[MikeWaters]

http://news.byu.edu/archive09-Oct-womens.aspx

Based upon recommendations by an interdisciplinary faculty committee, Brigham Young University has reorganized its programs in women’s studies. This reorganization will result in significantly expanded resources for research and creative activities pertaining to women.

Through a new university-wide Emmeline B. Wells Grant, faculty from across campus can apply for research support up to $25,000 on an annual basis. Additional grants also will be awarded to foster research focusing on women.

As part of the reorganization, the Women’s Research Institute will be discontinued, with the current director joining the faculty of the Psychology Department. Additionally, the Women’s Studies minor, which had been administered by the institute, will now be administered by the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences. Professor Renata Forste, chair of the Sociology Department, will chair the Women’s Studies Minor Committee of the Whole. This is in line with the university’s goal to streamline and strengthen its programs wherever possible.

These changes will take place January 2010.

The committee noted that since the inception of the Women’s Research Institute, several additional campus entities have been formed to address women’s concerns, including the Women’s Resource Center and the Faculty Women’s Association.

The university will continue these programs, as well as sponsoring visitors to campus who can foster greater awareness in and support of research on women.

In discussing these changes, Academic Vice President John Tanner praised Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, director of the Women’s Research Institute. “I express appreciation to Bonnie for her able leadership of WRI over many years,” he said.

Let's break these paragraphs down.

Based upon recommendations by an interdisciplinary faculty committee, Brigham Young University has reorganized its programs in women’s studies.

We have political cover for this; plausible deniability. Sure we didn't mention who formed the committee and what it's charge is, nor exactly what the recommendations were, but based on some private product that they produced, we are making the following changes.

This reorganization will result in significantly expanded resources for research and creative activities pertaining to women.

We are taking away the money that used to be administered by the institute, and we will now give away a portion of that money in the form of grants that will be judged by people we hand-pick.

Through a new university-wide Emmeline B. Wells Grant, faculty from across campus can apply for research support up to $25,000 on an annual basis. Additional grants also will be awarded to foster research focusing on women.

We took away an institute, and what we are saying now is that we are guaranteeing that we will spend "up to" $25,000 and some change. We hope you are impressed with this figure.

As part of the reorganization, the Women’s Research Institute will be discontinued, with the current director joining the faculty of the Psychology Department.

We have demoted a person that we won't even bother naming, because we don't give a damn about this person. We are not offering any thanks, or any explanation. In fact, we are making it pretty clear in this press release that we despise this person.

Additionally, the Women’s Studies minor, which had been administered by the institute, will now be administered by the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences. Professor Renata Forste, chair of the Sociology Department, will chair the Women’s Studies Minor Committee of the Whole.

Our takeover and dismantling of the institute will be under the province of a person we like (and control) Dr. Forste, who is such a stooge that she is willing to publicly take this off our hands and demonstrate that YEAH we left a WOMAN in charge.

This is in line with the university’s goal to streamline and strengthen its programs wherever possible.

Dismantling an Institute and forming a new committee with undefined structure and mandate doesn't exactly sound like streamlining, but we are hoping you buy it.

These changes will take place January 2010.

We are reeling this in as fast as we can. We hope you don't realize that this is light-speed for us. It might cause you to ask questions.

The committee noted that since the inception of the Women’s Research Institute, several additional campus entities have been formed to address women’s concerns, including the Women’s Resource Center and the Faculty Women’s Association.

Hey, sure losing an institute might be considered a big deal, but we have a RESOURCE CENTER and a FACULTY WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION. Other faculty committees have noted that there are no prohibitions on coloreds at drinking fountains and restrooms.

The university will continue these programs, as well as sponsoring visitors to campus who can foster greater awareness in and support of research on women.

We hope this makes you not notice that we actually have not committed any further resources other than "up to" $25,000 and that we have in fact killed an institute.

In discussing these changes, Academic Vice President John Tanner praised Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, director of the Women’s Research Institute. “I express appreciation to Bonnie for her able leadership of WRI over many years,” he said.

Well, I guess it was kind of shitty of us to dump on the director earlier in the press release, let's throw the ol' dog a bone. Fall on your sword Bonnie, it's your best move, if you want to be faculty here.