Women & Gender Initiatives // The Women and Gender Taskforce serves as the only feminist organization on the St. Catherine University campus  that focuses specifically on issues of gender and how they pertain to our on and off campus communities. In past semester, W&G has organized such events as Take Back the Mic (a celebration of women and urban arts), Body Love Week (an annual campaign focused on body positivity and reclamation), the St. Kate’s Safe Space Campaign (a semester long campaign creating safe spaces in the SCU community), and much more. For Fall 2011, W&G is organizing a week of programming on menstrual pride, including a zine release and work to provide access to eco-friendly menstrual product alternatives to the campus.

St. Kates MPIRGers raise funds for women's shelters at a Spare Change for Social Change event.

Detox Minnesota // MPIRG students worked with students from across the state to help pass the first phase-out of Bisphenol-A (BPA) from childrens products.  To educate the campus and nearby community about harmful chemicals in consumer products, St. Kate’s MPIRG students hosted a Detoxify Your Life event where attendees could make their own cleaning products, win body-friendly cosmetics, and research what chemicals are in their everyday products.  In addition to educational events, St. Kate’s MPIRG students advocated for this issue at the Minnesota state legislature, meeting with their elected officials and encouraging them to support this legislation.

Green Initiatives // Last semester (winter 2011) the Green Initiatives ttask force worked on conserving water in their Reduce Your Use campaign which also continued the petition with Senate to remove water bottles from the St. Kate's campus.  In addition, they held a spring clothing and dorm accessories swap. For fall 2011, in conjunction with Senate, Green Initiatives is having a dorm conservation campaign called Conservation Katies. It is a campaign focusing on the reduction of use of electricity, water and paper on campus, as well as education on what is and isn't recyclable on campus and DIY green products. They also plan to have another clothing swap this December.

St. Kates MPIRG chapter meeting.

Affordable Higher Education // To combat rising textbook costs, MPIRG students partnered with professors and the St. Kate’s bookstore to submit a photo petition to several major publishers of textbooks asking them to stop selling bundled books. 

What’s Next? // This year, St. Kate’s MPIRG students will be working on issues such as fair trade and food justice, the environment, and women & gender initiatives.

St. Kate's Intro Meeting - Come One, Come All!

Wednesday, October 5th from 5 - 6 p.m in CDC 362.

Student Contacts
Heather Kolnick hakolnick@stkate.edu
Hannah Starr hestarr@stkate.edu

St. Paul Campus Organizer
Tom Raley, extension 305, tom@mpirg.org

www.StKate.edu