Attention male and male-identified allies: Help create a more inclusive and equitable culture for women and minoritized groups at Ohio State. In this workshop led by male campus leaders/Advocates, learn about gender bias, the skills and strategies to interrupt it, and ways to contribute to positive changes on Ohio State's campuses.

Ally workshops are part of the Advocates & Allies for Equity initiative launched by The Women's Place and partners in November 2016. This NSF, evidence-based initiative involves male leaders, or Advocates, convening to develop male Allies into a cross-campus network in support of advancing women and underrepresented faculty and staff.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Participation is limited to approximately 20 male-identified staff and faculty members. (This will allow us to ensure that all participants as well as the facilitators can be viewed on a single Zoom screen.)

Why Ally Workshops Include Only Men and Male-identified Participants

The facilitations include only male and male-identified participants because an aversion to making mistakes, being blamed or being judged by women can keep men from participating in university-sponsored events and discussions related to issues of gender and diversity. Offering Ally workshops for men only provides a safe and supportive space that is vital to their success and fuels participation in difficult conversations.

This event will be presented with automated closed captions. If you have questions about accessibility or wish to request additional accommodations, please contact womensplace@osu.edu. Typically two weeks' notice will allow us to provide access.

Attention man-identified allies: Help create a more inclusive and equitable culture for women-identified colleagues and minoritized groups at Ohio State. In this workshop led by man-identified campus leaders/Advocates, learn about gender bias, the skills and strategies to interrupt it, and ways to contribute to positive changes on Ohio State's campuses.

Ally workshops are part of the Advocates & Allies for Equity initiative launched by The Women's Place and partners in November 2016. This NSF, evidence-based initiative involves man-identified leaders, or Advocates, convening to develop male Allies into a cross-campus network in support of advancing women-identified and underrepresented faculty and staff.

Complete the survey to register for the in-person learning session and please hold the date and time on your calendar. The final session location will be determined by the number of registrants, so you will receive a confirmation email with the location the week of November 8, 2021.

Why Ally Workshops Include Only Man-identified Participants

The facilitations include only man-identified participants because an aversion to making mistakes, being blamed or being judged by women-identified faculty and staff can keep men from participating in university-sponsored events and discussions related to issues of gender and diversity. Offering Ally workshops for man-identified participants only provides a safe and supportive space that is vital to their success and fuels participation in difficult conversations.

If you have questions about accessibility or wish to request accommodations, please contact womensplace@osu.edu. Typically two weeks' notice will allow us to provide access.

You're invited to join the Columbus Women's Commission (CWC) for a two-part series examining the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for women in the workplace and has substantial implications for gender equality. Within the last year nearly 3 million women in the U.S. have left the labor force resulting in the loss of pre-pandemic achievement gains made by women.

As the nation and companies look at economic recovery, what strategies are being considered to support women’s return to the workforce?

During the first webinar, Wednesday, September 29, 2021, Elyse Shaw of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research will provide a thorough overview of how the pandemic has affected women’s work experiences, economic security, and well being. With local leaders, the Columbus Women's Commission will examine how women in our community have navigated the economic crisis, and what gaps persist.

This webinar is open to the public.

Local leaders include:

• First Lady Shannon Ginther, Columbus Women's Commission chair
• Christie Angel, CWC Alumna, president and CEO, YWCA Columbus
• Elaine Bryant, chief of police, City of Columbus
• Elyse Shaw, study director, Institute for Women's Policy Research

Watch for part II of the webinar in November -- more details to come!

In the second webinar, CWC will examine practical tips and actions that individuals, employers and organizations can take to advance gender equity in the economic recovery. Attendees will develop an action plan with three practical actions to take in their own organizations and consider metrics to chart their progress.

This webinar is exclusive for the Columbus Commitment Adopter Network. If your employer has not signed the Columbus Commitment Pledge, visit the CWC pledge page for more information and for the opportunity to participate in resource sharing and learning sessions.

The annual conference for the American Council on Education Women’s Network of Ohio (ACE WNO) theme is “Learn, Connect, Inspire,” which celebrates strength, allyship, community, leadership, and inspiration for transformation. This theme is also intertwined with ACE’s goal of moving the needle to increase women’s representation in senior leadership positions.

The ACE Women's Network-Ohio conference offers opportunities for deep discussion and skill-building related to developing women, networking for women interested in higher education leadership and information on current higher education issues and trends. The conference invites faculty, staff, administrators, and post-doctoral fellows to engage and learn with peers across the state.

The Women's Place will offer a limited number of complimentary sponsorships for Ohio State employees to attend. If you are interested in attending, please describe in a brief survey response how you anticipate that the conference will enhance your professional development. The Women’s Place will notify respondents who are selected for free registration. Complete the conference sponsorship survey by October 1.

Join The Women’s Place (TWP) in a virtual conversation with Black Women Faculty and Professional Staff (BWFPS) observing Fibroid Awareness Month, which kicks off on July 1. July is dedicated to bringing attention to those living with fibroids, highlighting new innovations in research, and raising funds and awareness. Though women of all reproductive ages are subject to experiencing fibroids, Black women are more likely to develop uterine fibroids and experience more severe symptoms, according to the National Institute of Health.

Come to learn and share more about this issue that impacts so many people’s physical and mental health, confidence, and social or work life.

Guest speaker Amber Bondurant-Sullivan, MD, a physician in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Wexner Medical Center, will be providing information about uterine fibroids and how to advocate for yourself as a patient. Our conversation will cover topics of menstrual health, period equity, and responding to complications with fertility. Dr. Bondurant’s informational part of this meeting will be recorded before opening the floor for a confidential, unrecorded discussion to share experiences, tips, and encouragement.

Networking is all about preparation, meeting the right people and getting the information you need to move forward. Whether you’re a business owner, work in academics, you're a realtor, artist, student or you work for corporate America, this workshop will have you networking like a pro with unique tips you can put into practice no matter where you are.

Join Columbus Young Professionals (CYP) Club on Wednesday, June 23, and Thursday, June 24, for a two-day virtual event focused on wisdom, inspiration, spirituality and empowerment!

Women of Inspiration Summit Experience (WISE) 2021 will welcome a diverse group of women for an uplifting and inspirational experience to connect and grow while hearing from outstanding speakers and thought-leaders. The two-day online event will run from 9:00am-12:30pm (EST) each day, including spectacular speakers, compelling workshops, inspirational interviews, meditation sessions, and more.

Back for its third year, WISE is sponsored by Columbus Young Professionals (CYP) Club and cosponsored by Branch Insurance, with support from Barnes & Thornburg, Columbus CEO, Discover Financial and The Women's Place at The Ohio State University. WISE brings together hundreds of women (and a few men) for an uplifting and inspirational virtual experience to connect and grow while hearing from outstanding speakers and thought-leaders.

This year's virtual event will also be co-hosted in partnership with Music City Young Professionals (Nashville, TN), TYPROS (Tulsa, OK), W - A Community of Young Professionals (Wichita, KS), YP Streeterville (Chicago, IL) and YPOD (Salt Lake City, UT), bringing together attendees from across the county.

The unequal distribution of faculty workload is one of the most important, yet least talked about, inequities that shape the experiences of faculty members within colleges and universities. As a result of the pandemic, faculty workloads are growing, and growing more inequitable. In particular, faculty from historically minoritized identities and women faculty face unusually high service, teaching, and mentoring workloads.

Inclusion and equity require departments and institutions to identify and dismantle systems that maintain unequal workloads and avoid longer time to advancement, higher stress, increased burnout, and greater willingness to leave for women and BIPOC faculty. Further, colleagues lack information about how work is divided and the workloads of their peers. Departments rarely engage in a transparent process for assigning workload commitments and this can be amplified across faculty rank and series.

In this talk, KerryAnn O’Meara, P.I. of the NSF Faculty Workload and Rewards Project and co-author of a new report and set of resources published by ACE shares what she learned with colleagues during a five-year, action research project aimed at promoting equity in how faculty labor is taken up, assigned, and rewarded. She considers how workload inequities emerge in "discretionary spaces," and the evidence-based policies and practices departments have used to identify inequalities, assess faculty and university needs, and re-design workload with equity in mind.

The Women’s Place (TWP) is pleased to host the Ohio State Advocates & Allies for Equity Initiative (A&A), which involves men in the crucial work of promoting gender equity. TWP is expanding this program and invites men and male-identified staff and faculty to join as new Advocates, one of the program’s core leaders for creating positive culture change at the university.
 
The Advocates & Allies initiative uses two designations to refer to participants:

• Allies – men and male-identified colleagues who attend ally workshops as participants and commit to promote gender equity
• Advocates – men and male-identified colleagues who facilitate the workshops for participants (allies), build ally networks, and advocate for inclusive practices in their areas of influence across the university

To date, more than 450 men have committed to being allies for building a more equitable environment at Ohio State. Advocates can help to continue growing these partnerships.

Through a workshop model designed by The Women’s Place, Advocates introduce male colleagues to evidence-based skills and strategies that work to remove barriers for women and other underrepresented faculty, staff, and students. For Spring 2021, all Ally sessions are delivered virtually. Advocates lead Ally sessions and encourage continual learning through periodic meetings with other Advocates. The Women’s Place asks that Advocates commit to volunteer with the program for a minimum of one year; longer term participation is always welcome.

You can become an Advocate by attending a two-part virtual orientation hosted by The Women’s Place:

• Friday, May 14, 1 - 4 pm
• Friday, May 21, 1 - 4 pm

New Advocates should complete both parts of the training. Please register for these sessions by 5pm on Tuesday, May 11. If you are interested in becoming an Advocate but have a scheduling conflict, please contact the Advocates & Allies GAA, Mariana Miguelez Gomez, to express your interest.

Questions? Contact The Women's Place.

This Kirwan Biweekly Forum, cosponsored by The Women's Place, addresses the legal, economic, and historical implications of Black styles of self-presentation, including wearing natural hair. Whether at school or work, Black people often are penalized for wearing cultural hairstyles such as Afros, locs or braids. Biases against these styles can contribute to disparities in hiring, school discipline and suspension, health, and student participation in extracurricular activities.

To prohibit hair discrimination, the Columbus City Council recently passed the CROWN ACT (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair). Learn more about how hairstyles effect more than beauty and how we can do more to promote racial equity.

Moderated by Dr. Andrea Williams, director of The Women's Place and Ohio State associate professor in the Department of English, the panel discussion includes:

Karen Beard | Educational Studies, Ohio State

Jasmine Nichole Cobb | African American Studies, Duke University

Courtney Johnson | Ohio State Office of Institutional Equity  

Priscilla Tyson |  Columbus City Council