As part of the joint IROW and Center for Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC) Ford foundation-funded project, Transforming Knowledge About Women of Color: Focus on Puerto Rican Women, a group of University at Albany faculty were able to both lecture and provide technical assistance in October 1991 at various campuses of the University of Puerto Rico (the university center at Rio Piedras and the colleges at Cayey and Humacao) and the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon. Two major topics were addressed by Albany faculty.
The first was "Redefining the American and Linguistic Canon." Ronald Bosco (English) lectured on "Women, Literature, and the Law in Pre-Revolutionary America," Joan Schulz (English and Women's Studies) addressed the issue of literary canonization in "The Canon: Big Gun or Camera?," and Francine Frank (Dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts) spoke on "Language and Gender Today."
The second area was "Theoretical Perspectives on Feminism." Linda Nicholson (Educational Administration and Policy Studies and Women's Studies) spoke about "Feminism and the Politics of Postmodernism," while Bonnie Spanier (Chair, Women's Studies Department) discussed her ongoing research in the realm of "Women, Gender Ideology, and the Natural Sciences."
In addition, Gloria DeSole (Director, Affirmative Action Office) served as a consultant on sexual harassment and equal opportunity policy issues; and Anne Roschelle (Sociology), who helped develop the Albany PR-WOMENET Database, provided technical assistance to Cayey College in setting up a bibliographic database.
One of the Ford Project's main objectives is to provide the opportunity for faculty from our campus and institutions in Puerto Rico to share their respective expertise and engage in lecturing, research activities, and collaborative projects on women's issues. A group of faculty from Puerto Rico will be coming to the University at Albany campus in the Spring of 1992.