Contrary to recent rumors that Women's Initiative would be removed from the Student Government's bylaws, the Undergraduate Senate unanimously passed a resolution to "recognize the vital role... [the] organization plays in improving the lives of men and women at AU."
"I'm behind this more than from an ideological standpoint," David Dorroh, a senator for the Class of 2008 and a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Public Affairs, who introduced the bill, said. "But [Women's Initiative] is one of the few institutions that motivates people."
After a large turnout of Women Initiative members and supporters in attendance at the SG meeting, the resolution was drafted and handed to SG Speaker Ben Murray, a senior in SPA and the School of International Service.
Originally, there had not been an intent to discuss Women's Initiative. However, rumors had been circulating that Women's Initiative would be removed from the SG's bylaws.
"I'm sorry that you all got the idea that SG was out to get Women's Initiative," Murray said. "That's not the case at all."
JoAnna Smith, director of Women's Initiative and a junior in the SPA, organized a rally when she heard the rumors. Supporters gathered in front of the Kay Spiritual Life Center before the SG meeting, to discuss who would give public comment in support of Women's Initiative and passed out petitions to be distributed to senators.
Male and female students gathered in support of Women's Initiative, booing at the mention of the rumors and cheering the mention of Women's Initiative's work on campus. They wore stickers and buttons that read, "I support Women's Initiative."
Jennifer Burke, a sophomore in CAS, said Women's Initiative is needed as an outlet for students to address such issues as rape and HIV/AIDS on and off campus.
"Without Women's Initiative, I don't see those voices being heard," Burke said.
Jen Smyers, last year's Women's Initiative director and a graduate student in SPA, also attended the rally to give her support.
"You're all here today because Women's Initiative has touched you in a personal way," Smith said to rally attendants. "We're going to go in there and we're going to be respectful and show them what feminism looks like."
Women's Initiative started as an organization within SG in 1999 without any funding. Smyers took over the program her junior year and expanded the program from its original $1,000 budget. This year, Smith was able to increase Women's Initiative's funding to $15,000.
"The transition of leadership has been phenomenal," Smyers said. "JoAnna has taken what was just starting and really expanded it to what it is today."
While Smyers was pleased with the progress of Women's Initiative in the last year, other students were skeptical of its budget increase and the continuance of such high budget support for the organization.
"Last year ... we talked about Women's Initiative, as concerned with the dramatic increase in its budget from last year," Brian Brown, a graduate student in SPA, said at the meeting after initial public comments. "We only have so much money and we need to allocate to a lot of clubs."
He said Women's Initiative had accomplished the same amount of programs as when it had a smaller budget.
Smyers said the declines are natural because when things first start out, they have a momentum and the second years of an organization have a decrease because not as many things need to be established. Smyers said Smith has done the best job she has ever seen of someone in charge of an organization's second year of establishment.
Currently, Women's Initiative sits as an organization within SG and reports directly to the president, Smith said. She said Women's Initiative has the same status as the Kennedy Political Union and Student Union Board, serving as a policy group, which means they have the ability to speak on issues, but have no voting power.
If Women's Initiative were to be taken out of the bylaws, it would have to apply for club status, resulting in cutting funds, Smith said.
SG President-elect Joe Vidulich expressed great support for Women's Initiative.
"I think it's important that when you have this debate, you have to know why Women's Initiative exists," he said. "Women's Initiative is here because there's a void."
Vidulich said without Women's Initiative, there was no clear path and only individual groups working without cohesion to represent different needs within the student community. Vidulich said Women's Initiative collects those groups and gives them a clear voice.
