High hopes for high heels

Fashion and female empowerment may not initially seem to have any relation, but the Office of Women's Affairs begs to differ.\nThe OWA plans to combine a variety of interests and issues during their annual Women and Work Conference, which is being held today from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Chapman's Restaurant.\n"The conference is intended for the women (on) staff at IU as well as women working in the local community," Dean of Women's Affairs Jean Robinson said. "It is intended to provide working women with information about workplace issues, strategies for success and opportunities to network with other women." \nThe agenda for the conference includes presentations on health, exercise and finances, as well as a panel discussion on volunteer opportunities. Speakers include Debra Nelson, who will give a presentation on "The Art of Mellow Stress," Colleen McMahon, who will speak on "Movement and Exercise," and Stacey Matavuli, who will focus on "Healthy Eating on the Go."\n"The conference is annual with similar themes focusing on the working women and the Bloomington community," said Kasey Drew, OWA's leadership programming coordinator. \nThe volunteer panel will include representatives from non-profit organizations such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters, the Bloomington Volunteer Network, the Monroe CASA program and the United Way of Monroe County. There will also be a fashion show featuring clothes from Talbot's and DeeAaron's, as well as masseuse specialists. \n"Most women have numerous responsibilities: working both inside and outside the home, caring for family, volunteering in the community and finding some time for themselves," Robinson said. \nShe said she hopes the conference will teach women how to handle all the inevitable stresses brought on by their busy lives. \n"It is sometimes forgotten that working women have personal lives as well," Assistant Dean Carol McCord said. "We would like to support the whole person and their work as a community member." \nShe said the conference will help rejuvenate IU's staff members and make them feel less isolated on the IU campus and more a part of the Bloomington community as a whole. \nThe Women in Work Conference is just one of numerous programs offered by the OWA.\n"The Office for Women's Affairs has a mandate to promote opportunities and advance equity for all women on campus -- students, faculty and staff," Robinson said. "The OWA offers a number of programs intended for each of these groups separately as well as together." \nMcCord added the OWA's main goal is to "enhance opportunities for equity for all women pursuing professional and academic lives on campus."\nSome programs offered by the OWA include the Women in Science Program and the RAISE program, to increase sexual assault awareness. \n"We offer programs in many areas ranging from sexual assault to bike safety," Drew said. "Almost anything you might think women would be concerned about." \nIn addition the OWA also develops and promotes new equality policies, does research on issues relating to women's lives and status on campus and works with individual women to find remedies for sexual harassment, pay inequality, gender discrimination and other issues.\n"(Today's event) is not about special opportunities for women," McCord said. "It's about them getting the same opportunities as everyone else"