History

  • August 1977 - Proposal for Women’s Resources Center
  • October 10, 1977 – President Gene A. Budig appointed, Council for Women’s Concerns in accordance with the action taken by the University Senate. Council replaces parent body of Caucus for Women’s Concerns.

    Members included: Nancy Datan, Shirley Eagan, Elaine Ginsberg, (First Chair), John Maxwell, Lauralee Sherwood, Patty Snyder, Harvey Wolf, Mary Novak, Avis Stuart, Linda Yoder, Sandra Barker, Evelyn Manetta, Renate Pore, Carol Spencer, Regina Charon, Lillian Waugh, Suzanne Reid

According to the first Annual Report, the Council’s Activities included:

    • Sponsorship of a research project to assess the needs WVU women students in areas such as personal and academic counseling, health services, safety, housing, childcare, and transportation.
    • Planning of a series of three conferences for women to be held in September 1978. Grant from WV Committee for the Humanities funded the events.
    • Discussions with Vice President Haas and Dean Monahan concerning the feasibility of the establishment of a Day Care Center to serve the children of the WVU staff, faculty and students.
    • A visit from a consultant on women’s studies programs to discuss development of such a program at WVU.
    • Pamphlet was prepared describing the courses available, which could be part of women’s studies curriculum.
    • Establishment of a woman’s lounge and reading center in the balcony area of E. Moore Hall.
    • A study of flexible scheduling possibilities for faculty and staff women to enable people to adjust their schedules to their family.
  • February 1978 -- Created Media Guide for the Audiovisual Library of West Virginia University.
  • March 1978 -- Mary Catherine Buswell Award for the advancing status of women was created.
  • September 7, 1978 --“Women’s Roles in Society: Issues and Achievements” Keynote speaker: Sharon Rockefeller. Other speakers included: Corinne Jacker, Joyce Copra, Nancy Reynolds, Eva Schindler-Rainman, Linda Plotkin
  • September 15–16, 1978 --“Women’s Lives and Public Policy Impacts”
    Evening theater: “Fierce with Reality”, A dramatic presentation of selected diaries of five famous women including Anais Nin and Sophie Tolstoy. Co directed by Enid Portnoy and Carol Rudman.
  • September 27, 1978 “Women Facing the Future”
    Keynote Speaker: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  • January 1, 1980 - Judith Stitzel named first coordinator of Women’s Studies at WVU.
  • April 12, 1980 - Workshops on Women and Work
  • September 1980 – Committee’s of the Council
    • Women’s Studies Sub-committee – Women’s Studies Program
    • Women’s Services Sub-committee – Women’s Resource Guide
    • Programming Sub-committee – committed to bring a major programming effort to WVU every 4 years.
    • Flexible Schedules Sub-committee –
    • Day Care Sub-committee
    • Honorary Degree Sub-committee
  • March 28, 1981 --Women’s Careers: Challenges and Decisions (Information obtained from the Council for Women’s Concern’s minutes 1977 –1981)
  • For the Early History of WVU emphasizing the Role of Women by Dr. Barbara Howe, WVU Center for Women's Studies visit our Links page.