Tag: WGST

Faculty of Arts Interviewing Candidates for SOCI/WGS Tenure-track Position
The Faculty of Arts is undergoing a hiring process for the first of two tenure-track positions. The first position is a cross-appointment for an Assistant Professor in Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies. Three candidates are being interviewed for this position. The first two candidates are Dr. Vannina Sztainbok and Dr. Claudine Bonner, each of whom have delivered their research talks last week. Dr. Poulter, Coordinator of Women’s and Gender Studies, has confirmed that following the interview of the third candidate, the hiring committee will convene very quickly to make a decision.
Dr. Vannina Sztainbok delivered her research talk at Acadia on January 18^th, speaking about her book “Black Femininity in Uruguay: The Conventillo, the Carnival Vedette and the Laundress.” Dr. Sztainbok’s research lends fascinating insight to the fetishization of African-Uruguyan women’s bodies, drawing from a range of gender, race, and social literature as well as psychoanalysis. Dr. Sztainbok is currently based in Toronto, but expressed interest in teaching and doing research in Nova Scotia due to the province’s African-Canadian history, particularly Africville.
Dr. Claudine Bonner delivered a research talk on January 21^st. Dr. Bonner is an Assistant Professor at Acadia; she teaches a number of sociology courses, as well as a WGS course this year on Women of the African Diaspora. Dr. Bonner spoke on the topic “‘Our Island Home’ – Early 20^th Century Race & Labour Migration to Cape Breton, NS.” In the early twentieth century, there was a substantial amount of Caribbean migration to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Dr. Bonner explores the reasons behind Caribbean migration using Diaspora Theory, Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, Black Feminist Thought, and Black Masculinity theories, actively uncovering a history of Cape Breton and migration that is not well-known.
The third candidate will deliver a research talk and meet with students on January 26^th or 27^th. Contact Dr. Poulter for information if you are interested in meeting the third candidate.
Hiring two tenure-track professors in the field of Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies signifies an acknowledgement of the importance of WGS theories in university settings. The research areas of the first two candidates signifies that greater academic emphasis on intersectionality at Acadia will soon be taking place.
March 8, 2016
WGST Program Cuts “Not a Minor Issue”
The Women’s and Gender Studies (WGST) program at Mount Allison University is in jeopardy due to alleged budgetary reasons. The absence of a budget would do away with the WGST program, a prospect that has many students outraged, voicing the misogyny and gender-bias that such cuts indicate on the part of administration.
On Monday February 1^st, students currently enrolled in the program received an email from the acting head of the program, Lisa Dawn Hamilton, stating that the university will be cutting funding to the WGST program in the 2016-2017 year, as communicated to her by the Dean of Arts. Quoting the email from Dr. Hamilton: “I am writing tonight with disappointing news. The Dean of Arts informed me today that due to decisions made in the budget process the university has cut the budget for the WGST program next year”.
The convoluted response from university administration did little to ease the concerns of students. An email from the Dean of Arts stated “The University has not announced any intention to cut this or any program… Mount Allison has not initiated any type of formal review of this program or any other.” Such a response is vastly different from that communicated in the email sent out Monday evening. Such statements do little to address the issue at hand, instead only mentioning that the university has not announced it plans, but does not refute the possibility of the aforementioned cuts.
The student response to the issue was immediate and extensive. Tuesday morning, a change.org petition was created, hoping to “Stop Mount Allison University from cutting the funding to Women’s and Gender Studies.” The petition has garnered signatures from over 6000 supporters. Students organized silent protests before the Board of Regents meeting, as well as letter writing sessions. They refuse to go down without a fight and continue to organize against the proposed cuts.
The issues raised with the potential cut has led to gross student dissatisfaction, as well as many concerns with the lack of transparency between administration and students in regards to budgetary decision-making and allocation of student funds. A statement on a student-led forum speaks to this frustration: “Rather than directly addressing the funding decision and its consequences for the university, they have misled and misdirected, resorting to the corrupt techniques of doublespeak to disguise the truth of the situation and to evade responsibility for it.”
An update on Friday indicated that the administration has committed two stipends totalling $12,000, which is enough to hire a part time staff member to teach two courses for one year. This may be enough to allow current WGST minors to finish their degree. However, the future of the program is still unclear, as the program is not sustainable with such minimal funding.
The Acadia #kNOwMORE campaign released a statement voicing the importance of WGST studies and showing their solidarity for Mount Allison students:
For too long women have been systematically excluded from society. Women and Gender Studies programs were established to address this exclusion by critically analyzing gender historically, politically, economically, and sociologically. WGST students, alumni, staff, and faculty past and present have been involved in research, activism, and policy work that has been pivotal to the gender equality movement. Cutting the funding to their Women and Gender Studies Program is an entirely misogynistic act, which will further silence and oppress an already marginalized group. Although we are not Mount Allison students we stand by them and their WGST department in solidarity.
To show your solidarity and support for Mount Allison, please consider signing the change.org petition by visiting: https://www.change.org/p/cbc-news-ctv-news-fox-news-robert-campbell-mount-allison-university-stop-mount-allison-university-from-cutting-the-funding-to-women-s-and-gender-studies
If you wish to further discuss this important issue, please join the conversation at Commit Sociology Friday February 12^th at 12 PM, location TBA.
March 3, 2016

Tag: WGST

Faculty of Arts Interviewing Candidates for SOCI/WGS Tenure-track Position

WGST Program Cuts “Not a Minor Issue”