Rutgers Surpasses $2M Mark for Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies

A little more than a year after launching a campaign to create an endowed chair in honor of modern American feminist Gloria Steinem, Rutgers University officials announced they have surpassed the $2 million mark in donations.

The funds, totaling $2.1 million from more than 250 individuals and 12 foundations, put the university two thirds closer toward the $3 million required to finance the Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair in Media, Culture, and Feminist Studies.

The chair,  a unique collaboration among Rutgers’ Institute for Women’s Leadership (IWL), School of Communication and Information (SCI)  and the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies in the School of Arts and Sciences, will focus on the creative and complex ways information technology and new media are reshaping culture and power relationships.

 “Gloria’s birthday is at the end of March 2016, and that is a real milestone.  Our goal is to raise the remaining $900,000 so that we can announce that the chair is fully endowed on or before that special day,”  said Alison R. Bernstein, director of the IWL, who proposed the idea of a Gloria Steinem chair at Rutgers.

Typically, endowed chairs are named after a single donor, but it is particularly important, Bernstein said, that hundreds will finance this chair, the first of its kind.

“Never before has a chair been named for a feminist icon who is still alive,” Bernstein said. “That more than 250 people have contributed shows they buy into and engage with the values and legacy of Steinem.”

That the $200,000 donation to push funds past $2 million came from another female media pioneer, Fran Zone/John Mack Carter Fund, is equally important, said Bernstein. Zone, an award-winning leadership communication strategist, is the founder and CEO of Zone Communication.

“Fran Zone is a communications and media professional who understood Gloria’s key role in changing the discourse of media to understand and include women and their perspectives at the table,” said Bernstein.

Organizers hope to have the chair filled by the 2016-17 academic year, which coincides with the university’s 250th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the institute.

The Steinem chair will immerse students in debate and scholarship on such issues as how the changing media landscape can bring about social change and how new media technology is influencing the power structure. The person who occupies the chair will teach, conduct research and lead seminars and colloquia focusing on ways to diversify voices in the media, Bernstein said.

According to The Women’s Media Center 2015 report on the “Status of Women in the U.S. Media,” women continue to lack representation in American media. The report found, for example, that 90 percent of Twitter’s tech employees were male and its leadership ranks were 79 percent male.

That imbalance of power inspired the IWL and SCI to create the new Gloria Steinem Media Mentoring Program in conjunction with the endowed chair after receiving a $35,000 grant from the Charles H. Revson Foundation. Launched in September, the pilot program has linked 20 recent Rutgers alumnae with 20 accomplished women in diverse media arenas.

Guest Post: How to Establish Emergency Savings During Market Uncertainty

by

Andrea Woroch

Wall Street sustained a major plunge after China's Black Monday spread stock market fears worldwide on August 24, but experts advise consumers to treat the bounce back with caution. Ups and downs in the economic and industry cycles are unavoidable, and with 47% of Americans admitting they have little to no savings, there is no better time than now to establish and build an emergency fund.

Nothing can prepare you for a recession or layoff, but money to cover your expenses can help lessen the blow to your budget! Here are 6 tips for creating a cushion to give you peace of mind in these unpredictable times.

1. Track living expenses.
If you don't know how much you spend each month on the necessities, you can't plan accordingly. Track your spending for one to three months (use an app like Mint for help) to determine how much money goes toward essentials like mortgage or rent, insurance, food, transportation and utilities. Estimate the monthly average and multiply it by six or nine; this will give you the amount of cash you need to cover your bills for six to nine months.

2. Set a savings goal and plan.
Stashing away extra cash for living expenses will take time. In fact, you may feel discouraged after calculating the total amount you'd like to put aside, since it may seem like an impossible goal. To combat this, devise a savings plan with specific steps to help you reach that target figure, which may include cutting back on Saturday night dinner dates and saving a set amount of money each month.

3. Treat emergency funds as a bill.
When you're saving for an emergency fund, the goal may be hard to stick to without looming due dates, interest rates or late fees forcing you to pay up. Since there's no immediate or obvious repercussion for missing your savings goal each month, it's important to treat it like a bill. Better yet, automate the savings by setting up a weekly or monthly transfer of funds between your checking account and the emergency fund.

4. Slash everyday expenses.
Look for ways to slash your everyday expenses so you can reach your goal faster. For example, you can carpool or take public transportation to cut down on fuel costs. Instead of relying on takeout during the week, prep meals on the weekends and freeze them for quick access on weeknights. You can also try budget hacking, or the process of reducing your fixed expenses by calling up providers and requesting discounts or reduced payments on such things as car insurance, mobile plan costs and cable TV.

5. Get savvier with spending.
Cutting back on your discretionary spending can feel rough at times and can lead to burnout and goal abandonment. To avoid this, find savvy ways to curb your spending without cutting out all the fun. For example, tools like the Coupon Sherpa mobile app offer instant discounts to retail, restaurant and local service establishments. Currently, you can save up to 20% off your check from Olive Garden, or use a Macy's coupon for an extra 20% off sale and clearance items.

6. Diversify income.
Expanding your income stream will provide protection against the inevitable swings of the economic cycles. Plus, the extra money earned can be used to boost your savings budget and possibly set you up for a new career. Whether you want to turn a passion into a side job or believe your professional skills can help individuals or small businesses through consulting, check out eLance.com and Fiverr to start the process. If nothing comes to mind, tap into TaskRabbit.com where you can help other people with their errands during your spare time for a small fee. 

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. As a sought-after media source, she has been featured among such top news outlets as Good Morning America, Today, CNN, Dr. OZ, New York Times, MONEY Magazine, Huffington Post, Forbes and many more. For more information, visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.