Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Summer 1977
Abstract
Cause for Celebration. Since 1969, the Clearinghouse on Women's Studies has been recording the growth of women's studies programs in colleges and universities. Originally it was a service of the Modern Language Association's Commission on the Status of Women. Then, in 1971, the Clearinghouse became an educational project of The Feminist Press. In both cases, publishing a list of women's studies programs helped students decide where to study and told faculty where they might find jobs. But there was still another reason for publishing such lists: programs like San Diego's and Cornell's (listed in 1970) and San Francisco State's, the University of Washington's, Richmond College/CUNY's, and SUNY/Buffalo's (listed along with 11 others in 1971) became "models" or sources of information for others wanting to organize women's studies programs. Such record-keeping is exciting to follow: 2 programs in 1970; 15 in 1971; 75 in 1973; 112 in 1974; 152 in 1975; and now, reason to celebrate, 276 in 1977.
How can we account for the sudden spurt in 1977—a year of sharp retrenchment in which nothing new could possibly be begun? Partly, as in 1973, by noting that the period between surveys was 18 months, not 12. Moreover, there are at least four significant reasons for the current growth.