the battery in your smoke replaced to meet the demands of Montana State, according to Ed #1 Dan Springer and Carl alarm every time you change the Sondeno, manager of engineering and utilities services. Johnson, MSU students both ma clock, testing the detector each "We're trying to build for the future," Sondeno said. joring in Technology Education, week and vacuuming the detector The first phase of this upgrade will take place this spring, when were in command at the scene. once a month. See Heating plant page 2 .N EWS. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18,1994 Media/Theater Arts Heating plant __from page 1 department earns ma"ly of th valves, p1pmg and parts of the plant s largest boiler an: b E. ing rebuilt to the tune of about $900 000 national reputation Touring the plant, it is easy to see wherE:' repairs would be nec essarv In the basement, where Fred Freedman tv.. o steam pipes venture out un Exponent staff wnter derground to the campus build mgs, many of the visible pipes are corroded and insulation is torn. The Med1c1 & Theatre Arb Department here at Monmna State Leakmg pipes underground not only has a long htston: ,but 1s conststl'ntly in the top percentile could be responsible for as much of post-graduation JOb placement as 10,000 pounds of steam. Media & Theatre Arts (MTA) had it's beginnings in the 1950's, Sondeno said This wreaks havoc but. according 10 Jack Hvppa, Profc~sor of Film Video, tt began with the whole heating system, it's real success in the l 960's, under department head Fred because the plant has to replace Gerber, who altered the curriculum structure. recirculated water with untreated. "(!t \\.as) basically modeled on what was really his experience cold city water. which is hard on at UCLA in terms of the design of the academic structure of the boilers. productton emphasis in television film. and eventually photogra "That's the real problem." phy," Hvppa said Sondeno said. "Steam ts not com Thai success has lead to the MTA department having a high ing back, it's leaking and we can reputatton in the media industry only process so much raw water ·· "Reputation 1s a hard thing to describe because we view 11 Tom or degraded insulation from a different perspecttve. obviously. from somebody looking will be replaced on all of the steam in, so I really kmd of have to rely on more anecdotal types of things condensate lines in the basement that happen and what's gets reported back, but I don ·1 think and across campus when a new there's any doubt in our mind that the impression by the industry tunnel is constructed to bring all right now, and of other academic institutions is that we have a verv most services to campus building good program here in the areas that we specialize." Hyppa said as part of major construction Jason Jordan. a junior in Film,Video, also agreed that MSU's projects on campus. The lines will reputation was a good one when it came to deciding what school last longer in the tunnel and will to attend msulate better, Sondeno said. be "Montana State University has the reputation of being one of cause they will not be in direct the top ten film schools in the countrv It's kind of amazing to find contact with the ground. such a good program at a school that doesn't have a lot of The tunnel will come into the contributions from large corporations." Jordan said basement where coal used to be Kylie Bergeson, a sophomore in Film Video, mentioned that dumped into a hopper from a rail the excellence of the program was offered for an inexpensive car near the heating plant, tuition rate. Sondeno said. In addition to the "That's the reason a lot of people are here, really, because new tunnel connection, the struc they can go here without having to pay the private tuition for ture itself will be reinforced to schools like USC and NYU.

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