President of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research Heidi Hartmann will give the keynote address.

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -Middlebury College students will present a three-day symposium titled “Breaking Down the Barriers: Women in the Work Force” from Thursday, March 15 - Saturday, March 17. The symposium is supported by a grant from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for its Leadership and Training Institute’s effort titled “Campus Action Project,” a program about women’s economic security involving 10 teams from colleges and universities nationwide that supports the implementation of projects during the spring of 2007 with the theme “Planning for an Economically Secure Future.” Middlebury’s event will open with a keynote address, titled “Memo to John Roberts: The Gender Wage Gap is Real,” by President of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research Heidi Hartmann. The conference will continue with speakers, a panel discussion, a deliberative dialog on pay equity, and a policy writing workshop. All symposium events are free and open to the public.

“Breaking Down the Barriers: Women in the Work Force” will focus on pay equity and gender inequality in the work force. The organizers anticipate that members of the Washington, D.C.-based Roosevelt Institution - a national network of student think tanks that seeks to advance student ideas into public discourse - will attend, as well as other local university students, the Middlebury College community and the general public. The students plan to publish their policy work in the Roosevelt 25 Ideas Publication, and to present the deliberative dialog on pay equity to other schools.

On Thursday, March 15, at 7 p.m., Hartmann will deliver the keynote address, “Memo to John Roberts: The Gender Wage Gap is Real,” which will take place in the Middlebury College Robert A. Jones ‘59 House on Hillcrest Road, off College Street (Route 125). Hartmann is a MacArthur Foundation Fellow and winner of its Genius Award.

On Friday, March 16, at 12:30 p.m., a panel discussion titled “A Road Less Traveled: Women in Non-Traditional Fields” will take place in Room 201 of the Middlebury College Library on Storrs Avenue, off South Main Street (Route 30). Panelists will include Fayneese Miller, dean of education and social services at the University of Vermont; Goldman Sachs Analyst Lauren Curatolo, a member of the Middlebury class of 2006; Wendy Love, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women; and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Economics Madeleine Kunin, who serves a dual appointment at the University of Vermont and St. Michael’s College. Kunin has devoted her career to public service as Vermont state legislator, lieutenant governor and governor of Vermont, United States ambassador to Switzerland, and deputy secretary of education under the Clinton administration.

Later that day at 4:30 p.m., Love will give a talk titled “Poverty in Vermont: A Woman’s Issue.” The talk will take place in the Robert A. Jones House.

At 6:30 p.m. on Friday, there will be a screening of “Motherhood Manifesto,” a 2006 documentary film by Laura Pacheco and John de Graaf narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen. The film is about motherhood in America and women facing workplace discrimination. The screening will be held in Room 219 of Bicentennial Hall, on Bicentennial Way, off Route 125.

On Saturday, March 17, at 10 a.m., a deliberative dialog titled “Working for Pay Equity” will serve as an open, informal discussion held in Room 121 of La Force Hall, off College Street (Route 125). A policy writing workshop will follow in the same location at 1 p.m. Middlebury College Assistant Professor of Political Science Bertram Johnson will facilitate the session, titled “Make America Work for Working Women.” Pre-registration for the workshop is required.

According to one of the student organizers, Middlebury College sophomore Hallie Fox, the students of the Middlebury College chapter of the Roosevelt Institution’s Center on Women and Gender wrote their grant proposal during the fall of 2006 with support from Middlebury College Visiting Associate Professor of Economics Ann Mari May, Director of the Middlebury College Chellis House Karin Hanta, Middlebury College Associate Director of Athletics Gail Smith, and AAUW member Dot Rand. The student team - sophomores Fox and Tarsi Dunlop, juniors Abigail Blum and Jessie Singleton, and senior Emily Theriault - received $5,000 from AAUW to complete their project.

For more information, contact Middlebury College Visiting Associate Professor of Economics Ann Mari May at 802-443-5984 or by e-mail at annmari@middlebury.edu; or contact student organizer Hallie Fox at 802-443-4318, or by e-mail at hfox@middlebury.edu. To register for the policy writing workshop, contact Stacey Hotte, coordinator for the Middlebury College Women’s and Gender Studies Department, at 802-443-5565, or by e-mail at shotte@middlebury.edu.

The events listing follows:
Symposium “Breaking Down the Barriers: Women in the Work Force”
Thursday, March 15 - Saturday, March 17

Free and open to the public

Thursday, March 15
7 p.m.
Keynote Address: “Memo to John Roberts: The Gender Wage Gap is Real.” Presented by Heidi Hartmann, president of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and MacArthur Fellow
Conference Room of the Robert A. Jones ‘59 House, Hillcrest Road, off College Street (Route 125)

Friday, March 16
12:30 p.m.
Panel Discussion: “A Road Less Traveled: Women in Non-Traditional Fields.” Panelists: Fayneese Miller, dean of education and social services at the University of Vermont; Goldman Sachs analyst Lauren Curatolo, a member of the Middlebury class of 2006; Wendy Love, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women; and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Economics Madeleine Kunin, who serves a dual appointment at the University of Vermont and St. Michael’s College
Room 201 of the Middlebury College Library on Storrs Avenue, off South Main Street (Route 30)

4:30 p.m.
Lecture: “Poverty in Vermont: A Woman’s Issue.” Presented by Wendy Love, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women
Conference Room of the Robert A. Jones ‘59 House, Hillcrest Road, off College Street (Route 125)

6:30 p.m.
Movie Screening: “Motherhood Manifesto.” The 2006 documentary film by Laura Pacheco and John de Graaf is narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen. The film is about motherhood in America and women facing workplace discrimination.
Room 219 of Bicentennial Hall, on Bicentennial Way, off Route 125

Saturday, March 17
10 a.m.
Deliberative Dialog: “Working for Pay Equity.” The session will serve as an informal discussion open to all symposium attendees.
Room 121 of La Force Hall, off College Street (Route 125)

1 p.m.
Policy Writing Workshop: “Make America Work for Working Women.” Facilitated by Middlebury College Assistant Professor of Political Science Bertram Johnson
Room 121 of La Force Hall, off College Street (Route 125)
Pre-registration for the workshop is required.

For more information, contact Middlebury College Visiting Associate Professor of Economics Ann Mari May at 802-443-5984 or by e-mail at annmari@middlebury.edu; or contact student organizer Hallie Fox at 802-443-4318, or by e-mail at hfox@middlebury.edu. To register for the policy writing workshop, contact Stacey Hotte, coordinator for the Middlebury College Women’s and Gender Studies Department, at 802-443-5565, or by e-mail at shotte@middlebury.edu.