MEMO

To:

Dr. Martin Schimpf

From:

Sarah Rosin

Subject:

Proposal of Gender Studies Requirement

Date:

January 29, 2015

PURPOSE

The purpose of this memo is to request authorization and funding to research the need for a
mandated gender studies requirement for all Boise State University Students.

SUMMARY

With increased awareness of LGBT rights and gender inequality, it is critical that university students
are graduating with education about sexual assault prevention, gender, tolerance, and sensitivity.
Currently the American Civil Liberties Union estimates that 95% of campus rapes go unreported
(Ito, 2010). Andrew Longi, student at Dartmouth College, editor-in-chief of the Dartmouth Law
Journal, and writer for The Guardian, writes, We passively assume that respect happens. If care
were explicitly questioned on campus, then students would engage in discussing these issues
consistently and with respect. We would understand criticism as an act of caring and a form of
investment, rather than separation (Longhi, 2013). Boise State University must face the issues of
sexual assault and intolerance head on by investing in and creating a mandated gender studies
program. Such a program would focus on sexual assault prevention, acceptance of minorities,
encouraging tolerance and sensitivity on campus and in the workforce, as well as shedding light on
current gender issues such as Internet hate speech, domestic violence, and policy.

DESCRIPTION OF OPPORTUNITY
The university setting is descending into a violent and unsafe arena. With increased risk factors for
sexual violence prevalent on university campuses (Gohm, 2006), a major social crisis is left to the
authority of university administrators. In 2012, there were 3,900 reported incidents of forcible sexual
assault on college campuses, an increase of 50% over three years. (Anderson, 2014).
Though the media widely reports sexual assault as a womens issue primarily, the breadth of assault
spans much wider and the terminology surrounding sexual assault often times fails to incorporate
harassment against sexual minorities. Sexual minorities are victimized at a far higher rate than the
majority on campuses (Sanlo, 2004). Andrew S. Hayes writes in the article, Homophobia Within
Schools: Challenging the Culturally Sanctioned Dismissal of Gay Students and Colleagues,: We
conclude that while the weight of American culture sanctions homophobia, training educators and
personnel about the nuances of institutional homophobia may provide a fairer environment for gay

students and colleagues (Hayes, 1998). Scholars widely agree that the first step to inclusion and
prevention of violence and hate is education at all levels of the university.
For transgendered students across campuses, recognition has been slow to progress. Literature on
the transgendered college experience is lacking, and college campuses lag on acceptance and
information about the transgendered population (Beyman, 2003).
Statements concerning acceptance and tolerance are virtually absent in the Boise State Universitys
mission statement and in the subsequent Shared Values clause. President Obama recently used
the words lesbian, bisexual, and transgender in his 2015 State of the Union Address, referring
to Americas condemnation of the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are
gay, lesbian, bisexual, of transgender. The culture surrounding sex and gender identity is becoming
inclusive at a national level within politics and workforces alike. This poses an immediate need for
gender education on all campuses across the country.
Understandably, a university would reflect the culture of the state it resides in. However, with 22%
enrollment from out of state students (Boise State University, 2014), Boise State University must
evaluate the gender education, and encompassing subject education, offered to its students. All
Boise State University Students, including students of senior standing, transfer students, and nontraditional students, should be required to accrue a minimum of one credit of gender studies
course(s) and material prior to graduation, or the university at a whole may face a future in which it
fails in graduating well-rounded and sensitive students to an increasingly more progressive
workforce.
The solution will not be easy, but the need is apparent. The best place to start, as with many
problems, is education.

PROPOSED TASKS

Contingent on approval, I would complete the following tasks to implement a mandated gender
studies requirement on campus.
Task 1.

Research the effectiveness and value of mandated gender studies

requirements by investigating similar programs implemented at other
universities.
According to CultureofRespect.org, creators of the No Means No
campaign and the CORE Blueprint, a guide to ending sexual assault on
campuses, one of the most important aspects of a program is education at all
levels of a university (CORE Blueprint, 2014). The first step to complete my
proposal will be to research, using sources like CultureofRespect.org and
academic journal, the effectiveness of gender education in preventing sexual
assault and intolerance towards sexual minorities. I will contact comparable
schools and investigate the presence of required gender studies education
and the effectiveness of said programs. As of 2009, only one university had
implemented required attendance to a sexual assault education events

Proposal of Gender Studies Requirement 2

(Breitenbecher, 2009). Knowing that many colleges offer the information, but
very few require attendance to the presentations reveals information about
the effective strategies on college campuses.

Task 2.

Gather faculty and administrative input at Boise State University.

In order to create an effective proposal, I would take time to meet with
current professors and administrators of Boise State University. I would
record qualitative and anecdotal research concerning the need, the desired
approach, and the process of creating a mandated gender studies
requirement. I would begin my research by speaking to the current gender
studies department to find out what kind of programs and education is in
place currently, and how this could transition into a credit requirement for
undergraduate students. The first recommended step in the document
Shifting the Paradigm: Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence, a
publication of the American College Health Association, is:
Organizing a meeting of key leaders to discuss how to disseminate (See Key
Partnerships in Sexual Violence Prevention and Spread the Word) and utilize
the toolkit for your campus community. Be sure to include representatives from
the president/chancellor's office, faculty, health center, counseling center, health
promotion, womens center/studies, Panhellenic/Interfraternity Councils,
athletics, dean of students, student affairs, peer educators, and other interested
parties.

Administration and faculty involvement will be paramount to stressing the

importance of requiring gender studies education across campus (American
College Health Association, 2008).

Task 3.

Research effectiveness of tentative course requirements and university

learning objectives.
After completing preliminary research, I would begin to draft a course
description including requirements and university learning objectives that
would be met through the mandated requirement. While there have been
few quantifying studies of the effectiveness of these kind of programs, there
are studies that have found the best methods of sexual assault prevention
(Donohue, 1999).

Task 4.

Research the cost of proposed mandated gender studies requirements,

and additional funding available for such programs.
I would gather research and information concerning the cost of a mandated
gender studies requirement. I would also research secondary funding
sources such as grants that would apply to this proposal.

Proposal of Gender Studies Requirement 3

Task 5.

Draft and submit a proposal of university learn objectives, course

requirements, and recommended changes and implementations.
Finally, I would prepare a cohesive proposal outlining the anticipated
effectiveness of a mandated gender studies requirement, the logistics of
creating the program, the budget necessary to implement the program, and a
course description of the 1 credit requirement.

Below I have included a detailed outline of the amount of time each task will require (Figure 4.1).
The entire project will require five weeks; four weeks of research and one week to complete the final
draft of the proposal. I will begin by researching the effectiveness of other programs and contacting
other universities to inquire about their current educational model for gender studies and assault
prevention measures. From there I will transition into investigating faculty and administration
opinions and budget/funding information. This research will culminate into the final proposal that
would create a gender studies requirement.

Figure 4.1

QUALIFICATIONS

As a formers womens studies minor student, and the recipient of the Idaho State University
womens studies scholarship in 2011, I feel that the education I received concerning gender
constructs, patriarchal presence, post traumatic stress disorder, and sexual assault lead me to a place
of understanding. I feel compelled to prevent hate and violence against women and sexual
minorities. Universities should be a safe space for all persons to explore and progress in academia;
no person should feel alienated, scared, or threatened.
University studies have prepared and qualified me to complete this project through intensive
research practice and skills, time management, and technical writing. I have previous experience in
managing projects in a non-university setting from my position working as an Internet marketing
manager. I can provide a list of references upon request.

Proposal of Gender Studies Requirement 4

BUDGET
The following is the tentative budget requirement for funding in order to complete the five
proposed tasks to research and develop the need for and the method to create a mandated gender
studies requirement. I expect to spend approximately six hours on each research task totaling 24
hours of research. The final proposal, from start to finish, should require 10 hours of work, bringing
the total hours of compensated time to 34 hours.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average wage for general and operations managers,
the encompassing title for project managers and researchers, is $22.21 (U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics , 2014). However, to account for lack of experience and lack of a completed undergraduate
degree, the hourly rate will be adjusted. Figure 5.1 details the total funding required to complete the
project.

Figure 5.1

REFERENCES
American College Health Association. (2008). Shifting the Paradigm: Primary Prevention of
Sexual Violence. Linthicum, Maryland, United States of America: ACHA.
Anderson, N. (2014, July 1). Sex offense statistics show U.S. college reports are rising. The
Washinton Post .
Badi G. Foster, G. J. (1988). Workforce Diversity and Buisiness (Vol. 42). Training &
Development Journal.
Beyman, B. (2003). Serving the Needs of Transgendered College Students. Journal of Gay
and Lesbian Issues in College Education , 1 (1).
Boise State University. (2014, June 30). Facts and Figures. Retrieved February 1, 2015, from
Boise State University: http://news.boisestate.edu/wp-
content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/12/ffweb2015.pdf
Breitenbecher, K. H. (2009). Sexual assault on college campuses: Is an ounce of prevention
enough? (Vol. 9). Newark, New Jersey, United States of America: Applied & Preventitive
Psychology.
Brummett, M. C. (1993). Liberal and Radical Sources of Female Empowerment in Sport
Media. (Vol. 10). Milwaukee , Wisconsin, United States of America: Sociology of Sport
Journal.
CORE Blueprint. (2014, January 1). Culture of Respect. Retrieved February 1, 2015, from
Culture of Respect: https://cultureofrespect.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/CORE-
Blueprint.pdf
Donohue, E. A. (1999). Sexual assault prevention programs: Current issues, future directions,
and the potential efficacy of interventions with women (Vol. 19). Reno, Nevada, United States
of America: Clinical Psychology Review.

Proposal of Gender Studies Requirement 5

Foerty, B. K. (2007). Narratives about violence: The words of college students (Vol. 44).
Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America: The Social Science Journal.
Gohm, A. M. (2006). An Examination of Sexual Violence Against College Women (Vol. 12).
Oxford, Misssissippi, United States of America: Sage Publications.
Hayes, A. S. (1998). Homophobia Within Schools (Vol. 35). San Fransisco , California, United
States of America: Journal of Homosexuality.
Huang, W.-H. D. (2012). Gender divide and acceptance of collaborative Web 2.0 applications
for learning in higher education (Vol. 7). Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States of
America: The Internet and Higher Education.
Ito, S. (2010, Februray 25). New Report Shows 95% of Campus Rapes Go Unreported. (ACLU,
Producer) Retrieved February 1, 2015, from American Civil Liberties Union:
https://www.aclu.org/blog/womens-rights/new-report-shows-95-campus-rapes-go-
unreported
Longhi, A. (2013, May 2013). Take a hard look at racism, sexism and homophobia on college
campuses. (T. Gaurdian, Producer) Retrieved February 1, 2015, from The Gaurdian :
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/21/dartmouth-college-real-talk-
racism
Payne, B. K. (2008). Challenges responding to sexual violence: Differences between college
campuses and communities (Vol. 36). Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America: Journal of
Criminal Justice.
Sanlo, R. (2004). Lesbian, gay and bisexual college students: risk, resilience, and retention.
Berkley , California, United States of America: Baywood Publishing Co.
Torres, V. (Ed.). (2009). Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America: Journal of
College Student Development.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . (2014, April 1). Occupational Employment Statistics.
Retrieved February 1, 1, from Bureau of Labor Statistis:
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes111021.htm

Proposal of Gender Studies Requirement 6