University takes step toward women’s studies major

by Rachel Wilson

Potential students hoping to earn a degree in women’s studies at an Ohio college might no longer have to cross off Ohio University from their list of choices.

Through the 1804 Fund, a program established by the OU Board of Trustees that gives financial rewards to recipients, OU’s Department of Women’s Studies received $19,250 to begin developing a new undergraduate major. Although the process of starting a new major is far from over, with planning and approvals still to come, many officials said they are looking forward to the program’s development.

Unlike Bowling Green State University, Cleveland State University, Miami University and Ohio State University, OU does not offer women’s studies as an undergraduate major, only as a certificate program.

While officials do not expect students to be able to declare this as a major until the 2004-05 school year, Susan Burgess, director of OU’s Women’s Studies department, views the possible change as a huge upgrade from the current program.

“A certificate is something like a minor, but it’s interdisciplinary, a sort of mini-concentration,” Burgess said. “A lot of the classes about gender are spread throughout different majors here at OU, making women’s studies hard to have as a major.”

OU offers approximately 80 classes that pertain to women’s studies located in different departments, such as political science, English and philosophy. Core classes will have to be added that do not directly fall under an existing major, and requirements for undergraduate majors will also have to be developed, she said.

The certificate program’s growing enrollment has increased the demand for a women’s studies program modeled after institutions such as the University of Delaware and West Virginia University, according to the proposal submitted to the OU 1804 Fund program. More than 80 students enrolled in the certificate program last year, and more than 20 seniors graduated with a certificate.

Departments, undergraduate students and graduate students were able to apply last Spring Quarter for the grants. The $179,580 fund was split between 10 proposals out of 20 submitted in the spring.

“We were particularly interested in the extent to which the proposals addressed the presidential mission statement,” said David Descutner, interim dean of University College and member of the nine-person committee that reviewed proposals.

Funds also were awarded to officials who proposed the start of a geography active learning program, virtual mini-labs within the Language Resource Center and a computer-assisted course delivery system for introductory physics courses, along with several other new programs.