Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Women's Center do?

The Women's Center connects individuals with resources and connects organizations and offices to each other and resources for increased collaboration and effectiveness. The Women’s Center offers leadership development and educational programming in the form of brown bags, keynote speakers and ongoing programs. Finally, the Women’s Center works with other offices and organizations across campus to affect climate and policy change.

What are your hours and where are you located?

The Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and sometimes later. Housed in Appleby Hall, our physical space includes a lounge space for students (shared with other residents of the building) and several offices. Many people now use the “virtual women’s center,” i.e. our resource-filled website.

How is the Women's Center connected with other centers and programs on campus?

The Women's Center serves as a focal point for women's issues and concerns on campus. The Center frequently co-sponsors programs and initiatives with a diverse group of departments, colleges, units and organizations, including the Department of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies, the Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education, and the Women’s Student Activist Collective.

What can I do as an administrator, to create a positive and productive environment for women in my department, unit, or college?

The University of Minnesota is committed to outstanding teaching, research, and outreach, and the Women’s Center supports that commitment by ensuring that University women have equal access to the resources that will help them succeed. But we can’t do it alone: colleges, departments, and units are important allies in our work towards women’s equity on campus. The Women’s Center will work with your unit to: Learn to create a learning and working environment that is better at supporting excellence for all Address systemic issues that keep women in your unit from reaching their full potential Develop leadership skills among women in your unit.

What are some other ways that I can support women at the University?

Be an Ally! Create and maintain a learning, and working environment that is welcoming for women and men. An ally action step can range from stopping a sexist joke (“Excuse me, those kinds of jokes are not permitted here…or I’d prefer you not tell those kind of jokes here.”), to nominating a female colleague for an award, to volunteering for a committee or Aurora’s men’s program, to implementing a strategic plan on changing your department’s climate.

Utilize women’s resources on campus. The Women’s Center provides many valuable services and resources to help you succeed. There are also several other women’s offices on campus and in the community that provide specialized programs and expertise to help you. The Center would be glad to help you find a resource you need.

Request a customized educational workshop. The Women’s Center can develop a workshop to meet the specific needs of your student organization or your department, or help connect you with other sources to meet your goals.

Offer extra credit. Faculty sometimes offer their class extra credit for attending one of our programs or for completing an internship at the Center.