Don McPherson to deliver domestic abuse workshops at SU

Don McPherson to deliver domestic abuse workshops at SUMarch 28, 2003Michele M. Jachimmmjachim@syr.edu

The Division of Student Affairs, the Student Affairs Programming Council, and the Team Against Bias have organized a violence prevention workshop series and feature presentation with Don McPherson, former Syracuse University All-American quarterback and founder and executive director of the Sports Leadership Institute at Adelphi University.

Don educates young men to change the culture that cultivates domestic abuse. He will present the program, “Violence Prevention and Gender Roles: Be a Man” while he is on campus March 30-April 1. The program will address violence from a gender perspective, examining masculinity and the social pressures placed on men and boys to develop, participate in and sanction violent behavior.

“We are pleased to have Don McPherson join the SU community for three days of informational and invaluable programming on violence prevention,” said Barry L. Wells, senior vice president and dean of student affairs. “He has tremendous insights on this subject and we feel the material he will share with various groups on campus will bring much-needed attention to violence against women.”

The first workshop will take place March 31 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Schine Student Center Underground. This workshop will focus on recognition of violence as perpetrated by men and boys, and how it is influenced by notions of masculinity.

A “Train the Trainer II” workshop will be held March 31 from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Schine Student Center Underground, will focus on providing guidance for staff, students and potential workshop facilitators. The interactive session will focus on gender-based violence and will address social and environmental influences, in addition to helping to develop future program efforts to reduce violence on campus.

The final “Train the Trainer” workshop will take place April 1 from 1-4 p.m. in Room 304 of the Schine Student Center. This extensive workshop for staff will include a review of program elements and how they can be used and integrated into existing programs.

On April 1 at 7:00 p.m., the community is invited to the presentation, “You Throw Like A Girl” in the Schine Student Center Underground. This program, presented on more than 100 college campuses in the United States and Canada, was the impetus for an article in O Magazine and subsequent “Oprah Winfrey Show” entitled “Be A Man.”

“These programs are essential to break down gender stereotypes and to energize students to stop the perpetuation of sexual violence and discrimination,” said Dessa Bergen-Cico, associate dean of students and chair of the Student Affairs Programming Council for Spring 2003. “We are expecting a high number of faculty, students and staff to participate in the workshop series.”

To register for workshops, e-mail sjauer@syr.edu. For more information, call the Dean of Students Office at 443-4424.