Shout Out to the Commission for Women at Penn State Harrisburg

Penn State University established the Commission for Women in 1981 to serve as an advisory group to the President of the University on the status of women at Penn State, to advocate for women’s concerns, and to recommend solutions. Membership represents all employment categories within the university as well as undergraduate and graduate students to ensure membership diversity.

The commission has eight committees: Executive, Assessment, Education, Membership, Campus Liaison, Marketing, Mentoring Program, and Issues Committee. Some of the issues include, but aren’t limited to

• Workplace and classroom climate
• Recruitment, advancement, retention
• Professional development and recognition
• Mentoring
• Maternity and child/elderly care policies
• Salary equity
• Personal safety and sexual assault awareness
• Intercollegiate athletics

The Commission for Women also organizes or sponsors events that advocate for women, sponsors awards for women who help advance its mission, and offers some scholarship opportunities for students.

The Penn State Harrisburg Commission for Women is very active in the college community. It is involved in just about every woman-related activity on campus (like Walk a Mile in Her Shoes and International Women’s Day), and many of the women discussed in these blog post are or were members.