Advisory Group on the Status of Women set to meet Feb. 20

The upcoming meeting will consist of plans for International Women’s Day March 8 and will discuss increased safety concerns on campus

The meeting will take place Feb. 20 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Posters for the event are placed on campus, including the Argyros Forum stairwell. MIA FORUNATO Photo Editor

The Advisory Group on the Status of Women meeting, hosted by the Chapman Diversity Project, will be held Feb. 20 and will welcome students, staff, faculty and alumni for dialogue focused around recommendations for diversity and inclusion at Chapman.

In previous years, the Advisory Group on the Status of Women has advocated for free menstruation products in women’s bathrooms and non-gender-identified restrooms on campus. They have also advocated for small refrigerators available for faculty and staff lactating after returning from parental leave. The upcoming meeting will discuss plans for International Women’s Day during the first week of March, according to Naveena Chonkaria, a student co-chair for the advisory group.

The week will consist of a female leadership panel and a resource fair, planned with the Chapman Career and Professional Development office.

The meeting will also be reflecting on the concern for women’s safety on campus in light of recent Public Safety announcements, including the three crime alerts about lewd conduct and indecent exposure. The Chapman Diversity Project was founded in 2014 after indicators in the campus climate surveys from faculty and staff suggested the need to strengthen the campus climate. The group currently has two student co-chairs, Naveena Chonkaria and Marisa Quezada, and one staff co-chair Leanna Izen.

Born and raised in Orange, Erin Pullin, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, was eager to do work related to diversity in the community she grew up within.

“Moments where I hear from faculty who let me know that they had no idea about some of the struggles students face, and similarly, moments from students, who share that they had no idea some of the struggles facing staff or faculty members are some of the most rewarding exchanges to listen to,” Pullin said.

The Advisory Group on the Status of Women is inclusive in its definition of women, Pullin said. The group is supportive of all people who identify as a woman and understand there is a wide range of identities and intersexuality.

This semester, the Advisory Group on the Status of Women will meet once a month and encourages members of the Chapman community to get involved.

Chonkaria, a junior strategic and corporate communication major, has met women, both faculty and students, that have widened her perspectives and inspired her to empower those around her.

“We want to connect women and underrepresented people with each other and create a network of support and advocacy,” Chonkaria said. “We want to empower those who aren’t feeling empowered. We are just getting started.”