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ASUA to vote on merging CARE with Women's Resource Center

The ASUA Senate will vote next week on whether CARE will merge with the Women's Resource Center.

After nearly two hours of debate, the Senate decided last night to hold further discussion sessions with the directors before next week's vote.

Sen. Tiffany Podbielski's proposal calls for the Campus Acquaintance Rape Education to merge with the resource center and would add an additional director to the center, who will oversee CARE activities.

The center has two directors but would need another to assist with CARE and other projects, Podbielski said.

During Podbielski's campaign for administrative vice president, she said she wanted to improve ASUA's program and services budgets. Now, with this proposal, she said she is combining services that have similar interests and intentions.

"It's rare a person gets such a tangible moment to do what they said," Podbielski said.

About 20 members from the two groups spoke out against the proposal.

Kate Schroll, co-director of the Women's Resource Center, said that although the two groups work on similar topics, they are different programs.

"We (CARE and WRC) collaborate on certain things, but we don't have the same interests," Schroll said.

Many members expressed concern that CARE would lose male involvement if it was under the resource center because many men would feel the program was only for women.

James Houseworth, Residence Hall Association liaison to ASUA, said his group does not support the proposal.

"It's called the Women's Resource Center, and that implies it's for women," Houseworth said.

Houseworth added that CARE offers a lot of resources for men and women.

"By putting it (CARE) under the Women's Resource Center, it undermines the importance of it (CARE)," Houseworth said.

Heather Logan, a speech and hearing sciences senior who is involved with CARE, emphasized that rape is not just a female issue and putting it under the Women's Resource Center adds to the stereotype.

Nationally, one in six men is raped or sexually assaulted, Logan said.

Maria Rodriguez, ASUA community development director, said the reason many people were upset over this proposal was because they had found out about it the day before.

"People don't like it when you give them 12-hour notice," Rodriguez said. "(ASUA) should have sat down with each director."

Podbielski said she is open-minded about the proposal, she only hopes the two groups will be willing to compromise.

Sen. Shane Brogan said merging the two programs shouldn't alienate men.

"It's an internal thing, not an external thing," Brogan said. "There's no way someone who signs up for CARE has to know it's under the Women's Resource Center."

Sen. Ray Quintero was also in favor of the proposal.

"I can see there's a lot of apprehension, it's a big change, but although change is scary, it's not always a bad thing," Quintero said.

The Senate will meet with members of the Women's Resource Center and CARE today at 3:30 p.m. to further discuss the proposal.