Completing our 43rd year of fulfilling our mission to advocate, educate and provide support services to advance women s equity at UMKC and in the Kansas City community, the Women s Center and the Chancellor s Advisory Board to the Women s Center have witnessed another year of exciting programming and collaboration both within the university and with the Kansas City community. ANNUAL REPORT to the Chancellor May 2015 CONTENTS By the Numbers...1-2 Violence Prevention & Response Project...2 Programs and Events...3-4 Collaborations...5-6 Conclusion...7
By the Numbers Events Hosted 33 Fall Semester 33 Spring Semester 64 Volunteers 410 Volunteer Hours 2,331 Attended Events 2,937 Attended Admissions/Recruitment Events 8,466 Attended Other Outreach Events 1,232 Visited the Women s Center Total People Reached = 14,966 106 Campus and Community Partnerships The Violence Prevention and Response Program was first funded by the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women in September 2005, and the Women s Center received continuation grants in September 2007 in the amount of $286,647 and again in 2010 for $449,975. The 2010 grant was for a consortium project with the University of Missouri-Columbia. The grant ended in June 2014, but the Program continues and currently employs a full-time Violence Prevention and Response Manager who serves as an advocate for students going through the campus judicial process or reporting to the campus police department. From July 2014 through April 2015, the VPR Manager worked on *93 cases, an increase from the number (81) that the Women s Center saw from July 2013 through April 2014. The Women s Center Assistant Director and student staff support the Program through the coordination of programming relating to sexual and gender violence. On the Web 15,434 Website hits, 8,953 unique visitors 35,639 Blog hits, 31,452 unique visitors 501 Advocacy Hours 8,884 People Received VPR Training 19 44 21 9 = 93 Sexual Violence Interpersonal Violence Stalking Bullying/ Harassment *Total *Please note that this number exceeds the number of official reports of sexual violence as many of the victims are reporting incidents that may have occurred in the past and/or that are not requried to be reported under the Clery Act. 1,910 Facebook Likes 1,686 Twitter Followers 870 YouTube Views 1,478 Listserv Subscribers 1 2
Programs & Events The Women s Center, a department within the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, hosted 33 events in the Fall 2014 semester and 33 in Spring 2015. Programming highlights are below along with the corresponding UMKC strategic plan goals. Her Art Project: During this academic year, the Her Art Project produced events designed to celebrate Kansas City women in the arts. Featured events this year included a booth at the Plaza Art Fair, a Networking Reception for local artists, a student art showcase, and a partnership with the American Jazz Museum to celebrate women in jazz. The Project continues to enhance UMKC s relationship with the Kansas City arts community. : To provide the optimal learning environment for all students: outstanding academic programs and experiences, seamless student support and a vibrant campus community. : To become a model urban university by fully engaging with the Kansas City community to enhance education, public health, the arts and economic development. Goal 4. Excel in the Visual and Performing Arts: To create excellent programs in visual and performing arts that are central to campus life and support Kansas City s initiatives in entrepreneurship, urban education and innovation. : To celebrate diversity in all aspects of university life, creating inclusive environments, culturally competent citizens, and globally-oriented curricula and programs. : To produce world-class scholarship and creative activity, encourage entrepreneurship, foster innovation, increase technology transfer, and build relationships that create economic and workforce development. Student Programming: The Women s Center student staff was given the opportunity to design, plan and implement eight events and 18 display boards during the fall and spring semesters. Programs included Shrink Your Stress, Operation Beautiful, Equal Pay Day, Meet Us on the Street, and a Denim Day Drive. The student staff s efforts allowed them to become engaged in the campus and KC communities, and created co-curricular, hands-on, opportunities for learning. Women s and Gender Studies and Art History Internship Program: Students in the WGS and Art & Art History programs were given a co-curricular opportunity to work directly with women s equity and advocacy programming at the Women s Center and with the Her Art Project. Students developed skills in activism, critical thinking, and professionalism. Mayor s Women s Empowerment Initiative: The Women s Center partnered with the KCMO Mayor s Office, the Central Exchange, and the Women s Foundation of Greater Kansas City on the City s Women s Empowerment Initiative. The goal of this partnership is to develop a blueprint of strategies that makes our local government a conduit for success for the women in this community. The Women s Center s role in the partnership is to connect the city with students and alumni from a broad range of disciplines to help develop a talent pipeline. A Window Between Worlds: These workshops use art as a healing tool for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and other forms of prolonged trauma and stress. During this academic year, the Women s Center offered 40 workshops serving 713 unique participants and 87 on-going participants. These workshops help create a healthier campus environment by giving students opportunities to manage their emotional and psychological well-being through creativity and self-expression. Goal 4. Excel in the Visual and Performing Arts Violence Prevention Programs: The Violence Prevention & Response Program offered several awareness campaigns this academic year. Programs included I Can We Can, The Clothesline Project, Sexual Assault Awareness Month Info Tables, and Denim Day. These programs helped raise awareness and engaged the UMKC community in violence prevention activism. V-Day Programs and The Vagina Monologues: V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls. This year s events included the V-Men workshop, a V-Day book display, an informational table, and a benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues which raised over $1,700 for the Violence Prevention and Response Project. These events not only empowered participants, but also provided diverse learning experiences and enhanced community and campus relations. Goal 4. Excel in the Visual and Performing Arts 3 4
Collaborations & Partnerships UMKC Departments & Organizations Academic Support and Mentoring Admissions Athletics Bernardin-Haskell Lecture Fund Black Studies Program Campus Facilities Management Career Services Collegiate Panhellenic Conservatory of Music and Dance Counseling Center Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Lambda Epsilon Chapter Delta Zeta Sorority Dept. of Art & Art History Dept. of Communication Studies Dept. of Criminal Justice & Criminology Dept. of English Dept. of Foreign Languages & Literatures Division of Diversity and Inclusion Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Graduate Art History Association Healthy for Life Human Resources International Student Affairs LGBTQIA Programs and Services MComm Medical School Advisory Men of Color Initiative MindBody Connection MU Women s Center Multicultural Student Affairs Office of Affirmative Action Office of Student Involvement Police Department Pride Alliance Residential Life SAEM Centered on Success School of Medicine Wellness Student Affairs & Enrollment Management Student Government Association Student Health and Wellness Student Nurses Association Student Union Swinney Recreation Center UMKC Libraries University Advancement University Bookstore Women s and Gender Studies Women s Community Organizations & Local Businesses A Window Between Worlds American Association of University Women Kansas City Branch American Association of University Women- Kansas City American Business Women s Association, KC Area American Jazz Museum American Society of Women Accountants ArtistINC ArtsKC Regional Arts Association of Women Lawyers of Kansas City Bella Designs Bike Walk KC Central Exchange Charlotte Street Foundation Diagnostic Imaging Centers Ewomen Network Girls Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri Global and Multicultural Education Center Good Samaritan Project Greater KC Chamber of Commerce Jana s Campaign Jewish Community Center Junior League of Kansas City Kansas City Anti-Violence Project Kansas City Commercial Real Estate Women Kansas City of Women Business Owners Kansas City Kansas Women s Chamber of Commerce Kansas City Police Department Kansas City Public Library KCMO Office of the Mayor KCMO Women s Empowerment Initiative KCPT Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault NAWBO One KC for Women One Struggle KC Pinstripes Planned Parenthood of KS and Mid-MO Print Time Rose Brooks Center SAFEHOME Stand-Up KC STUFF The Creativity Connection The Drop U.S. Department of Labor Women s Bureau U.S. Office of Civil Rights VDAY Waffle House WIN for KC winlwin Women Construction Owners and Executives Women Impacting Public Policy Women s Business Center Women s Capital Connection Women s Employment Network Women s Foundation of Greater Kansas City Women s Leadership of United Way Committees & Organizations Women s Center staff also served on various committees on campus and in the community during the 2014-2015 academic year. Committees and organizations include: American Association of University Women ArtsKC Regional Arts Center for Global and Multicultural Education Advisory Board Centered on Success Task Force Dept. of Justice Hate Crimes Advisory Board Graduate Assistance Fund Selection Committee Heartland Campus Safety Summit Planning Committee Leverage KC National Scholarships Advisory Committee, Center for International Academic Programs National Women s Studies Association Women s Centers Committee Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Friends of Art Leadership SAEM Assessment Workgroup Student Affairs Women Talk Tech Blog Student Conduct Committee Student Grievance Committee Title IX Committee Title IX Working Group UMKC Campus Coalition for Student Health, Safety & Wellness UMKC Crisis Management Team UMKC Friends of the Library Board of Directors University Assessment Committee Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management LGBTQIA Partnerships Committee Violence Prevention & Response Working Group Women s & Gender Studies Program Women s 5 6
Conclusion 2014-15 was another successful year for the Women s Center. We continued to engage UMKC students, staff, and faculty, the Kansas City community, and, through our online presence, an international audience. Our success continues to ensure the equity of women on campus and in the community as well as the success of all students at UMKC. The UMKC Women s Center 105 Haag Hall, 5100 Rockhill Road Kansas City, MO 64110 phone: 816.235.1638 fax: 816.235.5522 umkc-womens-center@umkc.edu The Violence Prevention and Response Program 108 Haag Hall, 5100 Rockhill Road Kansas City, MO 64110 phone: 816.235.1652 fax: 816.235.5522 umkcvprp@umkc.edu The UMKC Women s Center 24/7 Worldwide www.umkc.edu/womenc www.umkc.edu/endviolence www.facebook.com/umkcwomenc www.twitter.com/umkc_womenc http://info.umkc.edu/womenc www.youtube.com/umkcwomenc www.flickr.com/umkc_womenc UMKC is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Relay Missouri: 1-800-735-2966 (TTY)