UVU Review, 2009-11-16

              O VOL XL! X NO 18 11.1 .2009 ..' V I V A V f 'Si . !Cjir:iiirili;Sf!ih'iilii(iii)i Vim Mi'n)ii flW Vi1ft!)iV r 1 j Women 57 vV.fM. Women 49 . Women 44 How UVU enrollment compares to state wide and national statistics. Prase! worm n n n ylODr (( neoyrao n dJ y oa iron ' JESSICA EL'HWHAM Campus editor Although women nationwide enroll in and obtain degrees from institutions of higher education at a greater rate than men, these are not the dynamics seen throughout Utah. Dr. Susan Madsen, associate professor of Management, began researching this anomaly in May and will continue to do so through fall 2010 at th request of Utah Commissioner of Higher Education, William A. Sederburg. According to Madsen, the nation resides at 57 percent female enrollment, while Utah's main public institutions are at 49 percent with UVU far lower, at 44 percent. Many are concerned about the implications of this low percentage. With a grant from the Perkins Leadership Fund, as well as funding from the commissioner's office, multiple UVU departments, Wheeler Machinery Company and a few private sources, the project has re ceived considerable support. " The project has really taken on a life of its own and gained statewide momentum," Madsen said. "There is some wonderful energy from people who have long recognized this need." Others involved with the Women and Education Project include UVU faculty, staff and administrators as well as several interns and volunteers.The secondary research, to be concluded in December, will involve an examination of existing literary resources and data as well as an assessment of local initiatives. A written report to be released in January will detail the findings and highlight the value of higher education for women in Utah. "The college experience is incredibly important for "Even if a woman doesn't plan on working, she should know there are so many other reasons to go to college." Dr. Susan Madsen associate profesor of Management young women in developing leadership skills as well as values and competencies which will prepare them for whatever life offers," Madsen said. "The more preparation they have the more opportunities will be available to them." This issue has become particularly critical because the state divorce rate has increased, leaving many undereducated women without the ability to support their families and reducing them to conditions of poverty. "Not only are people who are more educated better able to support their children, they are also healthier, more involved in their communities and more capable of making decisions," Madsen said. "Even if a woman doesn't plan on working, she should know there are so many other reasons to go to college." The primary research, to take place between January 20 1 0 and October 20 1 0 , will conduct practical studies aimed at identifying the root cause of low college enrollment and high dropout rates. It will also explore factors including parental influence and previous educational experience. Once the data is collected and analyzed, the mission will be to design and develop initiatives to encourage a growth in higher education enrollment and completion of degrees by women. "We have been given the unique role of leading out on issues dealing with women in education in the state, and it's a really extraordinary place for UVU to be," Madsen said. To become involved, contact the Office of the Women and Education Project at 801-863-6888. Opportunities include grant writing, reading and research, fundraising, publicity, site work, report writing and data analysis. Barbed, dangerous and domestic? :. MEGG1E W00DFIELD News editor "Barbed and Dangerous" was the title of the most recent Integrated Studies lecture, examining the history of barbed wire and its role in advertising. Presented by Dr. Lyn Bennett, associate professor of History and Political Science and Dr. Scott Abbott, director of Integrated Studies and professor of Philosophy and Humanities, the lecture took place on Nov. 1 1 . After World War I, advertising was at its peak and so was barbed wire. However, barbed wire had quite a history before it was how we see it today. "Barbed wire created a lot of tension in the American west," explained Abbott as he and Bennett took turns giving a chronoL""', ogy of the life of barbed wire. Because of the cost and scarcity of other building materials and the wide open spaces waiting to be fenced, barbed wire was a heralded invention. Still, the fence was hostile and dangerous, and the job of creating a public acceptance of its hazards fell on the shoulders of the advertisers and manufactures. At the core of the invention ' was the desire to deter animals from pushing on and breaking the panels of traditional fencing. Meant to control behavior, it soon became clear that criminals were on the list of those controlled by the fencing. Advertisers struggled with undercutting stereotypes to convince farmers that while barbed wire may be dangerous, it was dangerous to be without barbed wire. Marketing began to target settled areas with advertisements depicting thieves and delinquent youth as trespassers. In the advertisments, not only did the fencing provide security, but the inflicted pain served as a reminder ' for those that attempted to scale it. Soon barbed wire was seen in advertisements as one of the components to a safe and happy home. It created orderliness, tranquility and security. "Now we can go to bed at night and rest quietly," read one See BARBED A3 UVU hosts annual Symposium on Restorative Justice . JASON UDY News Writer The fifth annual Symposium on Restorative Justice, Punishment and the Death Penalty will be presented Nov. 19 in the UVU Library Lecture Hall (LI 120). Speakers, panel discussions and book signings will be between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (see sidebar for the day's schedule). The symposium is sponsored by the Peace and Justice Studies and Integrated Studies Programs. The central topic of the symposium asks the question: Is the death penalty and other forms of punishment the best ways to respond to crime? "Students, faculty and community members should be aware of how a society treats its offenders," said Michael Minch, director of Peace and Justice Studies, in a press release. "All citizens should be interested in who gets locked up, who gets killed, and what percentage of their citizens are incarcerated." Restorative Justice, a growing movement in the U.S. and around the world, finds creative ways for victims to receive justice from criminals who have harmed them. It also allows criminals an opportunity to restore some measure of justice to their victims. The goal is to heal the victim's sense of loss and to restore a sense of accountability and dignity to the perpetrator of the crime. The symposium was created to educate the public on capital punishment as a human rights issue with perspectives from differing world views. For the symposium, UVU will be hosting some of the world's most highly-regarded scholars on these subjects. The most recognized is Dr. Howard Zehr, known in his field as the grandfather of Restorative Justice. Zehr, a professor of Sociology and Restorative Justice at Eastern Menno-nite University in Harrisonburg, Va., also serves as co-director of the Center for Justice and Peace Building. Zehr previously served 19 years as director of the Mennonite Central Committee's Office on Crime and Justice. He is also the author of the book Changing Lenses: A New Focus For Crime and Justice that has been a foundational work in the growing restorative justice movement. "We should care deeply about our democracy, about nurturing it and strengthening it, and we should care about justice," said Minch. "Concerned citizens want to know why so many fellow citizens are incarcerated, and what can be done about crime and sentencing to promote justice rather than See SYMPOSIUM A3 f . I J