Thursday, December 23, 2010

A Step in the Right Direction

Paid leave for childbirth, family illness, or other essential needs would benefit families and society in innumerable ways. Here are just a few.
A Step in the Right Direction

Isn't it Quaint? More Nostalgia for Home Economics

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/23/132230490/elegantly-old-school-nostalgia-books-on-the-rise
Isn't it sweet and old fashioned? In this book review on NPR's morning edition, I heard more nostalgia for what we are left to assume is the long dead field of Home Economics. And, of course, Martha Stewart was mentioned yet another time as the modern instantiation of Home Ec. What is most disconcerting to me is that our field has not become irrelevant, but invisible. If Home Economics is seen as old fashioned, Family and Consumer Sciences is not seen at all. As schools continue to make budget cuts, FCS programs remain vulnerable. No one can support programs that they apparently do not know about. Family and Consumer Scientists: let's stop rebranding and start advocating. Strongly.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Consumer Education, Economics, and Resource Management: Lessons from Seinfeld

This could be really useful for teaching any FERM related class--on any level. http://www.yadayadayadaecon.com/
What could be more relevant than sitcom reruns? This is gold, Jerry! Gold!

Love and Marriage...A Universal?

Contexts magazine describes the Musuo people of Southwest China. This matrilineal cultural community does not practice marriage or monogamy, and apparently functions well without it. An interesting cultural reflection on the place of marriage as a universal bedrock of all societies.
The Society Pages

Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup

It's not natural, and it's not the same as sugar. It is bad for the environment, and it is clearly associated with obesity. Let's do what Family and Consumer Scientists have long known how to do: make our own snacks out of whole, natural foods.  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ygreen/20101220/sc_ygreen/fourreasonstoavoidhighfructosecornsyrup

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Real Science

Reorganization revisited: STEMM (Science Technology Engineering Math and Medicine) has become the new buzz word in higher education. It's where we're told the money is, and of course the name of the game is inevitably attracting new sources of revenue rather than actually educating students. Students of course, are and will remain our #1 source of revenue--never mind that educating the is supposed to be our primary mission.

So now we're in a perverse situation in which all units on campus attempt to fit themselves in the STEMM mold. And if we define "science" and "medicine" broadly, then I think we're talking about a large and diverse collection of programs that could fit under that very broad umbrella. But if we're all STEMM, then it ceases to be special (and specialized).

The question I keep coming to is whether we can truly build the large, diverse, and interconnected group of programs and faculty members needed to really build the kind of STEMM program that reflects the true and inclusive definitions of "science" and "health." Whose programs don't involve science at all? Or math? Or health? If the tent expands as it should, then the "specialities" will no longer feel so special. The "hard sciences" will lose their current place in the university hierarchy. The culture of the university has shown itself time and time again to be resistant to change, and those with status are always hesitant to give it up.

Let us not forget that sexism works into this in insidious ways. Those programs, like Human Ecology/FCS, tend to be viewed as traditionally feminine and are certainly female dominated. It is difficult for the "real scientists" to see themselves as having anything to gain from having us join their exclusive club. But time and time again, we learn how badly our perspective is needed. Healthcare cannot be delivered optimally without a comprehensive view of health that includes physical, mental, and spiritual health. We cannot deliver it only with specialists who do not understand the person as a whole functioning human being, but as a set of physical systems that house a disease. We can't ensure that we have healthy individuals without ensuring families are also functional. Workplaces must be less stressful. Consumers' interests must be understood and served. Nutrition and food safety are essential as well; in order to get the nutrition into people, we need to go shopping, go home, prepare food, serve it, and eat it together (we hope). This "feminine" orientation comes as natural to us as breathing, but comes as a revelation to those who consider themselves real scientists. The reality is that they need us much more than we need them.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Change, FCS, and Life...Lessons Learned from Mad Men

"Let’s also say that change is neither good or bad. It simply is. It can be greeted with terror or joy. A tantrum that says, ‘I want it the way it was’ or a dance that says, ‘Look, it’s something new.
(Mad Men, "Love Among the Ruins" -- Season 3, Episode 2)

We're all in a process of change, whether we realize it or not. You can fear it, you can embrace it, or you can quietly accept it. The important thing is this: change shouldn't just happen to you, you need to be the change you want to see in the world. Don't resist change, shape it. Progress is never a passive or painless process.

“Real progress is often retarded by trying to make the new fit into the old scheme of things.” -Ellen Richards

Happy holidays and new year to everyone in the blogosphere.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Health Care is not just a luxury for a select few.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/12/10/131972595/democrats-ramp-up-war-on-gop-health-benefits

It's about time democrats in Congress grew backbones. Finally they point out the hypocrisy of congresspeople accepting government funded insurance while attempting to repeal healthcare legislation designed to make healthcare accessible for the people they claim to represent. Stick by your principles, dems, please. And make your new freshmen colleagues stick by theirs.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

One student assaulted on campus is one too many

Knowledge is power. Students and faculty need to advocate for better campus policies. 

One Student provides students and their allies with programs, resources and opportunities to address sexual violence. .http://onestudent.org/


Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Sexual Assaults on College Campuses: Victims Seeking Justice

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/08/131887810/administration-congress-take-steps-to-address-sexual-assaults-on-campus

Kudos to the Obama and administration and congress for addressing this long neglected problem. The problem of sexual assault on college campuses is far more prevalent than anyone would like to admit.  Universities' response to allegations of sexual assault have been inadequate at best, leaving the problem to fester (and perpetrators free to assault again). Victims and their families are doubly scarred: first by the assault itself, and secondly by a system that still blames the victim.

Please let your legislators know that you support this legislation to support college students' safey on campus.