Spring Break
Women's studies looking for more students
No major is currently offered in program
Jennifer Brown / Staff Reporter
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: News
Jeannie Ludlow, coordinator for the Women's Studies Program, is looking for students to develop women's studies into their minor at Eastern.
She's been teaching at the university since August, and is currently the only full-time professor in the program.
"We tend to look through the world of how women experience it," Ludlow said. "If you take an English class, you might read two books by men and two books by women and for a long time humanity was based by men."
She said women's studies centers on teaching students critical thinking skills.
While this is a major at other universities, it is not one at Eastern.
Ludlow said she only knows of 15 students who have officially declared it as their minor.
Alaina Morales, a senior English major, became interested in the minor when she took the introductory course Women, Men and Culture last spring.
Morales became interested by the ideas of gender and race.
"The minor is also very practical," she said. "The things we discuss aren't hard to understand - they apply to everyday social issues and anyone can relate to the topics we discuss."
Morales said she would see the world become a better place, and declaring this as a minor has given her the tools she needs to make this possible.
She declared women's studies as her minor for personal reasons. She plans to work in a university library, and wants to use her minor to outreach out to the students and the community.
"The (women's studies) minor makes you hyper-aware of all kinds of issues," she said. "That will be an advantage when I'm developing collections in the library, or developing professional relationships with coworkers."
Declaring a minor in women's studies broadened Morales' experience as a college student and she found the issues that are covered in the classes relevant in all her classes.
"The minor really makes you re-examine your habits, beliefs and lifestyle," Morales said. "I'm just aware of the different issues people face every day. I'm aware of how we have to change as a society to include everyone."
Creating a women's studies major is not in the near future.
"You have to have a consistent number of faculty, and there's just one," Ludlow said. "I can't do a whole major by myself. We have faculty that teach courses, but they can't do it consistently."
She said it's getting easier to change this, because the university is hiring more faculty that are interested in women's studies.
The only thing the university would need to have a major is more introductory courses, Ludlow said.
"If we developed a major, we wouldn't develop one until we could offer students the best opportunities of work and scholarships," Ludlow said. "We would want it to be top-notch before we propose it."
She added when the program is ready to propose a major there would be widespread support.
Currently faculty in the program comes from many different departments, including English, history, sociology and political science.
The faculty is committed to the program, Morales said.
"They might try to get more men involved with (women's studies), just because everyone should be involved with it," she said. "There's more to women's studies than the women, which many people don't realize."
The minor requires students to take the introductory course Women, Men, and Culture, as well as Feminist Theory. Students also choose from nine electives about women or gender. The program also requires an internship, which a student may take an additional elective in its place.
Morales took courses in English, art, journalism, history, and political science as her electives.
"This minor is great because it is interdisciplinary," Morales said. "So you are exposed not only to different fields, but also different faculty and even different areas on campus and your experience is really well developed."
Jennifer Brown can be reached at 581-7942 or at jebrown2@eiu.edu.
She's been teaching at the university since August, and is currently the only full-time professor in the program.
"We tend to look through the world of how women experience it," Ludlow said. "If you take an English class, you might read two books by men and two books by women and for a long time humanity was based by men."
She said women's studies centers on teaching students critical thinking skills.
While this is a major at other universities, it is not one at Eastern.
Ludlow said she only knows of 15 students who have officially declared it as their minor.
Alaina Morales, a senior English major, became interested in the minor when she took the introductory course Women, Men and Culture last spring.
Morales became interested by the ideas of gender and race.
"The minor is also very practical," she said. "The things we discuss aren't hard to understand - they apply to everyday social issues and anyone can relate to the topics we discuss."
Morales said she would see the world become a better place, and declaring this as a minor has given her the tools she needs to make this possible.
She declared women's studies as her minor for personal reasons. She plans to work in a university library, and wants to use her minor to outreach out to the students and the community.
"The (women's studies) minor makes you hyper-aware of all kinds of issues," she said. "That will be an advantage when I'm developing collections in the library, or developing professional relationships with coworkers."
Declaring a minor in women's studies broadened Morales' experience as a college student and she found the issues that are covered in the classes relevant in all her classes.
"The minor really makes you re-examine your habits, beliefs and lifestyle," Morales said. "I'm just aware of the different issues people face every day. I'm aware of how we have to change as a society to include everyone."
Creating a women's studies major is not in the near future.
"You have to have a consistent number of faculty, and there's just one," Ludlow said. "I can't do a whole major by myself. We have faculty that teach courses, but they can't do it consistently."
She said it's getting easier to change this, because the university is hiring more faculty that are interested in women's studies.
The only thing the university would need to have a major is more introductory courses, Ludlow said.
"If we developed a major, we wouldn't develop one until we could offer students the best opportunities of work and scholarships," Ludlow said. "We would want it to be top-notch before we propose it."
She added when the program is ready to propose a major there would be widespread support.
Currently faculty in the program comes from many different departments, including English, history, sociology and political science.
The faculty is committed to the program, Morales said.
"They might try to get more men involved with (women's studies), just because everyone should be involved with it," she said. "There's more to women's studies than the women, which many people don't realize."
The minor requires students to take the introductory course Women, Men, and Culture, as well as Feminist Theory. Students also choose from nine electives about women or gender. The program also requires an internship, which a student may take an additional elective in its place.
Morales took courses in English, art, journalism, history, and political science as her electives.
"This minor is great because it is interdisciplinary," Morales said. "So you are exposed not only to different fields, but also different faculty and even different areas on campus and your experience is really well developed."
Jennifer Brown can be reached at 581-7942 or at jebrown2@eiu.edu.
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