Ohio University - Athena Yearbook (Athens, OH)

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Baker Center. We ' re in the seat of the bureaucratic mechanism, says Dannie Sher, while another notes, We can ' t smoke dope or drink wine because Baker Center administrators won ' t let us. Another member emphasizes, We want a place for women to sleep, but they make us get out at 12. Likewise, the women are intensely concerned about the poor status of women at the University. There is not enough money for programming, very few classes specifically for women, and not enough counseling for women, Debby Krause, a sophomore chemistry major, says. She also sees need for improvement at Hudson Health Center, where she says, They, even the nurses, sometimes coerce women to go on the pill instead of allowing them to choose their own birth control methods. Although recognizing that the University has responded to the women ' s liberation movement by offering Women in History and Women and Public Policy courses, Krause emphasizes that the University of Cincinnati has a whole women ' s curriculum. Statistics reported in The Post last December, however, show that while the University has not taken great strides in according women more equitable status, it has taken the necessary first steps. While women at the University still swell the lower ranks, The Post noted, the University has hired more women faculty. There were 91 full-time women faculty out of 778 faculty members in 1972, but during the Fall Quarter there were 125 full- time women faculty while the total number dropped to 615. Despite this encouraging sign, Bare-Knepshield comments, Women at this University don ' t stand very well in comparison with the nation or other universities. In fact, she notes the movement has been moving backwards because affirmative action officers have been changing. It takes a new person time to get used to new duties l efore they can get things going. Statistics for women students are also encouraging because they show that more women are enrolling in colleges formerly dominated by male students. And the number of women enrolled in the College of Education, typically a female stronghold, has decreased from 2047 in 1972 to 1398 this year. While it is clear that women have responded to the challenges of gaining equal employment opportunities, it is also apparent that many women at the University feel threatened by other goals and idealogies of the women ' s movement. Bare-Knepshield, who provides dorms and other organizations with an assertiveness training program and a slide show on Growing up Female, says, Most women at the University view the movement negatively. They are unwilling to relate to the slides, she adds in a disheartened manner, and even resident assistants in the dorms have misconceptions. They were worried it was going to change them into these castrating women. Whether the trends suggest that a counter-revolution to the women ' s movement is questionable, but it is true that membership in two other women ' s groups — Athens Women Against Rape (A.W.A.R.) and support groups United Campus Ministry (U.C.M.) — is declining. But, as GiGi Verna, adviser to A.W.A.R. notes, You can ' t expect everyone to support women ' s lib just as you couldn ' t expect everyone to be for the Vietnam War. Regardless, however, A.W.A.R. ' s membership has dropped from 30 members last year to 15 members this year, but the decrease has not harmed their intentions of eradicating rape. We get more done with less members, Verna says. Beside giving counseling to those who have been raped and teaching prevention methods, the group also sponsors a victim assistance program. By calling Careline, a person from A.W.A.R. will accompany a rape victim through a hospital examination and police examination. Police usually prefer to have a woman with her because they ' re upset at what has happened and they know the woman doesn ' t want to talk to a man right then, A.W.A.R. ' s adviser says. Likewise, support groups at U.C.M. still maintain their goal of assisting women not to be so dependent upon men and systems, despite less participants. Carol Kuhre, assistant director at U.C.M. attributes the decrease of women ' s meetings at U.C.M. to budget cuts from the University, but states, U.C.M. has an ongoing concern for women ' s interests. To celebrate International Women ' s Day in March, U.C.M. sponsored a speech by a woman theologian from the Lutheran church and provides a room for women who might be runaways or women who fear being beat up. A mixed picture seems to be emerging for women ' s liberation — dramatic advances in the formation of groups to serve their needs and the opportunity to pursue new careers, but minimal progress in persuading more than a handful of women to become committed to the activities and idealogies of the women ' s movement.

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Although 1975 was proclaimed International Women ' s Year, the women ' s participation in the liberation movement at the University this year seems to be weakening. Groups formed within the past two years to serve the needs of consciousness-raising women now are struggling to retain their membership at former levels. And while the groups still meet to attain their goal of helping women to become their own women they seem to Have you come too far, baby? By Becky Fannin be intimidating women with traditional beliefs. Perhaps a backlash to the women ' s liberation movement is now developing, suggests Nancy Bare-Knepshield, coordinator of women ' s programming at the University. It really seems to be slacking off . . . but it seems like it ' s too early, says the woman whose position was created this year to serve the needs of a seemingly dwindling group — women ' s libbers. Ideally, things should be better for women at the University level, she notes in a worried tone, but I guess it doesn ' t matter if you ' re educated or not, because women ' s liberation is just a super-threatening idea. The Women ' s Center provides a prime example of recent trends. A 1975 Women ' s Center brochure states, We are concerned with creating an atmosphere where all women of the Athens community can feel free to interact, exchange ideas and feelings to become more aware of their opportunities and potentialities. Less than a year later, however, a group of close-knit friends cluster in a small, half-painted room at Baker Center, waiting for a swarm of women to fill their half-empty Women ' s Center. But they are disappointed. Their meeting, which was called to stimulate more and new women involvement, generated only about five newcomers. Their concern is voiced by Karen Shaw, a senior majoring in hearing and speech. We called this meeting because only about five women are using the center. We are sure there are more women raising their consciousness. As one woman joins the frequent users of the center, she glances at the soiled, lopsided chairs and drab, half-painted walls. No wonder no one is using the center anymore, she can ' t resist from saying. And it ' s difficult to keep from noticing that a 1974 issue of Ms. Magazine is the center ' s most recent issue. The Women ' s Center moved to Baker Center this year, leaving behind McGuffey Hall and two, fully-equipped rooms. In addition to their weekly meetings, the Women ' s Center also sponsors sandwich seminars every Thursday noon, featuring topics such as masturbation, female sexuality, black women and feminism, and lesbianism. A monthly newsletter written by the women also gives information on their activities, such as the women in the arts program during spring and the women ' s film festival during the winter. Highlighted in the three-day film festival were an all-women western, a documentary about two divorced lesbians attempting to combine households, and Antonia, a biographical sketch about a woman composer and conductor. But the women are not content with just the sponsorship. They say the Women ' s Center is poorly located because it is hidden away in a third floor corner and because their activities are monitored at 10

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Carol Ford uniqueness If your radio has ever startled you by yelling Yoo ' -oo! , it was Carol Ford ' s vocal cords that seized your attention. Energetic, dynamic and petite, Ford is the producer of WOUB ' s Black Directions, and a disc jockey for the station. Black Directions is an eight-hour weekly segment of programming originating and staffed by Black Radio-TV majors. Ford has spent four years with Black Directions as an announcer (reading news, Black history and the Black Board community calendar) in addition to being a disc jockey. She ' s also worked with WOUB-AM for four years. In addition to her announcing chores, she has aired a wide variety of music. She ' s the one who says, If you ' re driving your car now, thanks for the ride! Ford is known to listeners and friends as a real Zany. You have to be ' out there ' to do radio anyway — talking to a microphone and people you can ' t see. Her media work is not limited to radio, however. She has also done TV news and booth announcing for WOUB-TV but prefers radio work. I don ' t like TV; there are too many people. In radio it ' s just you. Ford is very proud of Black Directions. I feel like a mother. I got trained in Directions — preparing myself to go on the air. It ' s grown a lot anil done a lot of things. When asked what Iaitj ' W. Smith contribution of hers pleases her most, she says Keeping up shipboard morale. She ' s a person of multiple talents. She has taught a BSI workshop in modern dance, was an MC for the Eddie Kendricks Concert, has been a runner-up in the Miss Bronze Contest, and has given a lecture on radio to a speech class at Nelsonville-York High School. She has also been the MC for a live remote-broadcast of a jazz concert in Seigfred Auditorium by Ron Esposito and Rania. A lot of the vacation time has been spent in Athens as part of WOUB ' s break staff between quarters and during summers. Ford projects a lively and animated personality over the air waves. Basically radio is a background medium. You don ' t just sit down and listen. So I guess what I try to do is make the radio easy to listen to. DJs are traditionally male and Ford says, It ' s kind of weird when you think about it — generally women are the best talkers. Some people think the pitch of a woman ' s voice is high and irritating. I used to imitate a male voice with a speed-of-light delivery. In order to succeed, Carol Ford will probably only have to imitate herself. She says, I don ' t think I could ever do without the music. Horace Coleman 12