Independent Women's Forum - Research Areas > Campus http://www.iwf.org/topics info@iwf.org http://www.pjdoland.com/chai/?v=0.1 Is it too easy to get a a student loan? http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20317.html <p>Jenna Robinson of the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy has an interesting piece in <em>Clarion Call</em> recounting her personal experience with government-backed student loans.&nbsp; Jenna and her friends spent a good deal of their loan money on non-school related activities, such as vacations, concert tickets, and off-campus apartments.&nbsp; She concludes:</p> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">My friends and I didn't really cause the student loan crisis. In the grand scheme, our dalliances were a drop in the bucket. But we did make bad decisions. We misused taxpayer money, accrued years' worth of debt and postponed adulthood's important financial lessons to have a good time. Now that the college-loan business is in trouble, perhaps Congress will mend its ways and no longer permit these excesses to continue. Students who receive today's scaled-back loans should be better off as a result.</blockquote> <p>Read more <a href="http://popecenter.org/clarion_call/article.html?id=2000">here.</a></p> 20317@http://www.iwf.org Thu, 08 May 2008 09:31:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Point of View with Carmen Pate: Beyond Obama http://www.iwf.org/iwfmedia/show/20318.html <p>Allison Kasic joined <em>Point of View with Carmen Pate</em> to discuss her op-ed, <em>Beyond&nbsp;Obama,</em>&nbsp;and the real issues in the presidential campaign.</p> 20318@http://www.iwf.org Wed, 07 May 2008 16:23:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Beyond Obama http://www.iwf.org/news/show/20314.html

Townhall.com

<p>In modern politics, few things are as over-hyped as the youth vote. Every election cycle is billed as the one that young voters are finally going to be the key player in shaping the results. Institutions like MTV's Choose or Lose and P.Diddy's Vote or Die campaign spring up to corral the supposedly massive base of youth waiting to cast their vote on election day. The youth vote always fails to live up to the hype. But 2008 is shaping up to be different. Already, we've seen a massive amount of enthusiasm from younger voters, who have been entranced by Senator Barrack Obama.</p> <p>It's great that so many young people are engaged in this election cycle. If nothing else, Obama deserves credit for reaching out to a lot of new voters and inspiring so many young adults to get involved. This is surely a positive development. But what happens next is of tremendous importance to the future of America.</p> <p>Obamamania has been largely driven by the Senator's appealing personae and inspiring rhetoric. But for this upswing in interest in politics to have real meaning it can't just be a cult of personality.</p> <p>It's crucial that young voters focus on the many pressing issues of concern to them and future generations.</p> <p>Take Social Security, for example. In 2017 Social Security will start to pay our more money in benefits than it collects in taxes, and by the time, today's college students retire, the program will be able to pay only 74% of promised benefits. Unless reform happens soon, young voters will face massive tax hikes, massive benefit cuts, or some combination of the two.</p> <p>Or, take the economy. Many young voters have recently graduated or will be graduating soon. As they enter the job market, they will face a slowing economy. The key question on their minds should be, what will make the situation better? While the government cannot effectively "plan" or "fix" the economy (though that won't stop some politicians from promising to do so) it can shape the rules of the game to promote prosperity. Promoting liberal trade policies would be a great place to start. Many students on campus are bombarded with anti-globalization propaganda that focuses on jobs lost because of increased competition. There is another side of the equation-trade liberalization creates jobs in this country and gives us access to higher quality goods at lower prices. Lower trade barriers will help spur economic growth here and around the world.</p> <p>Fixing our tax code is another way policymakers could help our economy both through this current economic downturn and in the future. Our overcomplicated tax system is a drag on the economy as companies and individuals spend millions of hours filling out paperwork. Simplifying the tax code, and ending the outlandish practice of discouraging saving and investment through high taxes, would encourage entrepreneurship and promote growth.</p> <p>Another issue that young voters should be concerned about is education. For most college students, the days of sending your children off to school may seem to be in the distant future, but the truth is they are right around the corner. And, unfortunately, most will find that their local public school has massive shortcomings. They should think about the process they used to select a college, and ask why a similar process doesn't take place for elementary and high school. Young voters ought to seriously consider supporting school choice programs that give parents more control over where they send their children to school and brings much need competition to the current government-run public school system.</p> <p>These are just a sampling of the many issues facing young voters. As both political parties try to capitalize on their newfound interest in politics, let us hope that the focus of the conversation is on these issues, and not solely dependent on politicians' personalities.</p> 20314@http://www.iwf.org Wed, 07 May 2008 10:54:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Interesting News Out of Dartmouth http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20308.html <p>There's certainly been <a href="http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YmRiNTZhYzQ2MjcxMjAyMWE4ZjNiZjI1ZWJkNjczYTQ">a lot</a> <a href="http://dartreview.com/archives/2008/04/21/blowing_the_whistle_on_ed_haldeman.php">of it</a> recently.&nbsp; Here's the latest out of Hanover:&nbsp;</p> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <p>Often it seems as though American higher education exists only to provide gag material for the outside world. The latest spectacle is an Ivy League professor threatening to sue her students because, she claims, their "anti-intellectualism" violated her civil rights.</p> <p>Priya Venkatesan taught English at Dartmouth College. She maintains that some of her students were so unreceptive of "French narrative theory" that it amounted to a hostile working environment. She is also readying lawsuits against her superiors, who she says papered over the harassment, as well as a confessional expos&eacute;, which she promises will "name names."</p> </blockquote> <p>More <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120995103004666569.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries">here.</a></p> 20308@http://www.iwf.org Tue, 06 May 2008 10:16:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) First Place Winner, 2007-2008 IWF College Essay Contest http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/20303.html <p>By Cassidy Bugos</p> <p>Whether a Democrat or a Republican, the president-elect who takes the oath next January will not have won by the male vote alone, but will have judiciously curried the favor of female constituents nationwide.</p> <p>Any 2008 Presidential-hopeful who peddles him or herself to women by endlessly touting "reproductive rights," exploiting his supposed boyish charms, or appealing to their mutual sex insults the intelligence of female voters.&nbsp; To lock up the female vote, candidates must prove that they will defend true American values-the same values that have done so much to liberate women in America and around the globe.</p> <p>The fact is, American women have more to think about these days than how wonderful it is to be female.&nbsp; Consequently, those who vote for Hillary Clinton will not be voting for her simply to celebrate her womanhood, but because they agree with her policies.&nbsp; Those who vote against her will do so because she swings afield of the values of the majority of Americans.</p> <p>Today more American women want a government that is practical, efficient, and self-limiting, because more American women ascribe to a feminism that is practical, efficient, and self-limiting.&nbsp; A candidate who defends the basic principles of limited government, free markets, affordable health care, choice in education, and a strong, effective foreign policy and national defense is a candidate who defends the interests of American women.</p> <p>Indeed, these issues especially resonate with female voters since so many women seek their happiness in motherhood while at the same time striving to succeed in challenging and fulfilling careers.&nbsp; Hence women have historically shown a slight preference for big-government Democratic platforms that pledge more services.&nbsp; But this gender gap has narrowed in recent elections, a reflection of the fact that American women are more educated and more financially independent than ever before.</p> <p>In 2008, all issues will be women's issues.</p> <p>The candidate who knows what concerns cut across age, income, and education is a candidate who operates on the principle that no welfare program can replace the family.&nbsp; No doubt it would be too much to ask a far-left candidate to promote heterosexual marriage, but as president he or she would be faced with the responsibility of arresting the social and economic decline that started with the breakdown of the family.&nbsp; A candidate who advocates reforming no-fault divorce and making divorce harder to obtain, as well as the removal of the marriage penalties in the tax code, is a candidate who as president would go a long way toward arresting decline.&nbsp; Likewise, reforming the public school system so that parents are free to choose their child's school would be a giant step toward defeating the deterioration of American education.</p> <p>Women voters know that concrete measures like these, designed to protect the family, would also give long-term stability to the economy.&nbsp; They will be skeptical, however, of candidates who offer straw-man quick-fixes to the problems faced by women, particularly poor women and single mothers.&nbsp; For instance, many Democrat contenders want to increase the minimum wage and mandate more employee benefits, but some women are wary, realizing that an employer who is forced to pay workers more may also be forced to make cost-cutting decisions such as lay-offs and salary reductions.&nbsp; The candidate who understands what women want will promise instead to make tax cuts, increase job opportunities by removing undue regulations, and devise Social Security and pension systems that increase women's opportunities to save and invest their money as they see fit.</p> <p>Stay-at-home mothers, working mothers, and single women all share in the American spirit of free enterprise and self-reliance.&nbsp; Women represent the greater proportion of purchasing decisions made in the United States, thus benefiting directly from global free trade. However, unlimited expansion does not benefit women if it comes at the expense of stable family life and a healthy moral culture.&nbsp; Increasing political and economic individual freedom is the American way of preserving this balance.</p> <p>Democrats have a tradition of pandering to women as a bloc, but it is a safe bet that in 2008 they will only be using their usual stale catch-phrases of "reproductive rights" and "equal pay," shaking their fists at imaginary foes while neglecting to address the issues with which American women are most concerned.&nbsp; The ball is in the court of the GOP contender who can show himself tuned in to the real needs and concerns of the female population, and who has realistic solutions to the unique problems faced by women pursuing the American dream.</p> 20303@http://www.iwf.org Tue, 06 May 2008 10:07:00 EDT Second Place Winner, 2007-2008 IWF College Essay Contest http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/20304.html <p>By Lauren Migliore</p> <p>The election of 1994 sent shockwaves through the country when it was revealed that the Republicans had captured a majority for the first time in decades in both the House and the Senate from the previously "unbeatable" Democrats.&nbsp; The GOP, which was even referred to as the "Permanent Minority," had defied all odds.&nbsp; A former Democrat-turned-Republican, Newt Gingrich, led the Republicans to this victory with his innovative ideas that championed the free market and were presented on a unified, national level.&nbsp; It was beautifully orchestrated, but, as recent events have shown, victory was short-lived.&nbsp; This important moment in history can serve as a lesson to contemporary Republican politicians looking to turn the tide back to the right.&nbsp; The year of 2007 could be like 1993, when people felt the tremors underfoot of a revolution already underway, or it could resemble 2005, when Republicans who were continuing to drift away from their core principles of a free market and limited government had the rug pulled out from under them (except this time, the rug might be the White House).&nbsp; The secret to a new revolution and prevention of a Democratic takeover: The Women's Vote.</p> <p>Democrats like to consider women their "Permanent Majority" and count on women voters to move as a single block to sweep their supposed candidate, Hillary Clinton, into the White House for another eight years.&nbsp; Democratic candidates are well aware of their edge on the women's vote and exploit it daily in their rhetoric on the campaign trail and taskforces giving lip-service to "women's issues."&nbsp; In order to curb the Democratic momentum, the GOP must pay attention to these subjects-not only because it will aid Republicans in victory, but because women's issues and their principles go hand in hand.&nbsp;</p> <p>The GOP has the opportunity to redefine the debate over women's issues this election.&nbsp; Democratic oratories propagating issues that were dominant at a time when bras fueled bonfires and radical feminist diatribes against alleged Republican chauvinism were rampant are no longer resonating with female voters.&nbsp; This is evident in the closing of the gender gap between male and female voting records.&nbsp; To reinforce this trend, the Republican candidate must show women how the Democratic Party is out of touch with the ideas of the 21<sup>st</sup> century when technology and a service-driven economy reign supreme.&nbsp; Democrats are still rooted in the post-industrial politics of the New Deal era-a time that catered to labor unions and big bureaucracy.&nbsp; Voters reward policy innovation and new ideas and are growing tired of the age-old rap appealing to "equal pay," "the right to choose," and the ERA.</p> <p>The women's issues of the 21<sup>st</sup> century have evolved significantly over the past 50 years and truly have underlying parallels to the conservative agenda.&nbsp; The woman of the new millennium is a working mother and wife who cares about the financial stability of her family and the society in which her children grow up.&nbsp; Basic economics teaches us that free markets bring about wealth and economic prosperity, which in turn bring about stable families and communities.&nbsp; Here Republicans have an opportunity to show women voters their appeal.&nbsp; For instance, the flat tax would eliminate the "marriage tax" and progressive tax codes that punish married working women. Republicans also champion new innovations such as "flex time" that promote flexibility in the workforce and have championed freedom with other issues like healthcare options.&nbsp; President Bush tried till he was blue in the face to articulate how Americans would benefit from the freedoms of private Social Security accounts-only to be blocked by Democratic obstructionists.&nbsp; School choice and voucher programs have been advocated by the Republican administration.&nbsp; All these programs are designed to help families and restore freedom and a culture of ownership back into American society.</p> <p>Women's issues are Republican issues.&nbsp; The GOP does not need secret war rooms to devise a strategy to appeal to women voters.&nbsp; They already have it-their platform!&nbsp; The deficiency does not lie in the message but in the execution of the message.&nbsp; Republicans need to wake up and smell the opportunity.&nbsp;&nbsp; Perhaps they need another strong visionary leader, like Newt Gingrich, to capitalize on such opportunity.&nbsp; Or perhaps soccer moms toting briefcases will storm the steps of the Capital to bring about a second coming of 1994.&nbsp; Regardless of how it happens, one thing is for sure, a second Revolution for the Republicans, led by women voters, is within reach.&nbsp; All they need to do is claim it.</p> 20304@http://www.iwf.org Tue, 06 May 2008 10:03:00 EDT Third Place Winner, 2007-2008 IWF College Essay Contest http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/20306.html <p>By Sara Elizabeth Walter</p> <p>When I walked into the ballroom of the Pennsylvania College Republican State Convention Dinner last spring, I had prepared myself to be a woman in a sea of men.&nbsp; I was pleasantly surprised to see that about 40% of the attendees at the convention were female-and many of them holding important positions within their College Republicans chapters.&nbsp; I have been told by feminist professors and teachers for years that women were incredibly underrepresented in politics, and that this was because the system was inherently chauvinistic (particularly on the conservative side).&nbsp; Was I, along with the rest of the women present, merely succumbing to this misogynist view?&nbsp; I tend to differ in this viewpoint.&nbsp; Women shouldn't be treated any different than men (which is what I thought the entire goal of the feminist movement was in the first place), and this applies to politics too.&nbsp; I have never been looked upon as "revolutionary" or "different" because I am a woman in Republican politics-unless it's a Democrat who is doing the looking, in which case I am a rare bird who must be insane to put up with the constant misogyny which they believe is so prevalent within the conservative movement.</p> <p>In this election cycle, with Hillary Clinton and so much emphasis on women as a powerful bloc of voters, I question whether women should have separate issues.&nbsp; If feminism is succeeding, then shouldn't the left recognize that women as a whole most often prioritize the same issues as men when deciding whom they will vote for?&nbsp; The news media often report how Clinton will sweep the female vote because she is female.&nbsp; The left cries that if you don't vote for Hillary, you don't want to give a woman the chance to be president.&nbsp; Such claims are pure hogwash, designed to make women not empowered, but ignorant and apathetic.&nbsp; By using scare tactics to make women think that they can only support a fellow woman for president, the Democrats are making a dangerous assumption-that women feel alienated by men.&nbsp; However, by and large, women won't vote for a woman merely because of a hatred of men-a myth that the feminist movement has trusted for far too long.</p> <p>"Women's issues" is quite a vague term unto itself, although almost every Democratic presidential candidate has hired staff for just this topic.&nbsp; Generally, included in this category are abortion, health care, welfare (particularly for single mothers).&nbsp; But what Democrats aren't saying, and what Republicans haven't quite cashed in on yet, is that these are not uniquely women's issues-men care just as much.&nbsp; And even more so, the conservative capitalist, free market economic policies would benefit women (particularly married women-a demographic oft-ignored by feminist groups as traitors) and give them more freedom and opportunity through financial independence based on tax breaks.&nbsp; Also, since many health care decisions are made by women, the health care plans proposed by Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani should be lauded as another way to place more power in the hands of women in determining how they would like their health care plan.&nbsp; Instead, conservative candidates thus far seem to be focusing on exactly what you would think the feminists (in theory) would love-there are no women's issues, only issues which affect women as well as men.</p> <p>In the movie "Little Women," Jo March says of women's suffrage, "I find it poor logic to say that women should vote because they are good.&nbsp; Men do not vote because they are good; they vote because they are male, and women should vote, not because we are angels and men are animals, but because we are human beings and citizens of this country."&nbsp; Thus, women should not vote for Hillary (or for any other candidate, for that matter) because they represent "women's issues."&nbsp; In truth, there are no "women's issues"-no more than there are "men's issues."&nbsp; There are only American issues-and these are the issues we should be focusing on in this election cycle.&nbsp; By alleging that candidates should have staff to deal with "women's issues," they are only perpetuating the myth that women should be treated separately and differently than men.&nbsp; Perhaps if the Democratic candidates focused on the real issues this election cycle, we would have a much better dialogue and better-developed policy proposals.</p> 20306@http://www.iwf.org Tue, 06 May 2008 10:00:00 EDT Media Advisory: IWF announces the 2007-2008 Essay Contest winners http://www.iwf.org/iwfmedia/show/20302.html <p><strong>IWF Essay Contest Winners</strong></p> <p><strong>May 5, 2008<br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break" /></strong></p> <p>The Independent Women's Forum is pleased to announce the winners of the <strong>2007-2008 IWF College Essay Contest</strong>. &nbsp;IWF received hundreds of essays for this year's contest. &nbsp;Full-time, female undergraduate students were asked to submit an essay no longer than 750 words, answering the question<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">: <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">What</em></strong><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> role should "women's issues" play in the 2008 elections and how do you define women's issues?&nbsp;&nbsp; </em></strong></p> <p><strong>The awards include: First Place Award - $5,000, Second Place Award - $2,000, Third Place Award - $1,000, and Ten Honorable Mentions - $250 </strong></p> <p><strong>The winners are:</strong></p> <p><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Place Cassidy Bugos, </strong>Christendom College</p> <p><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Place Lauren Migliore, </strong>Kalamazoo College</p> <p><strong>3<sup>rd</sup> Place Sara Elizabeth Walter, </strong>Lafayette College</p> <p><strong><del cite="mailto:Allison.Kasic" datetime="2008-05-02T15:06"></del></strong></p> <p><strong>Honorable Mentions:</strong></p> <p><strong>Ashley Amidon, </strong>George Mason University</p> <p><strong>Kyli Archibald, </strong>Hobart and William Smith Colleges</p> <p><strong>Marina Buryak, </strong>Stetson University</p> <p><strong>Catherine Helsley, </strong>Randolph College</p> <p><strong>Jeanette Moll, </strong>University of Wisconsin, Madison</p> <p><strong>Courtney Parry, </strong>Saint Mary's College Notre Dame</p> <p><strong>Megan Proehl, </strong>Ohio State University</p> <p><strong>Jessica Richman, </strong>Stanford University</p> <p><strong>Morgan Wilkins, </strong>Indiana University Southeast</p> <p><strong>Jiayi Zhou, </strong>University of California, Berkeley</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Congratulations to all of the winners!</p> 20302@http://www.iwf.org Mon, 05 May 2008 12:21:00 EDT What role should "women's issues" play in the 2008 elections? http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20301.html <p>The Independent Women's Forum is pleased to announce the winners of the <strong>2007-2008 IWF College Essay Contest</strong>. &nbsp;IWF received hundreds of essays for this year's contest. &nbsp;Full-time, female undergraduate students were asked to submit an essay no longer than 750 words, answering the question<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">: <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">What</em></strong><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> role should "women's issues" play in the 2008 elections and how do you define women's issues?&nbsp;&nbsp; </em></strong></p> <p><strong>The awards include: First Place Award - $5,000, Second Place Award - $2,000, Third Place Award - $1,000, and Ten Honorable Mentions - $250 </strong></p> <p><strong>The winners are:</strong></p> <p><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Place Cassidy Bugos, </strong>Christendom College</p> <p><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Place Lauren Migliore, </strong>Kalamazoo College</p> <p><strong>3<sup>rd</sup> Place Sara Elizabeth Walter, </strong>Lafayette College<br /><br />Congratulations to all of the winners!</p> <h4><a href="/campus/show/20300.html">View the Honorable Mentions here</a>.</h4> 20301@http://www.iwf.org Mon, 05 May 2008 12:15:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Stacy Chin) IWF Essay Contest Winners 2007-2008 http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/20300.html <p>The Independent Women's Forum is pleased to announce the winners of the <strong>2007-2008 IWF College Essay Contest</strong>. &nbsp;IWF received hundreds of essays for this year's contest. &nbsp;Full-time, female undergraduate students were asked to submit an essay no longer than 750 words, answering the question<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">: <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">What</em></strong><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> role should "women's issues" play in the 2008 elections and how do you define women's issues?&nbsp;&nbsp; </em></strong></p> <p><strong>The awards include: First Place Award - $5,000, Second Place Award - $2,000, Third Place Award - $1,000, and Ten Honorable Mentions - $250 </strong></p> <p><strong>The winners are:</strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/20303.html">1<sup>st</sup> Place Cassidy Bugos</a>, </strong>Christendom College</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/20304.html">2<sup>nd</sup> Place Lauren Migliore</a>, </strong>Kalamazoo College</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/20306.html">3<sup>rd</sup> Place Sara Elizabeth Walter</a>, </strong>Lafayette College</p> <p><strong><del cite="mailto:Allison.Kasic" datetime="2008-05-02T15:06"></del></strong></p> <p><strong>Honorable Mentions:</strong></p> <p><strong>Ashley Amidon, </strong>George Mason University</p> <p><strong>Kyli Archibald, </strong>Hobart and William Smith Colleges</p> <p><strong>Marina Buryak, </strong>Stetson University</p> <p><strong>Catherine Helsley, </strong>Randolph College</p> <p><strong>Jeanette Moll, </strong>University of Wisconsin, Madison</p> <p><strong>Courtney Parry, </strong>Saint Mary's College Notre Dame</p> <p><strong>Megan Proehl, </strong>Ohio State University</p> <p><strong>Jessica Richman, </strong>Stanford University</p> <p><strong>Morgan Wilkins, </strong>Indiana University Southeast</p> <p><strong>Jiayi Zhou, </strong>University of California, Berkeley</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Congratulations to all of the winners!</p> 20300@http://www.iwf.org Mon, 05 May 2008 12:11:00 EDT Congratulations, Professor Kors! http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20264.html <p>Yesterday, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation announced that Dr. Alan Charles Kors, a history professor at the University of Pennsylvania, will be the recipient of a 2008 Bradley Prize.&nbsp; The award carries a stipend of $250,000 and will be awarded on June 4th in Washington, D.C.</p> <p>Dr. Kors has been a key activist for free speech and against the politically correct climate that often dominates campus life.&nbsp; His book, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-University-Betrayal-Americas-Campuses/dp/B000F7BPMA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1208982068&amp;sr=1-1">The Shadow University</a></em>, is one of my favorite books and should be required reading on campus.</p> <p>Kathryn Lopez <a href="http://phibetacons.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzIwZjIyODE5MDE4Yzk5YjBhOGRlMmI4YmY1YWUxNTQ">has more details</a> on the award over at National Review Online.&nbsp; Congratulations, Dr. Kors!</p> 20264@http://www.iwf.org Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:22:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Podcast Alert: Living Wage Mandates http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20227.html <p>Over on the podcast page, Halima Karzai and I discuss the problems with living wage mandates.&nbsp; Give it a listen <a href="http://iwf.org/iwfmedia/show/20225.html">here.</a></p> <p>For more information on this topic check out Elise Viebeck's <a href="http://iwf.org/publications/show/20150.html"><em>Waging Blame</em> paper.</a></p> 20227@http://www.iwf.org Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:01:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) IWF Podcast: Campus Living Wage Mandates http://www.iwf.org/iwfmedia/show/20225.html <p>Halima Karzai and Allison Kasic discuss campus living wage mandates.</p> 20225@http://www.iwf.org Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:27:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Halima Karzai) info@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Indoctrination at Delaware http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20212.html <p>Over at National Review's Phi Beta Cons blog, Candace de Russy provides an update on the University of Delaware's controversial <a href="http://www.thefire.org/index.php/case/752.html">freshman indoctrination program</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>The faculty has now issued its "new" guidelines, which, <a href="http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008803230326">according to the <em>Wilmington News-Journal</em></a>, amount to the same old, same old, albeit with more faculty involvement. The faculty has not repudiated program content such as Shakti Butler's definition of a racist as "all white people living in the United States" and her statement that "people of color cannot be racists." Nor has it eliminated the ritual of coercing freshmen into baring their souls to busy-body dorm staff about when they first discovered their sexual identity. And, to add insult to injury, the faculty dared to snivel that Butler's dicta should not have been posted on UD's website in the first place - in the apparent belief that parents and others have no right to examine the program.</p> </blockquote> <p>More <a href="http://phibetacons.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTQyNTE5MmIzY2EwMzExMDJjNjlmZDhiMjk1ZmY0YjA">here.</a></p> 20212@http://www.iwf.org Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:22:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) How is your school celebrating women's history month? http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20189.html <p>Jenna Ashley Robinson of The Pope Center for Higher Education <a href="http://popecenter.org/commentaries/article.html?id=1976">reports</a> on the following activity at the University of North Carolina:</p> <blockquote> <p>I was torn. The cookies at the Gender Gap Bake Sale looked delicious, and I could buy one for only 75 cents. That's because I am a woman. Men had to pay $1 each. Trouble is, it would have violated my sense of justice; getting a cheaper cookie struck me as a handout or maybe a sly trick to get my consent to policies to raise women's wages. I considered paying full price but I didn't want to cause a scene. So I walked by.<br /><br />The bake sale sponsored by the Women's Center at UNC-Chapel Hill was designed to raise awareness about the discrepancy between women's and men's wages. In 2005, women in the United States earned about 77 percent of what men earned, on average.</p> </blockquote> <p>More info <a href="http://popecenter.org/commentaries/article.html?id=1976">here.</a></p> <p>Trouble is, the premise of the bake sale&nbsp;is bunk, as explained <a href="http://iwf.org/news/show/19238.html">here</a> by IWF's Carrie Lukas.&nbsp; More IWF commentary on the wage gap is available <a href="http://iwf.org/topics/topic/6.html">here.</a></p> 20189@http://www.iwf.org Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:20:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) New at IWF: International Women's Day http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20181.html <p>Last week, IWF's Halima Karzai visited DePaul University's International Human Rights Law Institute to celebrate International Women's Day.&nbsp; Her remarks are available <a href="/news/show/20175.html">here.</a> &nbsp;</p> <p>If you are interested in bringing an <a href="/experts/">IWF scholar</a>to your campus, please email campus [at] iwf [dot] org.</p> 20181@http://www.iwf.org Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:48:00 EDTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Update on Duke Case http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20160.html <p>If you're interested in reading the original documents of the <a href="http://iwf.org/inkwell/show/20143.html">new Duke lacrosse lawsuit</a>, you might want to hurry.&nbsp; As Erin O'Connor <a href="http://www.erinoconnor.org/archives/2008/03/under_the_rug.html">reports</a>at Critical Mass, Duke's lawyers aren't happy about the players' website, dukelawsuit.com, which features all the materials.</p> 20160@http://www.iwf.org Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:58:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Thomas Sowell on Higher Education http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20157.html <p><em>National Review's </em>website has featured a series of interviews with Thomas Sowell this week.&nbsp; In the third&nbsp;installment, Peter Robinson and Sowell discuss several issues pertaining to higher education including grade inflation, the problems associated with faculty tenure, and the lack of market forces within the academy.&nbsp; It's well worth a watch.</p> <p>The video is available <a href="http://tv.nationalreview.com/uncommonknowledge/post/?q=NTllZTg0NDk4MWMwMzgwNmE1YmQ5NWM2Y2M3YTU5NmU">here.</a></p> <p>Update: The rest of the series is great, too.&nbsp; <a href="http://tv.nationalreview.com/uncommonknowledge/post/?q=OTBlMDAxYWM0YWQ5OGYwNGVhNDliOGQxNDQ1ODA4OTU=">Part one</a>deals with women in the workplace (note that Sowell's research shows, as IWF has said for years, that the key&nbsp;variable in women obtaining high level positions is child rearing, not discrimination as the wage gap theorists claim), <a href="http://tv.nationalreview.com/uncommonknowledge/post/?q=ZGQ4ZGM3MjYzNDc2MjA1NzBmMzEyYWQ2OTJjYzYyNjY=">part two</a> deals with income levels and social mobility, <a href="http://tv.nationalreview.com/uncommonknowledge/post/?q=OGQxMTE3NzNkYjNmZmMzYTI2OGRmMjkzNGY5OTk3Njg=">part four</a> tackles more issues pertaining to higher education including the price of tuition, and <a href="http://tv.nationalreview.com/uncommonknowledge/post/?q=MWRhMTNhOTA5MzY4YzBiNDEyNGZiOGZjY2FjMTI2NTk=">the final installment</a> deals with fallacies associated with race.</p> 20157@http://www.iwf.org Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:50:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) The Right Balance: Duke Lacrosse Team Lawsuit http://www.iwf.org/iwfmedia/show/20145.html <p>Allison Kasic joins Accent Radio's <em>The Right Balance </em>to discuss the Duke Lacrosse team's lawsuit and Title IX.&nbsp;</p> 20145@http://www.iwf.org Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:59:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) The New Duke Lawsuit http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20143.html <p>If you're interested in the new Duke lacrosse lawsuit that I reported on <a href="http://iwf.org/inkwell/show/20140.html">last week</a>, you should check out <a href="http://www.dukelawsuit.com/">this website</a> dedicated to the case.&nbsp; Among other things, the website has <a href="http://www.bork.com/downloads/02-21-08-Complaint.pdf">the text</a> of the complaint and <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2226598224217373391">a video</a> of the news conference where the&nbsp;complaint was announced.</p> <p>Duke's response to the lawsuit is available <a href="http://news.duke.edu/2008/02/lacrosse_statement.html">here.</a></p> 20143@http://www.iwf.org Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:46:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Waging Blame http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20142.html <p>Over at the IWF campus corner, Elise Viebeck has a fabulous new report on campus living wage campaigns.&nbsp; Here's the executive summary:</p> <blockquote> <p>Living wage movements are gaining momentum on college campuses across the country. As one component of a larger social justice agenda, campus living wage measures represent student efforts to promote egalitarianism and acknowledge the basic dignity of campus employees. Students argue that the work of housekeepers, gardeners, and security staff, for example, often goes unnoticed and unappreciated, and therefore advocate raising minimum compensation so that any full-time worker earns enough to afford a "living." Students believe that college endowments are large enough to withstand the extra expense of increased employment costs, especially since doing so will strengthen the sense of community on campus.</p> <p>Student activists, however, ignore the broader implications of living wage measures, which mimic those of federal and state minimum wage laws. Acting like a tax on employment, a living wage mandate results in layoffs and displacement. As jobs disappear, the competition for each available position intensifies and low-skilled workers find it even more difficult to find employment. Disadvantaged communities suffer most from the resulting stagnancy; underemployment among young black males, for example, is often attributed to the job destruction caused by the widespread establishment of minimum wages.</p> <p>Books like Barbara Ehrenreich's <em>Nickel and Dimed</em>--now required reading at several leading universities--bolster the popularity of living wage activism. The unity between curriculum and campus activism is potent and appealing, but results in one-sided discourse on these issues. To ensure prudent decision making on campus, students must carefully examine the consequences of living wage mandates.</p> </blockquote> <p>Read the report <a href="/publications/show/20141.html">here.</a></p> 20142@http://www.iwf.org Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:42:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) Position Paper No. 607: Waging Blame http://www.iwf.org/publications/show/20141.html <p><strong>Download the report below.<br /><br />Executive Summary</strong></p> <p>Living wage movements are gaining momentum on college campuses across the country. As one component of a larger social justice agenda, campus living wage measures represent student efforts to promote egalitarianism and acknowledge the basic dignity of campus employees. Students argue that the work of housekeepers, gardeners, and security staff, for example, often goes unnoticed and unappreciated, and therefore advocate raising minimum compensation so that any full-time worker earns enough to afford a "living." Students believe that college endowments are large enough to withstand the extra expense of increased <br />employment costs, especially since doing so will strengthen the sense of <br />community on campus.</p> <p>Student activists, however, ignore the broader implications of living wage <br />measures, which mimic those of federal and state minimum wage laws. Acting like a tax on employment, a living wage mandate results in layoffs and displacement. As jobs disappear, the competition for each available position intensifies and low-skilled workers find it even more difficult to find employment. Disadvantaged communities suffer most from the resulting stagnancy; underemployment among young black males, for example, is often attributed to the job destruction caused by the widespread establishment of minimum wages.</p> <p>Books like Barbara Ehrenreich's <em>Nickel and Dimed</em>-now required reading at several leading universities-bolster the popularity of living wage activism. The unity between curriculum and campus activism is potent and appealing, but results in one-sided discourse on these issues. To ensure prudent decision making on campus, students must carefully examine the consequences of living wage mandates.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> 20141@http://www.iwf.org Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:16:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Elise Viebeck) The Duke Drama Continues http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/20140.html <p>Here is the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&amp;sid=aQwLRxivyG9M">latest news</a> regarding the Duke lacrosse case:</p> <blockquote> <p>Duke University will be sued by 38 members of the 2006 men's lacrosse team who claim they suffered emotional distress when school officials failed to support them during a rape investigation, a spokesman for the players said.</p> <p>The lawsuit, to be filed today in U.S. District Court in North Carolina, also will name Duke President Richard Brodhead, Duke's medical center, and the city of Durham, North Carolina, according to a statement posted on a Web site run by players' spokesman Bob Bork. University officials remained silent during the rape probe, even though they had evidence that the players were innocent, according to the statement.</p> </blockquote> <p>A news release from the players is available <a href="http://www.bork.com//downloads/Duke%20Lawsuit%20news%20release.pdf">here.</a></p> <p>A case summary is available <a href="http://www.bork.com/downloads/Case%20Summary%202.21.2008.pdf">here.</a></p> 20140@http://www.iwf.org Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:38:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) A Guide to Financial Independence http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/19947.html <p>In <a href="http://www.iwf.org/In the latest IWF publication, former junior fellow Ali Maranuk provides a wealth of information for young women who want to be financially independent.">the latest&nbsp;IWF publication</a>, former junior fellow Ali Maranuk provides a wealth of information for young women&nbsp;who want to be financially independent.&nbsp; Ali offers practical advice on everything from credit ratings to salary negotiations.&nbsp; Here's&nbsp;a description of the guide from the executive summary:&nbsp;</p><blockquote><p>This paper aims to educate young women about how small decisions made at young ages can affect their financial freedom for decades to come.&nbsp; Women are outnumbering men in universities and participating in increasing numbers in the work force, but a strong understanding of financial matters is also important for long-term financial stability.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>The first section of this paper discusses what a FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation) score, or your credit rating, is, how it is determined, why it is important, and how to improve or keep a great FICO score.&nbsp; The second section covers compensation, outlining six easy steps for successfully negotiating a first job offer, and describing why this process is so important. Moving beyond salary negotiations, the paper will also discuss how other decisions women make, such as job selection and periods of leave, affect their pay throughout their careers.&nbsp; The third section speaks to the importance of saving for retirement at a young age and suggests ways in which young women can start preparing for their retirements now.</p></blockquote><p>Read the whole report <a href="http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/19944.html">here.</a></p> 19947@http://www.iwf.org Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:14:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic) One Week Left To Enter IWF's Essay Contest http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/19889.html We're entering the home stretch for IWF's college essay contest.&nbsp; Entries must be postmarked by December 1st.&nbsp; Get all the details <a href="http://www.iwf.org/campus/show/19602.html">here.</a> 19889@http://www.iwf.org Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:43:00 ESTinfo@iwf.org (Allison Kasic)