Women, Gender and Sexualities Committee

The Women, Gender and Sexualities Committee (WGS) seeks to ensure representation, support, and inclusivity for students and faculty across the gender and sexuality spectrum at MSSA. The committee is also dedicated to supporting and promoting research on gender and sexuality at MSSA conferences and publications. Through WGS, students and faculty can access applications to assist in travel funding to present their work at upcoming annual meetings. WGS publishes the official newsletter, Constructs, which details information for students and faculty about WGS announcements and activities, calls for papers, highlight WGS member achievements, and other related news.

Committee Chair: Jennifer Cheek (jecheek@msudenver.edu)

 

2026 Travel Scholarship

Application Deadline: TBD

The Mid-South Sociological Association and the Committee on Women, Gender, & Sexualities is pleased to announce a travel scholarship to attend the 2026 annual meeting in Huntsville, AL. The $250 scholarship will be awarded to contribute towards expenses associated with travel to the 2026 MSSA meeting.

Eligibility and Application Requirements

To be eligible for the scholarship, the applicant must:

    • Have a demonstrated need for funding (i.e., the applicant receives minimal or no university funding for travel to the conference).
    • Be an active participant of the annual meeting by presenting research or participating in a panel on gender and/or sexuality.
    • A member of the Mid-South Sociological Association at the time of the award.

Previous Travel Scholarship Winners

2025: Cassie Joy Sistoso and Mary Holiman
2023: Giselle Greenidge and Faith Myers

 

Constructs: The Newsletter of the MSSA Women, Gender and Sexualities Committee

Current Issue
Fall 2025 Newsletter

Previous Issues
Fall 2023 WGS Newsletter
Fall 2021 WGS Newsletter
Fall 2021 WGS Newsletter
Fall 2020 WGS Newsletter
Fall 2019 WGS Newsletter

 

WGS Mentoring Program
The MSSA Women, Gender and Sexualities Committee invite the membership to engage in discussions, with the purpose of the initiative to provide support, mentoring, and resources to undergraduate, graduate and junior faculty members of the MSSA.

 

Topics include (but are not limited to):

  • Balancing family and career responsibilities/aspirations
  • Sexual harassment
  • Preparing for the job market
  • Getting tenure and promotion
  • Developing a research agenda
  • Applying to and succeeding in graduate school
  • Teaching support
  • Publishing
  • Collegiality
  • Career options (applying for post-doc positions, grants, etc…)
  • LGBT issues

To begin your inquiry, email the Chair of the Women, Gender and Sexualities Committee, Jennifer Cheek, indicating your questions or concerns.

 
The Committee also offers this list of online resources:

American Association of University Professors Resources on Women in Higher Education
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/women/resourcesStatement of Principles on Family Responsibilities and Academic Work
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/policydocs/contents/workfam-stmt.htmDisparities in the Salaries and Appointments of Academic Women and Men (1998)
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/women/menwomenpay.htmAAUP Faculty Gender Equity Indicators 2006
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/research/geneq2006.htmFaculty Salary and Faculty Distribution Fact Sheet 2003-04
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/research/2003-04factsheet.htmThe AAUP’s Committee on Women Responds to Lawrence Summers (2005)
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/comm/rep/SummersResponse.htmOrganizing Women Faculty
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/women/westOrganizingWomen.htmSummary of Wage Gap Studies (2000)
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/women/wagegap2000.htmGender Inequities Persist on U.S. Campuses
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2007/JF/AW/GenEquity.htmFaculty Forum: It Takes a Village to Create a Full Professor
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2005/MJ/Col/ff.htmWorking Mothers and Gender Discrimination
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/women/eubenDiscrimination.htmKids on Campus
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2007/JA/Feat/keye.htmDo Babies Matter (Part II)? Closing the Baby Gap
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2004/ND/Feat/04ndmaso.htmHitting the Maternal Wall
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2004/ND/Feat/04ndwill.htmBalancing Work and Family for Faculty: Why It’s Important
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2004/ND/Feat/04ndcurt.htmDeveloping and Implementing Work-Family Policies for Faculty
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2004/ND/Feat/04ndsulli.htmFear Factor: How Safe Is It to Make Time for Family?
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2004/ND/Feat/ndwar.htmFamily-Friendly Policies and the Research University
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2004/ND/Feat/ndquin.htmWorking Part Time After Tenure
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2004/ND/Feat/ndlobe.htmDo Babies Matter? The Effect of Family Formation on the Lifelong Careers of Academic Men and Women
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2002/ND/Feat/Maso.htmSEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual Harassment:Suggested Policy and Procedures for Handling Complaints
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/policydocs/contents/sexharass.htmSexual Harassment Policies (2002)
http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/protect/legal/topics/sex-harass-policies.htm

Legal Watch: Sexual Harassment Policies on Campus