Almost every student at Fairfield has had the opportunity to get a little drunk at Fairfield. Not every student has had the opportunity to get a little drunk with the coordinating committee of the women’s studies program, which is what I did on Monday night.
The 13 of us, 11 professors, one graduate assistant and one work study student (myself) trooped into Tengda Asian Bistro to celebrate the year’s completion, welcome the new members of the committee and wish farewell to those who would be leaving. Our discussion topics ranged from post-modern feminist thought to menopause, so we were not lacking in conversation.
Like a true lightweight, I was buzzed after my first margarita. I probably would have been fine if Gita Rajan hadn’t insisted on me ordering wine after my margarita was gone. My only experience with the committee before this was when they were in conference in the Canisius 107 office. Professionalism and efficacy were the words I would have chosen to describe the committee. Now I want to add celebratory and choosers of good drinks.
There was an article in The Mirror earlier this year about how the diversity of the faculty at Fairfield is even worse than the diversity of the students, but you wouldn’t be able to tell at a dinner with this committee. Within women’s studies the diversity is obvious. Some of the few African Americans, Asians, Indians and Hispanics we have on campus are connected to women’s studies and the courses they teach reflect that diversity.
Women’s studies offers courses in biology, business, religious studies, philosophy, sociology, English and history. As an interdisciplinary minor, this is to be expected, but the importance of the interdisciplinary programs is not appreciated enough. As a Jesuit university we value a well-rounded education. The world is even more pluralistic and diverse now, which is exactly why a women’s studies program is important to a competitive school.
The late Fr. Reddy told me that a liberal arts education was about looking at the world from different points of view. Women’s studies does this. It challenges all of our preconceived notions simply by saying this is not how women experience the world. These perspectives challenge the system and make students change or strengthen their own positions. This is what a college education should be about.
At the dinner on Monday I was encouraged by a few of the professors to eat the peas that the restaurant gave as appetizers because they were good for me. I was also encouraged, again by Gita Rajan, to get a dessert with rum sauce because it was too soon for me to come down from my high. There are now slightly more than 30 students with women’s studies minors who can experience the quirky wonder that is the women’s studies department. There should be many more.
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