Institutional Advocacy
The Women’s Center’s role is to query constituents regarding the effectiveness of policies, to ascertain problems, develop strategy and subsequently serve as catalysts for change. Constant assessment, evaluation and improvement of policies and procedures with the goal of fostering gender equity as a benefit to the entire NU community. This is done through benchmarking and gathering data about best practices from institutions across the country. We continually engage our student, staff, and faculty constituents in ongoing dialogue to determine what issues are significant to them and require our advocacy efforts. Examples of these initiatives include:

• Sexual Assault – Worked with student groups, the Sexual Assault Education & Prevention Program and relevant departments to ascertain policy and strategize regarding the optimal structure and delineation of resources to respond to the needs of sexual assault survivors.
• Childcare – Working with all levels of the university to research and provide childcare options to the NU community.
• Safe Ride – Identified the need, researched, advocated for and secured funding for a late-night campus shuttle on the Chicago campus with the Chicago Campus Safety Committee and central administration.
• Civility, Mutual Respect and Violence Policy – Identified the need, researched, advocated for and drafted the policy with the Chicago Campus Safety Committee and central administration.
• Work/Life Balance – Worked with faculty and staff constituents to stress the growing importance of work/life balance struggles for female and male constituents of the NU community to central administration, and the fostering of a plan to address this issue in a cost effective manner.
• Sexual Harassment – Worked with student, staff and faculty constituents to develop policies and procedures. Presented a plan to central administration that culminated in the creation of an office that handles sexual harassment complaints.
• Graduate Student Health Insurance – Identify the concerns of graduate students with their current health plans and help facilitate conversations between administrators, students, and insurance provider to change the benefits for upcoming year.

Institutional Advocacy is a constant process that evolves from committee participation and individual interaction. The issues that the Women’s Center chooses to advocate for benefit the women and men of the NU community because they create an environment where all can feel safe, supported and valued. If you are aware of an issue that needs to be addressed do not hesitate to contact us at womenscenter@northwestern.edu.

Individual Advocacy
Women’s Center staff members assist individuals through various problems and concerns through their knowledge regarding NU policy and awareness of NU and local community resources:

• Information can be provided regarding legal, criminal and medical steps that need to be taken following a sexual assault;
• If a student, faculty member or staff member encounters a situation that may constitute a sexually harassing situation, staff members can assist with advocacy and counseling;
• Staff members may accompany and/or serve as representatives for victims/survivors in sexual assault hearings through the Sexual Assault Hearing and Appeals System (SAHAS) on campus, a system created by the University that hears sexual assault cases. Individuals may opt to go through the mediation process and want a Center staff member to serve as advocate through this process. Or, equally may serve as an advocate in a hospital emergency situation, through filling out a police report or as a survivor goes through a criminal court case.
  

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