The Oct. 29 General Student Senate meeting began with the approval of the Oct. 22 meeting minutes.

General Good and Welfare:

Vice President Chase Flaherty went over the Robert’s Rules Item of the Week; objection to the consideration of the motion. This motion is amenable.

New Senators Office Appointments, Resignations:

Sen. Carl Durocher resigned from the Senate.

Club Maintenance:

Members from Her Campus, Maine Stride and Yarn Over Orono were seeking preliminary recognition. All were passed except for Maine Stride. This prelim recognition failed due to the fear that there are already systems in place similar to the projects of this club. 

Members from the Blade Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Sociology Club were seeking reactivation for their clubs. These were passed by the senate. 

Club Presentations:

A representative from the Navigators came in to discuss the success of the annual fall conference the club recently attended.

Guest Speakers:

Aaron Raymond from APOGEE/ResNet came in to talk about the new WiFi that was installed in all of the housing facilities and asked for feedback. 

Executive Reports:

President Bentley Simpson reported that the student life contracts for different events are moving along, as well as the swing project. He also reported that he would be sitting in on the Distinguished Professor Conference and the UMaine’s First Generation week is coming up in November with lots of events lined up. He reminded the senate to share the leadership scholarship and lastly reported that a Native American Heritage Month is in the works. 

Vice President Chase Flaherty reminded the senate that the senate photographer will be coming in soon and that senator applications need to be sent in soon.

Vice President for Financial Affairs Jack O’Donoghue reported that the EBC Allocations for Consent Agenda allocated $600 to the South Asian Association of Maine and $750 to UMSG Inc. The Resolutions to Senate allocated $2,000 to the Society of Physics Students and $3,000 to Operation H.E.A.R.T.S.

Vice President for Student Organizations Taylor Cray reminded members of the senate that organizations should be signing up for Halloweekend events to volunteer.

Vice President for Student Entertainment Logan Aromando reported that there are currently a lot of events in the works for the senate but the details are becoming more confidential.

Advisor to Student Government Lauri Sidelko reported that the campus planning meeting recently happened, so the student calendar should be up to date. She reminded the senate that there are many events happening during Halloweekend and that there will be a Cohen Lecture.

Periodic Reports:

UMaine Board of Trustees Student Rep. Abby Despres reported that the most recent meetings went well and there is a special board meeting on budget happening and she is currently working on creating a feedback tool for students to use. 

Chair of Fair Elections Practices Commission Matthew Akers reported that there will be no elections needed for senators this term. 

Director of Communications Owen Vadala reminded the senate to share the leadership scholarship.

Reports of Standing Committees:

Marketing and Public Relations Rep. Owen Vadala encouraged the senate to come to the meetings.

Policy and Procedure Rep. Mikaela Shea reminded the senate to come to her with any concerns.

Political Activism Rep. Cody Embelton reminded the senate to vote next Tuesday and reported that there will be a sit-in protest at the College Republicans event on Wednesday.

Student Services Rep. Emmaline Willey reported that the swings project is underway and murals are in the works for Maine Day.

Reports of Special Committees:

Student Conduct Code Oversight and Review Committee Rep. Harrison Ransley encouraged members to spread the word about the committee.

Representative Board Reports: 

Commuter and Non-Traditional Students Rep. Ian Johnson reported that there are lots of events coming up during Commuter Week.

Honors College Student Advisory Board Rep. Lauren Ryan reported that there are lots of events coming up and different events with the dean of students are in the works. She also reported that on Nov. 16 there will be a Chipotle fundraiser for the Maine Day Meal Pack Out.

Interfraternity Council Rep. Andrew Arsenault reported that there is a disc golf tournament coming up.

Panhellenic Council Rep. Stephanie Poirier reported that the All-Greek Study Night is coming up.

Senior Class Council Rep. Joshua Minor reported that there will be a fundraiser at Orono House of Pizza on Nov. 17 and all proceeds will go to Senior Class events.

Sustainability and Environmental Actions Divisions (SEAD) Rep. Dalton Bouchles reported that the Culture Fest that is coming up will be zero-waste and that SEAD is coming up with a new logo.

Community Association Reports:

Student Heritage Alliance Council Rep. Anna Schaab reported that they are preparing for Culture Fest and the Multicultural Thanksgiving event.

Wilde Stein Rep. MJ Smith reported that Gay Thanksgiving is coming up and the Multicultural Student Center is under construction.

International Student Association Rep. Hannah Holbrook reported that the Halloween Oronoka event went well.

Consent Agenda:

South Asian Association of Maine requested $600 for food ingredients, table and chair rental and dinnerware for their Diwali Night Nov. 10.

University of Maine Student Government Inc. requested $750 for headshots and group shots of the General Student Senate in the Bangor room Nov. 5.

Wildlife Society requested $200 for their Office Budget.

Caribbean and Latinx Student Alliance requested $130 for Office Budget.

International Student Association requested a reallocation of office budget funds from paper products to New Balance Recreation Center Rental for Culture Fest which was previously approved at the Annual Budget meeting on April 2, 2019.

The Consent Agenda was passed.

The meeting was adjourned.

This year, the University of Maine’s Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) was awarded $2 million in grant money to upgrade to the latest technology. 

UMaine’s AMC is apart of the College of Engineering at the university. The main purpose of this center is to aid in research development at the university and to advocate for the growth of advanced technology in Maine. Their program stretches throughout Maine and the rest of the United States with the hope being that businesses will utilize the tools and aid the AMC can provide. The AMC has produced many creations both large and small, along with the help and creativity from the College of Engineering and some of UMaine’s research centers. 

The two grants the AMC received are meant for upgrades for the program and to install more advanced equipment. This will allow the school to keep up with current manufacturing research. With these upgrades, the center will be able to adapt more metal manufacturing that will meet the needs of the current industry.

“Learning on the latest technology is critical to our students and industry workforce development,”  Director of the AMC John Belding commented. “If we can assist companies to adopt the latest technology without risk, it will be a huge win for the entire state of Maine.”

John Belding has been with the AMC since 2008 when he took the position of assistant director. Now, as director, Belding is responsible for all the operations of the center. Since he has been with the UMaine AMC, his main objectives have been to support economic development in Maine by creating, designing and building unique solutions for businesses and by making the expertise and services of the AMC more accessible to Maine businesses.

The center is meant to support new economic development in Maine and the new upgrades will integrate new programs into Maine. The new technology will help companies in Maine to keep up with the changing technology around them. The staff of the College of Engineering and its students will also benefit from the new technology the center has received. 

The project team will focus on incorporating new technology into current projects as well as more broadly communicating the capabilities of emerging additive metal technology in a variety of manufacturing types, including timber harvesting and processing, food and beverage manufacturing and medical and aerospace manufacturing.

“We can help industries figure out those new pieces of equipment, how to run it, what the cost is to run it, what new capabilities it’s capable of. We can train their workforce. We can train students on that equipment,” Belding noted. “So, it really helps benefit the whole manufacturing business here in the state of Maine.” 

The grant money will also allow the UMaine engineering programs to partake in their own research and development plan, which allows for the UMaine community to work in tandem with more than 150 companies to be able to better educate manufacturers from around the nation on updated manufacturing techniques. These techniques seek to work towards a sustainable and efficient manufacturing process, which will have a large impact on the local and state economy.

The Tuesday, Sept. 24 General Student Senate meeting began with the approval of the Sept. 17 meeting minutes. 

General Good and Welfare:

Vice President Chase Flaherty went over Robert’s Rules item of the week with the senate. This week’s rule was how to call for a division and the steps to take after. 

New Senators, Officer Appointments, Resignations:

Sens. Camryn Hammill and Isaiah Bedsole were sworn into the senate. 

Club Maintenance: 

Representatives from the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) were looking for preliminary recognition so the club can use the University of Maine name and gain more publicity. This motion was passed. 

Representatives of the Caribbean and Latinx Student Alliance were looking for final recognition. Because these were both previously separate clubs that went through prelim, all they needed for the approval of their joined club was final recognition. This motion was passed. 

Guest Speakers:

Jennifer Desmond came to the Senate to speak on the Dirigo Leadership Conference and encouraged members of the senate to attend. 

Executive Reports:

President Bentley Simpson encouraged members of the senate to attend the leadership conference. He reported that the swingset project is in motion and he is currently working on possibly putting an outdoor ice rink in place on campus. He reminded the senate that his meeting with Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Robert Dana is coming up and that they should go to him with concerns. Lastly, he reported that the university’s convocation he attended went well. 

Vice President Flaherty thanked senators for signing up for the different committees and reminded the Senate that the fall Senate retreat is coming up. 

Vice President for Financial Affairs Jack O’Donoghue reported that there were allocations of funds for the Mountain Bike Club for $600 and the Spikeball Club for $399.96. 

Vice President for Student Organizations Taylor Cray reported that changes are being made to the online database that will make the site easier and more comprehensive. 

Vice President for Student Entertainment Logan Aromando reported that he is currently working on making waivers for the bumper ball tournaments and that Halloween events are in the works. 

Advisor to Student Government Lauri Sidelko reported that she will be giving out a link to a webinar on free speech on college campuses and encouraged the Senate to watch it. She added that there will be a haunted house on campus this year as well as a costume contest.  She reiterated that the convocation went well and congratulated President Simpson on his speech. 

Periodic Reports:

University of Maine board of trustees Representative Abby Despres reported that she is working on gaining more publicity as well as coming up with a feedback form for the senate. 

Chair of the Fair Election Practices Commission Matthew Akers reported that elections were to be held later that meeting. 

Director of Communications Owen Vadala encouraged members of the senate to take a look at the website and give feedback on how it’s running. 

Reports of Standing Committees:

Marketing and Public Relations Representative Owen Vadala reported that the first general meeting went smoothly. 

Political Activism Representative Cody Embelton reminded members of the senate to register to vote. 

Services Representative Emmeline Willey reported that the committee held their first meeting and is currently working on a number of projects around campus.

Representative Boards:

Commuter and Non-Traditional Students Representative Ian Johnson reported that there was a mixup with the last pancake breakfast but it has been worked out and the breakfast would move to the next week. 

Honors College Student Advisory Board Representative Lauren Ryan reported that she will be attending the Honors College faculty meeting coming up. 

Interfraternity Council Representative Andrew Arsenault reported that they kicked off National Hazing Prevention Week. 

Panhellenic Council Representative Stephanie Poirier reported that there were to be two philanthropy events held this week and that chapter numbers have been finalized. 

Senior Class Council Representative Joshua Minor reported that 2020 merchandise is now available for purchase in the bookstore. 

Sustainability and Environmental Actions Division Representative Dalton Bouchles reported that the group is planning a river cleanup for this year. 

Community Association Reports: 

Student Heritage Alliance Council Representative Anna Schaab reported that many different members of clubs are going to conferences around the state representing their clubs. 

Feminist Collective Representative Miranda Synder reported that the club is holding their first implicit bias training for the semester soon. 

Wilde Stein Queer-Straight Alliance Representative MJ Smith reported that the club is collaborating with the Mind Spa for an upcoming event. 

International Student Association Representative Hannah Hollbrook reminded the senate that coffee hour would be coming up for this week. 

Consent Agenda:

$600 for reallocation from new jerseys to race registration fees for the Mountain Bikers’ fall 2019 race season was passed. 

Spikeball allocation of $399.96 for the purchase of four Pro Spikeball kits with a lifetime warranty was passed. 

Unfinished Business: 

An act to allocate funds to Student Organizations $6,500 for the 2019-20 academic year annual license of “Eventus” was rejected. 

New Business:

An act to extend the life of the Student Conduct Code Oversight and Review Committee into the next academic year 2019-20 was passed. 

Nominations and Elections:

Sen. Imam was elected center for undergraduate research representative. 

Sen. Ransley was elected graduate student senate representative. 

Nominations:

Sens. Redwood, Hebert, Embelton, Hammel and Orgel were nominated for legal services liaison. 

Sens. Embelton, Hammel, Adams, Kelley, Bedsole and Shea were nominated for faculty senate student representative. 

Sens. Ransley and Shea were appointed to President Simpson’s cabinet. 

The senate then moved into executive session. 

This year, Distinguished Maine Professor Ivan Fernandez was among many experts from the University of Maine that were asked to serve on Maine’s Climate Council. Some of the newly appointed members of the council include state leaders, science and technology experts, nonprofit leaders, municipal leaders, tribal representatives and a representative of Maine’s youth. Among these individual members on the council, there are many different working groups that will also be looked to for advice. 

The Maine Climate Council was one of the first proposals of newly elected Gov. Janet Mills and was announced in April of 2019. This council’s mission is to research methods to reduce gases and other factors that contribute to climate change in the state of Maine. The purpose of having so many different members on the committee is to ensure that members from various communities around the state have representation at the council. By having so many voices on the council, people from around the state will be able to have access to information on the council’s motions, and will be able to have input on further actions of the council. 

Fernandez of UMaine’s School of Forest Resources, the Climate Change Institute and the School of Food and Agriculture was asked to serve on the council because of his research background. Fernandez is a professor of soil and has focused a large amount of his research on the effects that the weather can have on Maine and climate control itself.

“I am one of two scientists appointed to the Maine Climate Council itself, as well as the co-chair of the Science and Technical Subcommittee (STS),” Fernandez said. “ As such, I will also participate in the Steering Committee. There are a number of other University of Maine faculty and staff involved as members of the STS as well as various working groups.” 

He and other scientists will be working to find Maine based solutions to change the outcome of climate change in Maine, with the hope that this kind of research will spread to help others combat the effects of climate change. 

“I have been involved with Maine climate initiatives for at least two decades, including those in agencies involved with climate change under the previous administration,” Fernandez said. “Those interactions continued in the Mills administration, and of course, Governor Mills moved Maine from falling way behind on climate change to jumping to the front of the line to lead.” 

Work on climate change in Maine has been on the back burner for the past couple years, and with this new initiative put forth by Gov. Mills, Maine is in the process of catching up with other states, and may possibly take the lead in the fight against the debilitating effects of climate change. Fernandez believes that this will have a profound effect on the state of Maine as a whole. With this initiative, Maine may take the national lead on the research and implementation of efforts to combat the effects of climate change.

The climate council is comprised of members of the State Legislature, members of the Executive Branch of Maine’s government, and executive directors of the Maine Housing Authority and the Efficiency Maine Trust. There are also distinguished members of the Maine community with a background in climate science, experts on climate change adaptation and emergency management and various other members of the community with a vested interest in climate change management, such as farm and local business owners.

This year, the University of Maine chapter of the Association of Outdoor Recreation of Education (AORE) is participating in the 2019 AORE Campus Community Challenge following last year’s campus-wide participation in the event. The event started on Sept. 16 and will end on Oct. 13. Close to 100 universities are competing in this challenge nationwide. The university with the most logged hours wins the title of Most Outdoorsy campus and National Outdoor Champion.

“The AORE is a big advocate for outdoor education and getting people into the outdoors, and if we were the school that demonstrates the most spirit for everything they stand for, then that would be big for our image as a university and a community,” The President of the AORE, Jacob Burgess, commented.

This outdoor challenge requires students to download the AORE CC app from the App Store. After setting up an account, students are able to record and upload the outdoor activities that they are participating in the app. The outdoor activities that are counted for points towards the challenge on the app are any activities that involve being outside for 30 or more minutes. Students contribute to the challenge by uploading photos of their activities which in turn awards points to their university.  

In the past the university has participated in the AORE challenge, and became one of the nation’s highest ranked ‘outdoorsy’ campuses in 2017. 

The challenge is meant to encourage students to get outside and get more involved in outdoor activities by promoting the benefits of staying active. AORE reached out to other clubs on campus to get more people in the community involved.

“Maine Bound is coordinating this challenge for the university but everyone can be involved. From university organizations, campus clubs, to off-campus entities, it was all hands on deck and we are thrilled at the excitement for getting involved,” Burgess said.

The organization went through great lengths to set up different events for this challenge and advertising for the event. The outreach and marketing involved in this event played a huge part in influencing the number of people that would turn out to participate.

There are many titles that can be earned by the universities participating in this challenge such as National Outdoor Champion, Outsider of the Year, Regional Winner and other recognition awards for their school. There are specific events and dates that can be found on the Maine Bound Adventure Center website that students can participate in if they need help finding activities to get involved in.

As part of the AORE Campus Community Challenge, UMaine is hosting events throughout the week to promote outdoor activities. The Clifton Climbers Alliance, in partnership with Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School will be hosting a community climbing day at Eagles Bluff on Tuesday, Sept. 24. There will also be a Head Lamp 5k held after dark behind the New Balance Recreation Center on Friday, Sept. 27. 

“Two years ago, UMaine distinguished itself as the champion of the Northeast region,” Burgess noted. “If UMaine gets the most involvement, we could go even further; we could be the National Outdoor Champion.”

The Orono Bog Boardwalk has been a staple of Orono and the surrounding communities since its completion in 2003. Visitors walk its trails every day, and over 350,000 people have come to take in the scenery of the Bangor Forest and the Orono Bog. 

The construction of the bog was initiated by Professor Emeritus Ronald B. Davis in 2000. After nearly eight months of construction, work on the bog walk was wrapped up in 2003. The Orono Bog Boardwalk was opened that year in June. The Bog Boardwalk is comprised of about 509 8-foot-4-inch boardwalk sections. The Maine Conservation Corps, Charleston Corrections Facility crews and numerous construction volunteers all aided in the building of the boardwalk. The construction of the Orono Bog Boardwalk was facilitated by the City of Bangor, the University of Maine, Orono Land Trust, Davis of the UMaine Climate Change Institute and several public and private contributors that funded the Orono Bog Boardwalk. The Bog Boardwalk’s maintenance needs and the operation of the trail is administered by the management committee that is comprised of individual volunteers. 

Many of the bog’s visitors continue to return to the bog walk to take in the unfiltered, natural beauty of Orono’s bog. While they enjoy the mile-long trail through nature, they are able to learn about the different species that are in the bog from educational signs that are scattered along the trail. 

Renovations and construction began after safety concerns about the Bog Boardwalk were raised. Part of the overhaul of the Bog Boardwalk included enforcing, or replacing boards to ensure that the Bog Boardwalk meets safety codes. These measures will ensure the bog walk is in secure condition for the coming years.

More information on the Orono Bog Boardwalk and answers to frequently asked questions can be found on the Orono Bog Boardwalk site through the University of Maine at https://umaine.edu/oronobogwalk/contact/. The contact information for director Jim Bird can also be found on the UMaine website.

As of this year, the first phase of the integration of the Penobscot language around the University of Maine campus has been completed. This project has been in the works since the Penobscot Nation and UMaine signed the Memorandum of Understanding in May 2018. The UMaine campus has a strong connection with the Penobscot people, and this project acknowledges the rich history of Marsh Island.

The bilingual signs can be seen at various locations around campus. These areas, including the Wells Conference Center and the New Balance Student Recreation Center, have names in the Penobscot language printed below the English name. The Wells Conference Center is referred to as “mαwikamikw,” which translates to “community meeting house,” and the New Balance Student Recreation Center is translated to “αttali-milahəyαwələtimə,” or “place where you play a variety of games.”

Bonnie Newsom of the UMaine Anthropology Department indicated that “integrating the Wabanaki language into the day-to-day lives of the campus community celebrates the unique character of the University of Maine.”

“It’s a real privilege for this campus to be able to share such a beautiful language with the students, staff, and visitors,” Newsom said. 

Newsom works as an assistant professor of anthropology researching Indigenous culture, with specific interest in the “pre-contact lifeways on Maine’s Native peoples.” During this past summer,  Newsom served as the director of a field school located in Machias that conducted research on archaeological sites and aided in the preservation and integration of indigenous language with the Passamaquody peoples who live in the area. More information on Newsom’s research and her publications can be found on the UMaine Anthropology Department’s website through the UMaine homepage. 

This addition to campus is a significant change that is close to the hearts of many people on campus, including Newsom. Being of indigenous heritage herself, she mused about feelings of being a “foreigner on her own land” and how the new Penobscot language signage around the campus aids in lessening that. 

“The signage may seem like a small representation of the Wabanaki connection to campus,” Newsom commented. “But for me, it’s an important reminder that my ancestors taught here also.” 

This is just the first step in a larger ongoing project in the works at UMaine. The hope is that the final product of this project will remind the students and surrounding community members that UMaine actually sits on Wabanaki land, and will extend the knowledge of the Penobscot culture well past the UMaine campus. 

“The Wabanaki signage project acknowledges the deep connection Wabanaki peoples have with the campus landscape. Native people have been living in the Penobscot River valley for at least 10,000 years and I view the Wabanaki signage as a reminder to contemporary peoples that the history of our campus goes way beyond the first buildings built here,” Newsom said. 

There are traces of the university’s rich Penobscot culture around campus, including the Hudson Museum located right on campus. The museum’s rotating exhibits provide a glimpse into the vibrant Wabanaki culture of Maine. Along with the exhibits, there are also many courses that are offered at the university that delve deeper into the heritage of the Native people across Maine for those who would like to learn more about Native history and culture.

General good and welfare

A speaker from the Maine Business School talked about a speaker series that will be taking place on April 4 in the Donald P. Corbett Business Building.

Club presentations

The Franco American Resource Opportunity Group had a successful trip in Quebec City, February after the Senate passed their budget. They attended the Winter Carnival celebration to learn more about their culture and the history of the city.

Executive reports

President Logan Aromando reminded the Senate that the speed reading workshop was coming up and that Maine Day committee meetings are still being held.

Vice President Bentley Simpson reported that he is working on the details of the spring Senate retreat, and reminded the Senate that the first budget meeting is coming up.

Vice President for Financial Affairs Jack O’Donoghue informed the Senate that there were main motions to be decided on later in the meeting.

Vice President for Student Entertainment reported that the acts for the Spring Concert have been announced and they are working on finalizing logistics for the event.

Periodic reports

Fair Elections and Practices Chairman Matt Akers announced that the new Student Senate President-elect is Bentley Simpson and the Vice President-elect is Chase Flaherty.

The Orono Town Council Liaison reported that at the last town meeting the integration of solar power into the town was the main discussion point.

Director of Communications Austin Steward reiterated that the details and materials for the Maine Day and the Spring Concert are being finalized.  

Reports of standing committees

Chase Flaherty with the Policy and Procedure Committee reported that there was some ‘spring cleaning’ conducted on policy rules and guidelines have been revisited. He also reminded the members of the Senate to attend committee meetings that are held every Thursday.

Reports of special committees

President Aromando of the Maine Day Committee reminded Senate members to attend meetings and reported that the committee is adding events and activities that are more beneficial to students for Maine Day.

Reports of representative boards

The president of the Honors College Student Advisory Board reported that the group is beginning to fundraise for the Maine Day Meal Pack Out.

A member of the Panhellenic Council reported that there would be a president’s round table with other sorority presidents and their advisors.

The president of the Senior Class Council reported that senior week planning is coming along and that it will be held during the first week of May.

Community association reports

A member of the Student Heritage Alliance Council announced that the Multicultural Mosaic would be held at the end of the week.

A member of the Feminist Collective reported that the club wrapped up Women’s History Month and announced that there will be a number of events held next month.

A member of Wilde Stein reported that the group is continuing work on Lavender Prom and has begun work with community outreach programs.

A member from the International Student Association reminded the Senate that there is a coffee hour every Friday and that there will be free ice skating after the Multicultural Mosaic is over.

Consent agenda

There was a motion, which passed, to reallocate $700 for new practice uniforms for the Field Hockey Club.

New business

Allocation of funds to Panhellenic Council and Alpha Omicron Pi for the Mr. Fraternity fundraiser that will be held April 10 at the Collins Center for the Arts. This event has been held for the past 18 years and raises money for the Arthritis Foundation. This motion was passed by the Senate.

Speakers from the University of Maine Trap and Skeet Club asked for $60 in funds for their upcoming competition to cover registration costs. About 14 people will be attending the competition. The club will be fundraising to cover the majority of the costs for the trip and the funds they are asking for will make up the difference. This motion was passed by the Senate.

The College Republicans were looking to allocate funds of $200 to hold their own Lunch and Learn. The Multicultural Association usually holds a Lunch and Learn for the group but they have decided to hold their own. After a lengthy debate, this motion was passed by the Senate.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24, Professor Shannon McCoy presented the first Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Colloquium of the 2019 spring semester.

McCoy is an associate professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Maine who specializes in experimental psychology. The purpose of her talk, “Feminism and Gender Self-Identification,” was to develop an understanding of what it means to embrace the role of a being feminist.

“To me feminism means that men and women have equal opportunity, value, respect and safety,” McCoy said.

She added that recent events have had both negative and positive effects on the movement. On the one hand, the nation after last year is well aware that sexism and unfair treatment is a rampant issue in some professional industries. On the other hand, people are becoming more and more polarized.

McCoy also noted that increased media coverage of issues important to feminism has produced a similar effect.

“In some great ways [the media has been positive], it gives voice and platform to those who hadn’t had it in the past. At the same time it is very polarizing,” McCoy said.

At one point, McCoy asked the audience about what they believe the media’s role in feminism is. One student answered that the effects have been diverse, giving strength and agency but magnifying arguments on both sides. Others said that they believe more people now have an improved view of feminism as cultural leaders have worked to create a more approachable and positive image.

Many pop-culture icons have now jumped on board with movements that have propelled the development of feminism and equal rights. Recent trends such as the #MeToo movement have been backed by many celebrities; even Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been quoted supporting the movement for women.

She admitted that the #MeToo movement has brought about many important conversations in her household as a parent — conversations that might not have happened before.

The origins of the #MeToo movement go back to 2003 when civil rights activist Tarana Burke began using the phrase while employed with Just Be Inc., her nonprofit organization focused on the “overall well-being of young women of color,” according to Biography.com. The movement gained steam in 2017 when celebrities such as Alyssa Milano used the hashtag on social media to call out sexual misconduct and abuse in their professional workplaces.

The mission of #MeToo is to provide support to victims of sexual violence, assault and manipulation and create a sense of community for the survivors.

According to McCoy, many are quick to say that as a whole women face discrimination, but they are less likely to say that they do as individuals. The academic term for this is called “personal group discrimination discrepancy.”