Other presentations for Wednesday, March 2 will be a student panel discussion on "American Popular Culture and How We Are Desensitized to Violence Against Women." The discussion will be held at 2 p.m., room to be announced. The panel will include UWSP students Logan Wandrey of Plover, Justin Kohlbeck of Marshfield, Kristen Waklee of North Dakota, Christine Neuber of New London, and moderator Saed Engel-Di Mauro, assistant professor of geology/geography.

Valentina Peguero, professor of history, will present "The Tragedy of the Mirabal Sisters and the Origins of the International Day Against Violence Towards Women" at 4:20 p.m. in Room 285 NFAC.

A faculty panel discussion "On Violence Against Women" will be held Thursday, March 3, at 3:30 p.m. in Room 230 of the College of Professional Studies (CPS). Presenters include Rhonda Sprague, associate professor of communication, "Verbal Abuse: Cornerstone for Violence"; Richard Barker, associate professor of Spanish, "Fascist Violence Against Women During the Spanish Civil War"; and Richard Ruppel, professor of German, "Women in Switzerland Then and Now: Political Disenfranchisement as a Form of Violence in an Ancient Direct Democracy."

Also on Thursday, "Osama," the first film made in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, will be shown at 4 p.m. in Room 233 of the Collins Classroom Center (CCC). The movie depicts the heavily controlled lives of women under the Taliban regime, focusing on a 12-year-old girl who disguises herself as a boy to escape the oppression.

A poetry reading moderated by William Lawlor, professor of English and city of Stevens Point poet laureate, will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Carlsten Gallery, NFAC. He will present "Selfish Reasons to Support the Elimination of Violence Against Women."

On Friday, March 4, a community panel discussion, "Domestic Violence: Testimony and Hope," will be held at 12:30 p.m. in Room 230 CPS. Moderated by Elia Armacanqui-Tipacti, assistant professor of Spanish, presenters include Connie Flores, DV program coordinator of the Family Health: La Clinica de los Campesinos, "A survivor testimony of Women Violence," and Elia Farcas, Hispanic Health Educational Program, CAP Services Inc., "Resources in the Community for the Latina Immigrant Women."

Women's History Month Events:

Wed., March 2
2-3 p.m.-Student Panel: "American Popular Culture and How we are Desenstitized to Violence Against Women", Room 230 CPS
4-6:30 p.m.-Art and Poetry Exhibition opens, reception, Carlsten Gallery
4:20 p.m.-Valentina Peguero "The Tragedy of the Mirabal Sisters," 285 NFAC
4:40 p.m.-Guest speaker Nela Rio "The Poetic Body: Outspoken Art/Arte Claro," 285 NFAC
6:45-9:45 p.m.-Documentary Film: "Senorita Extraviada/Missing Young Women in Ciudad Juarez," 227 CCC

Thurs., March 3
3:30-5 p.m.-Faculty Panel: "On Violence Against Women," 230 CPS
7-8 p.m.-Self-Defense Workshop, 110 HEC
7:30-9:30 p.m.-Poetry Reading,
Carlsten Gallery, NFAC
7:30-9:30 p.m.-Film: "Osama," 233 CCC

Friday, March 4
12:30-1:45 p.m.-Community panel: "Domestic Violence-Testimony and Hope," 230 CPS
2-3:30 p.m.-Faculty panel: "On Violence Against Women," 229 CPS
2-3:30 p.m.-Community panel: "Local Perspectives on Domestic Violence," 230 CPS
3:30-5 p.m.-Student panel: "Violence against women in Spain and Latin America," 230 CPS
4-5 p.m.-Reading of Alek Toumi's play "Madah Sartre," Carlsten Gallery, NFAC
7:30 p.m.-Ankie Foell: "Women's Role in Piano Music Through the Ages," lecture and recital, Michelsen Hall, NFAC

Sat., March 5
2-4 p.m.-Closing Ceremony, poetry, art and poetry prizes, Carlsten Gallery, NFAC

A faculty panel discussion on "Violence Against Women" will begin at 2 p.m. in Room 229 CPS. Moderated by Leslie Midkiff DeBauche, professor of communication, presenters include Sally Kent, professor of history, "Rape as a Weapon of War in Bosnia," and Howard Eissenstat, instructor of history, "�Honor Killings� in the Middle East: Gender, Politics and the Straits of Modernity." Respondent will be Theresa Kaminski, professor of history.

"Local Perspectives on Domestic Violence" will be the topic for discussion at 2 p.m. in Room 230 CPS. The community panel will be moderated by Gail Skelton, emerita professor of sociology. Participants will include Tom Eagon, Portage County district attorney; Mary Rowan, Family Crisis Center coordinator; Angela Martin, Family Crisis Center children�s advocate, and Sally Olson, a victim advocate with the Family Crisis Center.

A student panel discussion on "Violence Against Women in Spain and Latin America" will be held at 3:30 p.m. in Room 230 CPS. Renee Craig-Odders, associate professor of Spanish, will serve as moderator for UWSP student panelists Zak Bleser of Westby, Stacy Musch of Wisconsin Rapids, Norma Salazar of Mexico, and Megan Singer of Kenosha.

At 4 p.m. in the Carlsten Gallery, Kama Almasi, assistant professor of biology and forestry, will host a reading from Alek Tuomi�s play "Madah-Sartre: The Kidnapping, trial, conver(sat/s)ion of Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir as staged by the Terrorists of the GIA." Selections will be performed by Tuomi, associate professor of French, and Barbara Butler, associate professor of anthropology.

The closing ceremony for the conference will be held Saturday, March 5 at 2 p.m. in the Encore of the University Center. The event will include remarks from UWSP Chancellor Linda Bunnell and a presentation by Laureate Poet Lynda Pilot.

For more information, contact Elia Armacanqui-Tipacti, conference coordinator, at 715-346-2308 or earmacan@uwsp.edu. More information is on the Web at www.uwsp.edu/forlang/earmacan/index.htm.