It’s not just for women, but their issues will be front and center at the United Council’s 10th annual Women’s Leadership Conference, which is being held Friday through Sunday at UW-Eau Claire.

The theme this year is “Many Women – Many Voices, Laying the Foundation for Our Movement.” The intent of the conference is for women and their allies to come together, United Council’s Women’s Issues Director Katie Lapp said.

Almost 400 students from all 24 UW System campuses are registered for the event, and anyone – men or women – still wishing to participate can e-mail Lapp at [email protected].

“We hope people come with open minds and leave (being) really able to challenge themselves,” she said.

The event offers more than 60 different workshops covering a “wide spectrum” of topics relating to women’s issues.

Workshops, which will be held primarily in Davies Center, will include everything from the “Possibility of a Woman President” to a discussion on networking for professionals.

“(The workshops) should revolve around people not used to taking leadership roles to step up and take those roles,” sophomore United Council Representative Erika Dinkel-Smith said.

Three keynote speakers will be on hand as well, including State Senator Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee.

The other speakers will be longtime activists Pauline Park, chair of the New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy, and Crystal Plati, executive director of Choice USA, a youth-focused, pro-choice organization.

While Dinkel-Smith said Plati was the “right-hand woman of Pro-Choice USA,” she does not expect the issue to be a major part of her speech.

Junior Jon Radcliffe said there are several benefits for men as well, mentioning gender-neutral programs about AIDS and substance-abuse prevention.

“The big thing is we have mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends,” he said. “It’s also acknowledging what they’ve done and being conscious of them.”