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MinCo was formed in response to a call for a more unified voice against prejudice and discrimination. It serves as a mechanism for joint minority organizational, social, academic and political spheres at Williams College. It also serves as a facilitator of cooperation and communication among its member organizations: AASiA, QSU, WBSU, CASO, WFA, WIC, WCJA, KOW, MSU, NASaW, SASA, SoCA, SoMH, ATP, and VISTA. Open meetings are held Tuesdays at 7 PM in the MCC classroom
AASIA
As the umbrella organization for Asian student groups at Williams College, AASiA is committed to promoting awareness of Asian-American culture, based on our belief that the various interests of the different Asian-American organizations on campus are often interrelated. AASiA also represents these groups in large joint events with other organizations on campus. Through social activities, intellectual discussion, and political activism, AASiA strives to provide a forum for community-building and cross-cultural exchange. inviting speakers and performers to campus, arranging for registration and transportation to Asian-American student conferences, holding regular meetings and social events, and organizing the events for Asian Awareness Month every April are just some of the ways in which AASiA strives to realize its goals. AASiA continues to welcome all students with an interest in Asian culture and issues related to Asian-American identity. List Server: aasia-l@wso.williams.edu
Office: Jenness House, 2nd Floor, x.3357 and Meetings: (E-board) Sundays 2:00 p.m., AASiA Office, Jenness House
Lead Officers: Lillian Chang (05lc), SU 2677 and Eric Hsu (05ech), SU 2806, and Finance Officer: TBAATP
The Asian Theater Project (ATP) is a student acting troupe that aims to entertain and educate the Williams community about Asian and Asian-American issues through the dramatic arts. To this end, ATP annually produces 1/2 full- length productions of diverse plays ranging from comedy to drama to poetry. We also produce original works by student playwrights. ATP welcomes all aspiring actors, directors, producers, and stage technicians to participate regardless of experience. For more information, contact co-chairs Jean Shin (06jhs) and Nikhar Gaikwad (06ng).
Chinese American Students Organization
CASO is a student group at Williams that provides a social space for people interested in Chinese and Chinese- American culture and serves as a forum for issues that affect our community. We have weekly dinner meetings and organize a variety of different events over the year. Our two big annual events are the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (Sept./Oct.) and the Chinese New Year Dinner (Feb.). For more technical information, please consult our website. List Server: caso@williams.edu
Office: Jenness House, 2nd Floor, x.3357 and Meetings: Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m., Greylock Wilson Room
Lead Officers: Andrew Lee (06all), SU 2361 and Tiffany Chao (06twc), SU 2170, and
Finance Officer: Jennifer Huong (06jsh_2), SU 2309
Feminist AllianceThe Williams Feminist Alliance is a group of women and men dedicated to addressing issues of inequality and discrimination while working for the recognition and celebration of women on our campus and beyond. Our primary focus is on combatting sexism and promoting women's issues, but we believe that feminist issues go hand-in-hand with issues of race, class, religion, and sexual orientation, and we work with other groups on campus to address those connections. Since every individual has her or his reasons for being part of the feminist movement, individuals may have views that differ from the ideology of the group; nevertheless, our common belief in feminism and humanity brings us together. We hold weekly meetings that are usually focused around discussion of an issue or planning for an event. In addition to sponsoring periodic speakers, discussions, performances, and activist projects, the Feminist Alliance organizes Williams' celebration of Women's Pride Week in the fall and Women's History month in March. For more information, contact Julia Brown (05jkb).
International Club
The Williams College International Club is an organization open to the whole Williams community, but consists mainly of international students. The club is concerned with the support and enhancement of the international community at Williams College, and also seeks to create a shared understanding amongst international and American students. The club provides a peer-network for international students as well as any social support necessary, hosts weekly dinners, organizes an all-campus International Week, and helps to run the orientation for the incoming international first year students. List Server: international-l@wso.williams.edu
Office: Hardy House, 3rd Floor and Meetings: Wednesday dinners (5:30 p.m.) in Dodd
Lead Officers: Ines Major (06im), SU 2389 and Phyo Phyu Noe (06ppn), SU 2443, and
Finance Officer: Vojislav Sesum (06vss), SU 2538Koreans of Williams (KOW)
Koreans of Williams (KOW) is an organization dedicated to the expression and sharing of Korean heritage and culture on the Williams College campus. KOW's main objectives are to plan social, academic, and political events which are open to the entire campus. KOW in now way is exclusive to any group....we welcome members regardless of race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
List Server: kow@wso.williams.edu
Office: Jenness House, 2nd Floor, x.3357 and Meetings: Sundays, 6:00 p.m., Dodd
Lead Officers: Miyun Kim (04mk), SU 1297 and Sulgi Lim (06sl), SU 2370Muslim Students Union
The Muslim Students Union at Williams College was founded with the purpose of bringing together students of Islamic heritage in friendship and brother/sisterhood. To this it holds true today. However, the MSU is not an exclusive organization and welcomes any that wish to partake in social events or holiday celebrations. One of the main goals of the MSU is educating others about Islam and Muslims in an age where, unfortunately, those words have become synonymous with hateful things. The Muslim Students Union promotes peace and understanding among its members and of course in the greater community of Williams College.
Queer Student Union
The QSU is a student-run political, social, and supportive organization devoted to promoting a safe and comfortable environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans people at Williams. We hold weekly meetings where we discuss a variety of issues relating to sexuality, including coming out, campus homophobia, AIDS activism, and gay and lesbian parenting. Meetings are open to students of all sexual preferences. In addition to weekly gatherings, we sponsor National Coming Out Days and Queer Pride Days. We also maintain a library of books and videos in Hardy House. Interested students should contact co-coordinators Julia Brown (05jkb) and Alex Golden (04jag_2).
South Asian Students Association
SASA is the organization for students interested in issues pertaining to South Asia, including India, Pakistan, and other countries of the South Asian diaspora. Its functions are cultural, educational, and social. SASA sponsors events such as traditional North Indian dinners, classical Hindustani vocal music, bharat natyam dance troupes, other artists and performers, and various visiting lectures. This year we hope to continue cultural events for the community while offering inter-group events, such as our weekly dinner meetings, for the simple purpose of getting to know each other. SASA welcomes students of all backgrounds and points of view.
List Server: sasa@wso.williams.edu
Office: Jenness House, 2nd Floor, x.3357 and Meetings: Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m., Driscoll Lounge
Lead Officers: Saroj Bhattarai (05sb), SU 2636 and Terry-Ann Suer (05tks), SU 3047, and
Finance Officer: Hamaad Ravda (05hhr), SU 2783Students of Carribean Ancestry
The Students of Caribbean Ancestry shall serve as a focus at Williams College for all students and other members of the Williams College community interested in Caribbean culture and affairs and will serve as a forum for these people to interact and share their varied cultures. SoCA shall also be active in organizing activities aimed at fostering interaction among the Caribbean community and introducing the Caribbean and its culture to the rest of the Williams College community as well as outside Williams College. SoCA shall engage in identifying, exploring and promoting technologies which will contribute to the progress of the Caribbean region.
List Server: soca@wso.williams.edu
Office: Rice House, 1st Floor and Meetings: Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m., Greylock Classroom C
Lead Officers: Silvero DeSilva (04sad), SU 1124 and Tisha Joseph (04ttj), SU 1481, and
Finance Officer: Marsha Francis (04mtf), SU 1186Students of Mixed Heritage (SOMH)
Students of Mixed Heritage provides a space for students of mixed heritage and those interested in issues of mixed heritage to express their concerns to each other and the Williams community. Students of Mixed Heritage will also provide an educational service about the multiracial experience to Williams students through forums, discussions, workshops, and events.
List Server: somh-l@wso.williams.edu
Meetings: Wednesdays, 8:00 p.m., Goodrich Hall Living Room
Lead Officer: Afton Johnson (05alj), SU 2820 and Finance Officer: Patricia Lenihan (04pal), SU 1317VISTA
VISTA is the Latino organization on campus which exists to create an environment that is both comfortable and conducive to learning. Comprised of students from a broad range of Latino and Latin-American backgrounds, VISTA maintains a non-exclusive environment as we try to meet the needs of students, while developing a sense of unity among members and all Latinos of Williams and of other college communities. VISTA fosters involvement in the social and political arenas both on and outside of the Williams College campus. Each October we sponsor Latina/o Heritage Month. Interested students should contact Manuel Otero '00.
Williams Black Student Union
The Black Student Union serves as an organization, which assists African-American students on this campus in all forms of campus life. We, as an organization, feel that there are certain needs that are not taken care of by the greater college community. Our goal is not to take over the role of the college, but in fact, to help black students realize all of the advantages of attending this school. In addition, while there are good times at school we also recognize the realities of going to college and our hope is to facilitate this process by providing viable support group. Our ongoing process is to introduce the greater Williams College community to the Black Student Union to facilitate coalitions which will improve relations with all students, staff, and faculty. List Server: bsu-l@williams.edu
Office: Rice House, 2nd Floor and Meetings: Sundays, 7:00 p.m., Rice House Living Room
Lead Officers: Estelita Nimoh-Boateng (05emn), SU 2995) and Rene Hamilton (04rah), SU 1627, and
Finance Officer: Michelle Allen (04mca), SU 1035Williams College Jewish Association
The Williams College Jewish Association (WCJA) sponsors religious, cultural and social events throughout the year that are open to Jews of any denomination and the campus generally. Every Friday night we have student-led Shabbat services and a kosher, student-cooked meal in the Jewish Religious Center (JRC). We also offer services for the Jewish high holidays and other festivals, kosher-for-Passover food during that season, a bi-weekly dinner/ discussion group, and other special programs.
List Server: jewonthis@wso.williams.edu
Office: Jewish Religious Center, x.2533 and Meetings: Fridays, 6:00 p.m., Jewish Religious Center
Lead Officers: Tracy Menshel (04tm), SU 1360 and Emily Steinhagen (04efs), SU 1480,
Finance Officer: Sarah Iams (04smi), SU 1269, and Advisor: Sigma Faye Coran (SCoran@williams.edu)
Peer Health is a group of trained students concerned with the health of the Williams community. Peer Health offers confidential education and referrals on issues such as sexuality, stress, alcohol and drug concerns, pregnancy, safe sex practices, STDs, eating disorders, gynecological exams and general physical well-being. At-cost contraceptives and anonymous pregnancy testing are also available. Peer Health has walk-in hours in the basement of Baxter Hall every day from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM during the school year. Everyone is encouraged to stop by with questions.
Queer Peer Counseling is an organization designed to offer a one-on-one, confidential peer resource for Williams students to discuss issues of sexuality, such as coming out to parents, dealing with friends or family members who are queer, and how to find other resources for support. Queer Peers are available by phone 24 hours a day. For a list of the current Queer Peer counselors, see one of the Queer Peer posters.
The Rape and Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at x4100. Anyone who needs to talk about rape, incest, or any other sexual assault is encouraged to call. The Hotline is staffed by trained students who can answer questions about college policies, legal protocol, or general questions about rape and sexual assault. We also provide emotional support to survivors and their friends and lovers. All calls are confidential.
The Multicultural Center (MCC) is a dynamic educational and social resource whose programming provides a form for cross-cultural exchange among the entire Williams community. The MCC oversees seventy-five events annually, including Womens Pride Week, Womens History Month, Queer Pride Days, National Coming Out Day, Asian American Awareness Month, Black History Month, Latino/a Heritage Month, and SPARC community-building workshops. The MCC is located in Jenness House (behind the Science Quad). It also oversees the use of Hardy House, which houses the offices of the BGLTU, the Rape and Sexual Assault Hotline, and other various groups.
Sawyer Library offers a growing number of resources to individuals researching gender issues. The reference collection includes the American Women Writers set, as well as a catalogue of the holdings of the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America (located at Harvard University). As a partial depository for federal documents, Sawyer Library owns a variety of government publications focusing on women's health, women's legal issues, women in the workforce, and other gender-related topics. The Library also subscribes to over thirty feminist and Gender Studies periodicals, including Gender and Society, Frontiers, and Signs. The reference librarians are also available to answer further questions and assist in research on gender issues.
The Williams College Archives and Special Collections (Williamsiana), located on the main floor of Stetson, collects historical material about Williams College. Among this collection is material that documents the implementation of coeducation at Williams and the life of women at the College. The Archives also house a Shaker collection, which provides views of women's lives within this community. Librarians are always on hand to assist with research. The Archives are open Monday through Friday, from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm.
The Chapin Library of Rare Books and Manuscripts, on the second floor of Steton, includes books about women and by women writers of the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries. Issues of gender, sexuality, marriage, children, and education are documented in nearly three hundred unique books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and letters. Chapin Library also owns a collection of historical children's books, as well as the Julia Ward Howe and Lucy Eugenia Osborne papers.
The Office of Career Counseling (OCC), located in the lower level of Stetson, is open Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm and Saturday from 9am to 12pm. The OCC takes an active interest in helping women find employment and internships in their chosen field. Through the popular Extern Shadow Program students may spend a week or two with a Williams graduate working in given areas of interest. Many women have used this program to explore careers in medicine, law, advertising, banking, and other areas. The Alumni Internship Program, open to sophomores and juniors, provides students with opportunities to work in environments where society, government, and business will interface to solve problems. Internships can be chosen which focus on women's issues, as well as gay and lesbian issues. A new internship program sponosred by the Bisexual, Gay, and Lesbian Alumni, has been established to fund projects which work to foster a more supportive environment for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people.
Sexual harassment can have an imact on any member of the college community regardless of sex or sexual orientation. It can occur between two people whether or not they are in a relationship where one has power over the other, or are of different sexes. Victims can be women or men; students or members of faculty or staff; superiors, subordinates, or peers. Sexual harassment may result from a conscious or unconscious action and can be subtle or blatant. It can be verbal or physical and can occur in any setting. The College takes any allegations of sexual harassment seriously and will investigate all charges. Sexual Harassment/Discrimination Advisors are listed in the student Handbook. These individuals can help members of the community decide whether certain conduct is sexual harassment.
The Health Center can answer health concerns of any type, and has a skilled staff of nurses, clinicians, educators and support personnel, all committed to providing care and education to keep you well, and to providing quality treatment should you become ill.
The Dively Committee
Founded in 1993 by Williams alum Micheal Dively, the Dively Committee is a group of students, faculty, and staff dedicated to providing LGBT-oriented programming. Last spring marked the 10th anniversary of the committee, which was celebrated by two weeks of queer movies, speakers, and workshops, culminating in a queer extravaganza. For more information, contact Stephen Collingsworth (Stephen.D.Collingsworth@williams.edu).
The Williams College Bisexual, Gay,
Lesbian, and Transgendered Alumni organization acts as a vital force within
the Society of Alumni and the Williams College communities on behalf of the
College's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered graduates; supports lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgendered students and organizations on campus; and provides
opportunities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered alumnae/i to network
professionally and socially.