Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

August 30, 2002

Committee on women founded 30 years ago

by Linda Charles
For three decades, the University Committee on Women (UCW) has watched out for women on campus -- initiating studies on gender issues, hosting lecture series and providing guidance to university leaders.

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, UCW members invite the campus community to help celebrate the committee's 30th anniversary at the annual welcome of new women faculty and staff. The event will be in the Brunnier Art Museum, Scheman Building, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., with a short program beginning at 4:30 p.m. Provost Ben Allen and UCW chair Liz Beck will speak. President Gregory Geoffroy also will attend.

Positive steps
The committee first met in January 1972, under a charge from George Christensen, then vice president for academic affairs, to make a "thorough study of the status of women at all levels of the university" and recommend "positive steps that the university should take to ensure the current status of women." The committee reports to the Office of the Provost.

Early committee recommendations resulted in creation of a women's center, a women's study curriculum and celebration of the first women's week on campus.

Controversy erupts
One effort by UCW led to controversy on campus. In 1990, working with the Ames League of Women Voters, UCW promoted renaming Old Botany to honor ISU alumna Carrie Chapman Catt, who led the successful campaign to give American women the vote.

Protesters claimed Catt used racist and xenophobic arguments in the suffrage campaign. Catt supporters disagreed, maintaining that Catt fought a move to exclude black women from the vote and worked for world peace. The campus debate resulted in several forums and rallies, but in 1995, the building officially was renamed.

Over the years, a continuing issue for UCW has been parental rights. In 1990, UCW presented its first report on family policies to the administration. Committee members returned to the issue several times over the years, including last year, when they were active participants in crafting the "arrival of children" policy that is expected to be presented to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, this fall.

Issues of concern
Nearly every year, UCW prepares a major report for administrators on an issue of concern to women on campus. Through the years, UCW has studied comparative salaries of men and women faculty, representation of women faculty on university and college committees, the status of professional and scientific employees, merit employee job satisfaction and career development, sexual harassment, rapes and assaults on campus, women faculty on non-tenure track appointments and women in administration. A report on the status of women at ISU was issued this summer.

Through the years, UCW also has held open forums on various issues, including sex equity and strategic planning. And, UCW weighs in on candidates for top university jobs, sending representatives to open forums to quiz candidates on issues of interest to women and minorities.

For more information on UCW or the 30th anniversary celebration, contact Marcia Purdy, 4-4154, e-mail: mapurdy@iastate.edu.