Friday, January 03, 2020

Last October, the Women’s Studies and Resource Center Advisory Board voted unanimously to change the center’s name to the UNCW Gender Studies and Research Center. The name change is effective Jan. 1, 2020.

According to the center’s director, Dana Stachowiak, the change from “women’s studies” to “gender studies” and “resource” to “research” better serves the mission of the center and keeps current with important issues and trends in the larger field of gender studies. Being more research focused will allow the center to better support faculty, students and campus and community organizations already providing resources for cisgender and transgender women, such as the LGBTQIA Resource Office and CARE: Collaboration for Assault Response and Education.

Stachowiak has taught at UNCW since 2016. Since taking the helm of the center in August, she has focused on expanding and strengthening the program’s curriculum; better aligning the center with the university’s focus on expanding research within the new R2 status; and making the actual center (located in Bear Hall 211) a more collaborative space.

“While our focus on supporting the work and lives of women will remain central, the name change highlights our support of the work and lives of all gender minorities,” said Stachowiak. “Not only will the new name be more inclusive of individuals we hope to continue to serve, it will be more reflective of what our affiliated faculty are teaching and researching.”

In addition to supporting gender equality through research support and co-curricular activities which include workshops, lectures and scholarly panels, the center, which is housed under the College of Arts and Sciences, offers an interdisciplinary minor and post-baccalaureate certificate. The advisory board also approved changing the name of the program to Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Strategically enhancing and expanding academic programs, research endeavors and promoting a diverse and inclusive culture are key components of UNCW’s Strategic Plan.

-- Caroline Cropp

#CAS
#OIDI