Women’s Center to tap students’ ideas By Lisa Millegan Emerald Reporter When asked In describe what (hey want to accomplish this year, most student loaders at the University’s Women's Chat ter were not able to produce .1 detailed plan It's not that they haven't had time or that they don’t have ideas, they just don't want one. What they do want is plenty of student input. "It's a dynamic process," said Andrea Coukos, co-direc tor of the center's Women In Transition program. "We don't have an agenda that's cut in stone.” The leaders' worst fear is to give the impression that the center only serves a specific: group. They want to get the greatest number of people in volved, including community members And, contrary to popular opinion, they welcome men to help work on am pro gram. "If anybody came to the cen ter with energy, we'd find some way to use that," C.oukos said "Part of what a women's organ ization is about is to put wom en in leadership positions but that does not mean we don't welcome all members of society." Coukos' group, one of four independent organizations housed .it the center, focuses on serving the needs of nun-tradi tional students. Holly Slognor, co-director of WIT, said the or ganiz.etion is for any student who feels her experience is dif ferent than that of most stu dents on campus Users of the program in the past have in cluded women older than 2f>, single parents and disabled slu dents. The program receives .S.t.4l)2 Irom the Incidental Fee Com mittee. SI.blit) ol which goes to ward the co-directors' stipends Students shouldn't worry that the two are overpaid, Coukos said. "We re doing really profes sional-level work fur peanuts, in addition to some of us being full-time students,” she said The program spends SfiOO on special services such as child care, speakers, films and con ference dues, with the remain der of the money spent on ad ministrative costs such us tele phone and postage Stegner said 200 students and community members por term participated in support groups offered by the program last year. Mudo up of 4-10 women each, the groups deull with such topics us self-esteem, sexual identity and child cure. She said niiinv of (he groups will continue this year and now ones will bo nddod depending on student interest Womon In Transition also sponsors guest speakers and workshops from time to time on 1s s U e s p f interest to nnntruditional students How ever, in the recent past, more students have been using pro gram workers as sources of ad vice. "We do lots of on the spot crisis counseling." Slegnor said "On a slow night we get 11 bout eight calls Workers at Women's Ri source and Referral, another program housed in the Worn en's ('enter, avoid providing di rert counseling over the phone Instead, they trv to steer wom en toward the organization that can most effectively help them "Were here so women can come in if they’re having prob loins," said l.isa Albrich, co-di rector of the program "(Worn en’s Resoun e and Referral) is there to he of assistance to women and help them help themselves." We do a lot of on the-spot crisis counseling. On a slow night, we get about eight calls/ Holly Stegner, WIT co-director Albrich said she encourages non-student women to also use the services sirue the program works with community re sources Perhaps the best known ser vo e Women's Resource and Referral offers is its constantly updated lending library of mag azines, hooks and pamphlets dealing with issues such as birth control, abortion and sex ual harassment "When the program first started, the shell was this big." said Albrich as she motioned with her hand at waist-level "Now it's at least four book shelves, about six feet high ” Funded by the IFC, S2,ts»t> of the program's $-1,8-15 budget goes to stipends for co-directors and workstudy students. Ad ministrative costs eats up SI,109, and SH50 is set aside for speakers, films and confer ences. The program hopes to raise more money by doing sev er a I fundraising events throughout the year. Turn to WOMEN. Page 23 Shcmj* Glenwood Furniture BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIALS On Quality New & Used Furniture "Visit SHERRY'S BARGAIN ATTIC” Free Local Delivery 4245 Franklin Blvd., Eugene • 747-6023 sfittrM5 Bargain Hut /,, BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIALS On Used Furniture & Household Goods Bikes, TV's and More • . c>- a: De very • Layawavs_mmmm 148 E. 14tFi. Springtield • 741-2447 W10 | I Mr micro! paid ii> you i'm yriui low inumhls balance ino minimum !*• cjrn intc.ioti 1 No service lev it sou maintain .1 S'UO ha I aik e N ou pa\ onl\ S V it your balance drops Iviou 1 unlimited v h*\ k' * (Kerdiall I’rntoUiim ‘ a uh mpi I . 11 III X Kcrr\ M 687-2347 4 Her \mcricjn !:vpto\s I r.ndci •. chocks. -4 hr .kYo\s In votir .in imm through the I u hjngc .iikl Ciimi net works 6. I Rt I cheeks"*nh illll'i I llc|*'\ll 111 S (HIr l Hi ( ) p.udlCi k 2K4II \\ illaini'Ili St. 4