Ball State University students, alumni and Muncie community members will gather to protest departmental changes at noon Friday.
The protest, which is due to changes to Ball State's Women's Studies Program, will start at the Burkhardt Building and lead to the Administration Building.
Hallie Adams, a 2007 Ball State alumna with a minor in women's studies, said the event is planning to have a turnout of between 10 and 30 protestors.
Adams said she hopes the committee will reconsider some of the changes being proposed. This includes the loss of internships, which Adams said would compromise the experiences of the program.
"Such a big part of women's studies is the activism, the hands-on experiences," she said. "Denying that is denying our dignity. To have that experience really empowers you to graduate and go out in the world and make that change. You can't get that from a history book or a women's studies book."
Kecia McBride, associate dean of the College of Science and Humanities, addressed the reaction from women's studies students and others concerned with the state of the program.
"It's an emotional issue for people," McBride said. "Change is always difficult for people to handle."
McBride said that small pieces of information were leaked at various points in the decision making process, which led to misconceptions about the changes being imposed.
"People jumped on misinformation," she said.
Tony Proudfoot, associate vice president for marketing and communications, said what was intended as a step forward for the program was misinterpreted as a step back.
"There's some surprise about the level of intensity around the response, largely because at the end of the day, the changes that have been made are fundamentally going to strengthen the program," he said.
However, Adams said that the university's official statements do not clearly explain the complications of the proposed changes. She said she is concerned about faculty layoffs and having professors from other departments teaching the program.
"A history professor may have insight into women's studies," she said. "However, I'm guaranteeing they do not have the activism and educational background that current women's studies teachers do."
Michael Maggiotto, dean of the College of Science and Humanities, said the current faculty would not be negatively effected and released a list of frequently asked questions and answers to address concerns.
"The objective is to build a larger critical mass of faculty to create a wider variety of experiences for students, therefore enhancing their education," the release said. "No faculty member has been relieved of teaching duties in the program."
Adams said she agrees with most of the changes the committee proposed, including changing the name of the program to "Women's and Gender Studies" and making the focus of the program more academic.
"That's only going to empower us," she said. "We're not up in arms against everything."
Adams said that some things have been reconciled with the release of more information, such as learning that the department will likely retain its offices and annual Women's Week. Even with this understanding, the protest is proceeding as planned, partly due to the exposure it has received.
Adams said that she is still concerned about one thing in particular.
"There was not a single women's studies student or faculty member on the committee that voted on the change," she said.
For more information, visit http://www.bsu.edu/web/news/womensstudfaq/
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