WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT THE COURSES?

As many of our University programs have suffered major budget cuts, here are letters of thank you from current and former Gender Studies students regarding the decision that Gender will remain a part of the curriculum at Eastern Oregon University.

 

Student from La Grande wrote:

Dear Dixie Lund,

First and foremost I would like to extend my thanks to you for being a

supporter of Gender Studies at EOU. I know it may not seem that this

topic is a priority when compared with the totality of the matters you

face, but I hope to assure you that there is many of us who believe it

is.

 

Topographically speaking, I would venture to say that Gender Studies

education at EOU is a necessity. I feel credible on this perspective as

I have grown up, worked, and received my education in this community.

Narrow-mindedness is a symptom of ignorance, a sickness that afflicts

every facet of the world. Education offers the cure, thus giving EOU an

opportunity to make a real difference.

 

I hope that in the following weeks, in a time of tough decisions, you

will consider the importance of Gender Studies at EOU. Thank you again

for the support you've shown, and I hope that you will continue to be

an advocate for truth.

 

GEND alum and member of Umatilla tribe wrote:

Dear President Lund,

 

In light of a recent article that I read in Pendleton’s East Oregonian paper, I was saddened by the news of budget cuts at EOU and how it impacts majors and programs across the board. I felt compelled to write you a letter of thanks for keeping the Gender Studies Program alive at EOU.

 

I work for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Pendleton, Oregon and am very much appreciative of the tools and skills that I’ve learned through the Gender Studies Program. Through my work as a Housing Advocate for the Umatilla Reservation Housing Authority, I work with issues of diversity, class, gender and disability on a daily basis. I’ve had some excellent training while in this program and am extremely happy that I am able to put this knowledge to work for my family, my people and the community that I live in. 

 

Our tribe is moving forward, both economically and socially, and I am very fortunate to be a part of the movement. With your support, the Gender Studies Program will continue to prepare and impact future students, leaders and members of the workforce just as it has me.

GEND alum and teacher in eastern Oregon wrote:

Dear President Lund:

 

I am a former EOU graduate (Bachelor’s and Master’s programs) and I currently work in eastern Oregon as a high school English teacher. I graduated in 2005 and have just begun my third year of teaching. Recently, I have heard talk of the financial problems facing EOU, in many cases resulting in program elimination. Specifically, I am concerned about the possibility of cuts with regard to the Gender Studies program and diversity courses. An elimination of this program would prove hugely detrimental to the academic reputation of EOU, as these courses undoubtedly offer some of the most rigorous and challenging coursework on campus. As an undergraduate, I took many gender studies courses—both lower and upper division—which proved challenging, thought provoking, and probably functioned as the best possible supplement to my courses as an English major, as they proved very writing and reading intensive. In my career, I use the skills learned in these courses on a daily basis. As a result, my students have also learned the importance of critical thinking in relation to world diversity issues affecting us today, and they have learned to be responsible for their own learning through reading, writing, and responding—all hallmarks of these important courses at EOU.

 

This subject is so important to study because of its relevance to every aspect of the world today. We studied power dynamics, diversity in every sense, and the many ways in which diversity influences work, home, education, etc. It is inconceivable that the university could even consider cutting a program that is so applicable to education, world politics, and the work world—not to mention this program’s designation as one of the most academically rigorous programs at EOU. Does the university really want to cut a program that so obviously boosts its academic reputation? I hope not, since I can honestly say that the skills learned during these courses are those that I most readily and frequently used in my current occupation.

 

To sum up, I am writing to express my sincere thanks for your prolonged diligence in keeping Gender Studies program alive at EOU. I hope that this program continues to be unaffected by the budget cuts, as its obvious merit is clear. Please support diversity and the efforts of these fantastic gender studies professors in keeping this program afloat. Your students will thank you in the long run, as I have. Thank you for your time.

 

Iraq combat vet and current GEND on-campus student wrote:

Dear President Lund,

 

I am a second-year student at EOU pursuing a minor in Gender Studies and a major in Anthropology/Sociology. As plans for program cuts have recently been announced, I would like to thank you sincerely for deciding to maintain the Gender Studies program as it is. Courses in this discipline have had a tremendously positive impact on my life, and I am sure this program will continue to be important for students in the future.

 

When I first came to EOU last fall, I was in search of direction. As a combat veteran recently discharged from the Army, I was looking for a way to make sense of the deceit, sexism, and destruction to which I had been exposed while in the military. My first Gender Studies class gave me many of the answers I was seeking, and it also forced me to confront my worst enemy:

myself. In short, this class changed my life. It broadened my understanding of the world in a way that could not be replicated in any other area of study. In addition, my professor Tonia St. Germain has been an excellent mentor for me. She has done everything within her power to help me through a very rough time in my life, and along the way she has inspired me to keep expectations for myself high. Quite a change from the military atmosphere, I feel nothing short of complete empowerment. This education and mentorship has been priceless for me, and I believe these classes have a similar effect on other students.

 

Gender Studies classes focus on oppression in all of its forms. The dissection of how people’s concepts of race, class, and gender intersect to create inequality among people is a crucial topic for students who live in a world such as ours. These concepts surround and affect us every single day of our lives, whether or not we are aware of it. When people are not conscious of how their actions can be affected by the way they have been socialized, systems of oppression are much more likely to be reproduced and therefore contribute to problems such as racism, hate crimes, and violence against women. As such, I believe that a Gender or Women’s Studies program is necessary in every institution of higher learning. I also feel that every student should be required to take at least one course on the topic of diversity, because culpable ignorance is used as an excuse for racism and sexism far too often in this society.

 

Like many others, I am deeply concerned about how the impending budget cuts will affect the university and the community. I empathize with you and everyone else who has to make decisions about downsizing, as I am sure such a task is not easy. For the reasons stated above, I support your decision to keep the Gender Studies program intact, and I wish you luck as you continue to make wise and difficult decisions for EOU.

Thank you once again.

2001 Gender Studies Alum wrote:

Dear President Lund,

 

As one of the first graduates of EOU to hold a minor in Gender Studies, I would like to start by thanking you for preserving the Gender Studies program at Eastern Oregon University. As you know, even as we move further into the 21st century, issues around equality, diversity, and discrimination still abound. These issues will not be reduced without purposeful efforts.

Higher level education regarding gender issues, whether a person is using that education for personal or professional purposes, is tantamount to long-term change in our society and culture, and to improved conditions for all on a worldwide basis.

 

Eastern Oregon in general is often seen in a negative light around the state. It is not unusual for people to perceive us as ignorant, uneducated, backwards. We are viewed as the complete opposite of progressive.  Yet here we have one of the few universities with a focus on gender studies, and we are one of the rare few programs concentrated in a rural area. When I tell people I received my degree in Gender Studies from EOU, they generally respond with surprise that our university is, indeed, progressive enough to have started and supported this program.  Imagine what they will say if that program were to meet its end because of budget cuts. I doubt they will be surprised that a progressive program is a chosen cut.

 

I urge you to consider the implications of cutting this vital program. This is, indeed, a program that deserves to be preserved.

 

Gender Studies Alum wrote:

Dear President Dixie Lund,

             

I wanted to write and thank you for your support of the Gender Studies program at Eastern Oregon University.  As alum of EOU I personally feel that this program is an important part of the student experience that a student can receive from this University.  Although my participation in this program was minor, I still share the lessons and knowledge learned there with my colleagues and friends today on a regular basis.

             

When I first arrived at EOU, I felt that as a theater major I had an open and diverse view of the world, I did not.  My Gender Studies class, taught by Tonia St. Germain, showed me how to look at cultural and social structures through different lenses.  It also showed me how to look at all discrimination and oppression from as being closely related and driven by the same motives.  Most importantly it taught me how to look critically at my own prejudices and the areas I needed to work on.  It taught me about the institutions of marriage and family, and opened a door to unlocking some hidden problems in my own life that needed to be addressed based on my new knowledge.

             

No other class in my college career has had a bigger impact on the way I look at the world.  I know you will do the right thing by supporting the Gender Studies program and its staff to bring these life skills to the EOU students of the future.  Thank you so much for your time and effort on this serious matter.

 

Sincerely,

B.S. Theater

Eastern Oregon University Class of 2004

 

Gender Studies Distance Education student wrote:

 President Lund,

 

Thank you for not cutting the Gender Studies program.

I recently transferred to your college from Eastern Washington

University. I have been quite impressed with the professionalism of

your Distance Education staff and that of your instructors. Your

business program stands far and above what was available to me at

Eastern Washington.

 

I understand the college might be considering the elimination of the

Gender Studies program. I would ask you to strongly reconsider. As a

business professional in the marketing field for over 13 years, my

B.A. in Business Administration from your college will simply help me

open doors. After almost three years of school, the classes that have

touched me the most have not been in my field of choice. This quarter,

I have worked harder and learned more from Tonia St. Germain¹s

introductory class than I have in all the classes I¹ve taken so far.

 

College is supposed to be an experience. Please keep the classes that

truly open our minds.

 

Here is what our past students have said about our program in the past:

Lise works full-time, is married to military personnel, and has an Associates degree from community college.  She is working towards a LS degree in Anthropology/ Sociology and Gender Studies. Her ideal career would be to work with homeless women or to be involved in a support program for teenage girls.

" I usually discuss whatever I might be learning in school with members of my family, friends, and sometimes coworkers.  Throughout this gender studies course, I witnessed people I thought were worldly and wise squirm in discomfort. I have also felt the discomfort and pain in having to point out prejudice wielded by people I love.  I confronted people about racist comments against Mexicans and Native Americans, both of which I have as members of my immediate family… This being my second course online course at EOU, I am pleased with the ‘community’ I experience. The professors’ unending encouragement eliminated any feeling I might have had of being hundreds of miles southwest of La Grande.  Because of the quality of these classes, I will remain with EOU until I get my BA." 

Trisha is married and has two children ages (8) and (20 mos.). She is a LS student with minors in Biology and Sociology and plans to teach high school biology. 

"Women have the right to learn what they can about this topic and not be restricted because they can’t be on campus.  Most of the women that are benefiting from this class are ones that are experiencing the most oppression.  They are the ones that don’t have the luxury of being a full time student but are forced to work to survive.  This type of class enables them to further their education while learning about social constraints and what can be done about them. I was quite pleased with what I experienced throughout the term.  I learned an incredible amount regarding the issues of oppression.  I have gained a better understanding of what exactly oppression is and how men continue to influence it.  I have also gained information that can be passed on to other women so they too have a better understanding of what has taken place as well as the current issues regarding this subject.  Awareness is the key to reconstruction and future change.  This class provides the awareness that I needed."

Christine is a graduate from community college and working towards a LS degree.  She describes herself as a white, widowed, woman living in the lower income bracket, raising two children ages (16) and (11). 

"This course offered anonymity and a place (may be the only place) for a woman to say exactly what is on her mind without fear of being told that she is dumb or stupid. I personally appreciate the safety. By feeling safe, I am much more apt to say what is really on my mind. I tend to be more tolerant of others opinion on line because I know that this is where students practice speaking in their own voice. Having taken many online classes-- this one has been the best-formatted and most consistent classes to date. Thanks for the great class."

Bonni: She describes herself as happily married person of religious faith, a woman of Native American heritage, a working mother, and a student who wants to pursue a Masters degree in public health. 

"To me, the web format fits a gender studies very well.  Those women who are trying to balance work, family and school greatly benefit from gender studies classes.  This type of class fights ignorance about gender discrimination that I see as part of the cause of gender inequality.  It enables women, who would otherwise not be able to become educated, to pursue a career.  It also enables those women to still love their families and take care of themselves in the manner they see fit without compromising any values." 

Rebecca:  Plans to attend law school and work as a lobbyist for elderly rights.

"My views on ‘Gender and Politics’ have changed from a narrow vision to a universal vision. One author changed my way of thinking about my own body. I am attractive but still struggle with the fact that I am not thin enough or sexy enough.  She stated that the psychological impact I place on myself comes from a form of oppression from male gender based oppression.    This article stimulated a lot of debate in my household of men and it changed some of the ways the talk about women." 

Lynn: Has an Associates degree in office administration and is currently working on a minor in business.  She works full-time.

" I would have benefited so much from this knowledge had I been exposed to it thirty years ago. I have learned how I feel about feminism and gained broader gender awareness. In the online discussion, I felt I could be open about all the issues regardless of their sensitivities.  I felt that I had benefited from classmates sharing their experiences because their "lens" gave me a different way to view course readings."

Bobbie: Works on a U.S. military installation in Germany where she lives with her husband. She hopes to get a Masters degree in library science. 

" The personal contact of this class was not lost in the web-based format. The   topics discussed in this class bring up so many personal thoughts that cannot always be added to the formal post of the week. In this respect the student lounge was a great way to continue the discussions and informal learning that normally occurs after class on campus. Responses and replies were respectful and passionate at the same time. I can see gender in, and its effects on, the world around me more clearly now."

Greg:  Is married and has returned to college after an eight-year break to finish a degree in Sociology/Anthropology and Political Science.

" I was not fully informed or prepared for competent discussions on gender before this course, but my life’s experience had prepared me for related issues such as race, poverty, homophobia, etc. The other students’ identities had a large effect on their participation and the combination of all our unique perspectives offered great insights and fostered learning and understanding of the material. Overall, I was very pleased with the course and its format. I will definitely recommend it to other students."