Women's work issues discussed in honor of Lane Hall

By Susan Luth

Daily Staff Reporter

As part of this month's celebration of the newly refurbished Lane Hall, a building devoted entirely to women's studies, a group of Michigan faculty met yesterday to take part in a panel discussion about the working conditions and opportunities for women in today's work place.

"As a graduate student close to finishing, I'm thinking of jobs out in the real world," physics graduate student Mia Franke said. "I wanted to hear some perspectives of what it's like in the work force for females."

Each faculty member spoke of a different field of work, including medicine, science, art and law. The focus of the discussion centered around women and how they struggle in the work force compared to men. For each field, the panelists presented statistics to show that women are treated unequally in their jobs and how generally, across all fields of work, women are discriminated against.

"Something is so wrong here," geological sciences Prof. Lynn Walters said. "The statistics are shocking. They're just heartbreaking. There are remedies, but first you have to recognize the problem."

"We need to stop self-censoring ourselves and remember who we're protecting when we don't speak up," associate Art and Design and women's studies Prof. Carol Jacobsen said.

They emphasized that statistics showed women work in the lower ranks of their fields for less money than men.

Discussion also surrounded the thought that women are taught from a very early age that it is polite to let men step ahead in the work force and that the practice of teaching girls this in their childhood needs to stop.

The panel's discussion is one of many events that are taking place throughout the month in celebration of the newly renovated Lane Hall, which is located at the intersection of State and Washington streets. The Lane Hall opening celebration takes place today, 25 years after the founding of women's studies on campus.

The event begins at 9 a.m. in Lane Hall with a roundtable discussion lead by doctoral students in women's studies. This will be followed by a panel discussion, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an open house. Throughout the afternoon a fair on State Street will feature jugglers, music and other forms of entertainment. At 4 p.m., University President Lee Bollinger and Provost Nancy Cantor will give presentations and awards as part of the ceremony.