By Vinny Reda          

The New York State division of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has awarded the University its 1998 Progress in Equity Award for the success of its Initiatives for Women (IFW) program.

The award recognizes a New York college or university for an outstanding program, policy, or other initiative that improves the status of women on campus.

Jeanette Knapp, director of college and university membership for AAUW's New York chapter, notified Gloria DeSole, senior advisor to the President for affirmative action and chair of IFW's steering committee, that "Your program was awarded the 1998 New York Progress in Equity Award because of its volunteer and philanthropic nature and widespread impact on women students, faculty and staff.

"We were particularly impressed with the amount of money that has been raised and dispersed, the thoughtful supportive way in which these awards are made, and the impressive institutional support for the program," Knapp said. "AAUW commends you for directing a program that is both innovative and exemplary, that addresses the needs of diverse groups of women, and that involves the entire campus community.

"We hope that other institutions will follow your lead by establishing similar programs."

Knapp also said she will nominate Albany's IFW for AAUW's national Progress in Equity Award, to be named next spring.

DeSole said she received the letter informing her of Albany's top prize (there was only an additional honorable mention prize given, to Hunter College) the morning after IFW's fourth annual awards dinner, which featured a talk by Alison Bernstein, the vice president for education, media, arts, and cultural programs of the Ford Foundation.

President Hitchcock conducts a conversation with the Ford Foundation's Alison Bernstein at the Fourth Annual Initiatives For Women awards dinner on Nov. 5 at Wolfert's Roost Country Club.

In addition, the dinner featured the awarding of 21 monetary prizes for 1997 to women. Included were five "named" awards, a number that will double in the next round of award judging, which begins next week. The total number of competitive awards over four years has now risen to 75, and total money raised for the awards program has now topped the $100,000 mark — all numbers the AAUW was unaware of when it judged programs for its award last spring. DeSole is confident that IFW will give out its 100th award to women in 1998.

"You can imagine my great pleasure, after the wonderful event we had just had the night before, upon receiving this notification," said DeSole. "An award such as this from the New York State AAUW is critical external validation from an organization that is widely recognized as a national force for women.

"It was also a special pleasure at our dinner to hear Alison Bernstein express pleasure and surprise at the extent of what IFW does and what it has accomplished."