Women's Studies director divides time between responsibities

When she was named director of the Women's Studies Program last fall, Rose Kadende-Kaiser found herself in an office with no one to show her the ropes.

"The student director of the Women's Resource Center graduated last summer and had left a few months earlier," explained Kadende-Kaiser. "Usually, when you're coming into a new office, there is a system in place. But, since I did not know what the system was like, I had to create my own-a challenge that I decided to take positively."

Kadende-Kaiser currently divides her time between the administrative responsibilities of the Women's Studies Program and the Women's Resource Center in Rice Hall, and teaching classes in the Department of Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work.

Kadende-Kaiser

A native of Burundi in East Central Africa, Kadende-Kaiser was interested in a degree and career in women's studies since she was in college there. She received a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Burundi and then won a fellowship award from the American Association of University Women to pursue graduate work. She received her master's degree in folklore; her doctoral major also was in folklore with a doctoral minor in women's studies from Indiana University in Bloomington.

Since she's been at MSU, Kadende-Kaiser has tried to work with the Women's Studies Committee to educate people about the program by sponsoring lectures on gender issues and teaching relevant courses. These courses include the new trend in research and teaching that advocates gender studies.

"The trend in teaching is to focus on both genders and not just women," she said. "This probably will require a lot of training and openness for both genders because while some might think that women's issues and concerns have nothing to do with the other gender, in reality they involve everyone, women as well as men."

Kadende-Kaiser has proposed a new course for this fall-"Introduction to Gender Studies"-that would be offered through anthropology, sociology and social work.

She also is trying to develop the Women's Resource Center, located in the basement of Rice Hall. She said she hopes to expand the center's small collection of books and films on women's issues, as well as to encourage faculty, staff and students to take advantage of what the facility has to offer.

"The center is primarily used for lecture presentations and for other group meetings," Kadende-Kaiser said. "The President's Commission on the Status of Women sometimes meets there and the Women's Studies Committee regularly meets in the center."

She said other groups, particularly those interested in gender issues, are encouraged to meet and sponsor activities at the center. Weekday hours are noon-5 p.m.

Kadende-Kaiser expressed appreciation for the help she's received since arriving on campus.

"I view the program as a grassroots operation and the women's studies faculty and committee members have done so much to show me that I am not alone," Kadende-Kaiser explained.

"Credit also is due to Dr. Frank Saal, dean of Arts and Sciences, who is supportive of the program in so many ways, and Dr. Martin Levin, head of the Department of Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work, who has allowed me to teach relevant women's studies courses through his department."

For more information on the program, visit the center during office hours, e-mail Kadende-Kaiser at <kadende@ra.msstate.edu> or telephone her at 325-1466.