Commission for Women

A Voice, A Vision, A Common Ground

The Commission For Women is charged with assessing the status of women faculty, staff, and students at all Penn State campuses and addressing issues identified with recommendations for improving the conditions for Penn State women. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month. The Penn State Great Valley CFW has selected the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County as its adopted community service organization for 2011-2012.

Mission

Penn State University is committed to equal opportunity for all members of the community. The Commission for Women (CFW) initiates, supports, and endorses activities and programs that will benefit all women at the University.

Penn State Great Valley CFW is a Liaison Committee having a formal relationship to the University’s CFW but also its own individual agenda. The goals may vary but fit largely into four categories:

1. Support and disseminate the work of the CFW.
2. Identify and advocate women’s issues within the work unit.
3. Develop and implement educational programs on women’s issues for the work unit and larger committee.
4. Act as a resource and a referral/information source for individual women within the work unit in problems related to women’s issues and well being.

By-Laws

Click here to view the By-Laws.

Current Membership

2011 - 2012 CFW Committee Members

Officers
Co-Chairs - Sue Kershner and Carole Brush
Vice-Chair - open
Treasurer - Sue Kershner
Secretary - Sue Kershner

Current Members
Carole Brush
Jan Dreachslin
Dolores Fidishun
Michelle Gillan
Sandy Griffin
Sue Kershner
Cathy O’Neill
Carol Riley
Sagnika Sen

Annual Outstanding Women Recognition Award

Based on nominations, the Penn State Great Valley CFW selects one faculty and one staff member who serve as role models by providing a positive example of professionalism in the workplace and who inspires others to challenge themselves. Each nomination may consist of one faculty and/or one staff member.

The following criteria are considered when making nominations:

Must be a woman
Must have served a minimum of three years at Penn State Great Valley (can be full time or part time)
Does her best to work toward the good of Penn State Great Valley and the University
Displays vision, tolerance, and a passion for advocating women’s issues a Penn State Great Valley

Nominations are accepted early spring

Previous Winners:

2011: Sue Kershner
2010: Carole Brush
2009: Amanda Neill - Andrea Hornett
2008: Carole Brush
2007: Denise Potosky
2006: Sue Kershner
2005: Denise Balawejder - Jan Dreachslin
2004: Delores Wiant - Delores Fidishun
2003: Catherine Datte-Smythe - Barrie Litzky
2002: Carla Holway - Mary Catherine Scheeler
2001: Dorothy D. Ray - Maureen P. Bezold
2000: Elayna McReynolds - Veronica Godshalk

Current Events

Month	Program	Date
October	Pennsylvania Women's Conference-Philadelphia	10/25/2011
October	Collection for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County at the PSGV Annual Halloween party	10/27/2011
November	Life Choices: Dr. Mary Catherine Scheeler, Trish Shea, Lisa Yerges	11/15/2011
December	Holiday Collection for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County	12/14 - 12/21/2011
January	France Travelogue, Dr. Denise Potosky	1/18/2012
January	Trading Spaces, Maria Zuccato	1/31/2012
February	Valentine’s Day Collection for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County	2/1 - 2/11/2012
February	Cardiovascular Disease and Women, joint program with CCC – Luncheon	2/9/2012
March	Women’s History Month – Speaker TBD	TBD
April	Holiday Collection for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County	4/11 – 4/21/2012
April	CFW Awards Luncheon at University Park	TBD