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Student Council introduces specialized vice chair for Women, Gender Affairs

New position associated with Diversity Engagement Committee

<p>Raiya Al-Nsour, vice chair for Women and Gender Affairs (left), and Student Council President Sarah Kenny (right)</p>

Raiya Al-Nsour, vice chair for Women and Gender Affairs (left), and Student Council President Sarah Kenny (right)

Student Council President and third-year College student Sarah Kenny used her first presidential executive order to create several vice chair positions including one for Women and Gender Affairs, which is associated with the Student Council Diversity Engagement Committee.

“I decided in my first presidential order to create a system of vice chairs to address different components and intersections of diversity in a more sustained way than we have before, and to focus on points of advocacy rather than putting on programming,” Kenny said.

Raiya Al-Nsour, a first-year College student who was selected to serve as the vice chair for Women and Gender Affairs, said in an email to The Cavalier Daily that the various committees are intended “to help address issues of diversity on Grounds in a more focused manner.”

“Having Vice Chairs responsible for specific areas of diversity means we can better serve our constituents,” Al-Nsour said. “The intersectionality of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, socioeconomic status and other social categories must be taken into account when considering matters of diversity.”

Al-Nsour said she plans to engage with and support already existing student groups on Grounds that focus on issues regarding women and gender, in addition to working with administration and advocating for students.

“My goals for the upcoming year are to work closely with these organizations, increase communication across the board, and promote coalition-building,” Al-Nsour said. “We are here to serve students; we want them to know that Student Council is a resource that is always available. We are here to bolster and empower other organizations on Grounds that are already doing fantastic work.”

The groups Al-Nsour said is reaching out to include the Queer Student Union, One Less, the Women’s Center and the Women’s Leadership Development Program.

In addition to this work, Al-Nsour is charged with developing Women On Grounds, which would be a peer-advising program for first-year women.

“While programs like the Women’s Leadership Development Program have a similar goal, the Women On Grounds program will be a lot more informal and a lot more focused on these organic peer-to-peer relationships,” Kenny said.

Students interested in getting involved with these efforts can apply to join the Diversity Engagement Committee in the Fall 2017 semester.

“I strongly encourage students to apply if they are passionate about inclusivity and diversity here on Grounds,” Al-Nsour said. 

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