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Women's Programs

1970's

1972

The USU Status of Women Committee is formed with Carolyn Steel as Chair. The Committee helps to write an Affirmative Action Plan and plays a critical role in establishing the first woman counselor, Marilynne Glatfelter, on the staff at the Counseling Center.

First Women's Studies course is taught, without pay, by a team of faculty members. The course is offered through Student Initiated Learning Experience (SILEX) and called "Evolution of the Female Personality."

1973

The USU Status of Women Committee publishes NEWS to provide a monthly vehicle for dissemination of news about and of concern to women faculty and staff on campus. Included in NEWS are issues such as: classified salary equalization, recruitment of women faculty, childcare center, benefits for part-time and hourly women, and the Equal Rights Amendment.

Judith M. Gappa is appointed Coordinator, Affirmative Action and serves until 1975 when she is named Director and serves in that capacity until 1980.

1974

Betty Ford, Dean Helen Lundstrom,
and President Ford at USU

Judith M. Gappa, Coordinator for Affirmative Action, submits a proposal for a Women's Center at USU.

Mrs. Betty Ford dedicates the Women's Center for Lifelong Learning on June 8. The Center is established to serve the needs of the non-traditional woman student with Dean Helen Lundstrom named as the first Director, serving in that capacity until her death in 1980. Dean Lundstrom receives no release time nor additional salary to compensate for her added responsibilities. The Center is under the office of the Vice Provost, Dr. Richard M. Swenson.

Anne Hatch is appointed Women's Center Coordinator and is allocated a $2000 operating budget.

The Women's Center Advisory Board is formed.

1975

Lynn Goodhart, is asked to serve as chair of Women's Studies.

1976

Nine courses are taught in Women's Studies, with 259 students enrolled in those courses.

Lynne Goodhart, chair of Women's Studies, resigns and Alison Thorne begins a three-year term as chair of Women's Studies.

1977

Dean William F. Lye, College of HASS, suggests an area concentration in Women's Studies.

The Women's Center sponsors the first "Hands Across the Valley" conference, focusing on similarities rather than differences between Mormon and non-Mormon women.

1978

Anne Hatch is the Assistant Director of the Women's Center and serves in that position until 1982.

1979

Janet Osborne is appointed Acting Assistant Director of the Women's Center.

1980's

1980

Patricia Gardner, begins a five-year term as chair, Women's Studies.

In the summer of 1980, the Women's Center is placed under the office of the new Vice President of Student Services.

1981

Mary Barngrover (Leavitt) is appointed Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity and serves until 1989.

1982

Sharon Smock-Hoffmann joins Janet Osborne at the Women's Center. Both are named Co-Directors with Sharon serving in that capacity until 1986.

1984

The Women and Gender Research Institute (WGRI) is formed to encourage research on all subjects by women and to encourage research on gender-related topics by both women and men. WGRI helps USU serve as a model in attracting, retaining, and supporting women researchers, making the university a nationally and internationally recognized model for excellence in gender-related research. WGRI begins granting travel awards to faculty members who will present gender-related research at professional meetings and to women researchers presenting professional papers on any topic.

The Women's Center holds the first annual Fall Luncheon to welcome new women faculty and professional staff to campus.

The Perkins Act is aimed at eliminating sex bias and stereotyping in home economics education, providing grants for "underserved" groups--male students, disadvantaged students, the handicapped, and single parents.

1985

The Women's Center holds the first annual National Women's History Celebration in March.

Carol O'Connor begins a four-year term as chair, Women's Studies.

1986

E. Helen Berry and Pamela Riley serve as the first Directors of WGRI.

WGRI is accepted as a member of the National Council of Research on Women and receives a Women's Educational Equity Act (WEEA) grant from the federal government for almost $50,000.

Janet Osborne is appointed Director of the Women's Center.

The Women's Center Advisory Board initiates the "Honoring Women Over 65 Achievement Award" to recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions of Cache Valley women.

1987

Deana Lorentzen becomes Director of the Women and Gender Research Institute and serves two years in that capacity.

1988

On May 19, Provost Wagner, the Women and Gender Research Institute, Affirmative Action, and the Women's Center jointly sponsor a forum on women's issues at USU with discussion centering around the results of a task force questionnaire disseminated earlier in the spring to all women (classified, professional, faculty) employed at USU. Results of the questionnaire are generally negative with regard to women's conditions at USU.

1989

Sharon Ohlhorst is selected as director of the Women and Gender Research Institute, serving a term of two years.

WGRI, recognized for fostering equal education for women, receives a Golden Gazelle Award, the first institute to receive the award. WGRI is recognized for fostering equal education for women.

Pamela Riley is the chair of Women's Studies for two years.

1990s and Beyond

1991

Caryn Beck-Dudley is appointed to a one-year term as director, Women and Gender Research Institute (WGRI).

Amal Kawar is acting chair of Women's Studies.

1992

Carol Windham is the director of the Women and Gender Research Institute.

Kate Begnal becomes chair of Women's Studies.

1993

The Women's Center sponsors the first Clothesline Project--bearing witness to violence against women--in Utah and at USU.

1994

The Women's Center produces the video In Loco Parentis: A Herstory of Deans of Women at Utah State University.

Deborah Byrnes leads the Women and Gender Research Institute for two years.

Pamela Riley serves as Director of Women's Studies.

1995

The Tri-Council for Gender Programs is officially founded with Amal Kawar, Pamela Riley, Carol Windham, Janet Osborne, Sue Guenter-Schlesinger, and Joyce Kinkead all playing an active part. The Tri-Council creates an affiliation of the Women and Gender Research Institute, the Women's Studies Program, and the Women's Center. The purpose of this alliance is to foster greater contact and support among those interested in gender research, teaching, and service, as well as for increased awareness of gender-related programs.

Bishnu Ghosh, is the acting director of Women's Studies, spring semester.

1996

Carol Strong begins a three-year term as Director of the Women & Gender Research Institute.

Pamela Riley returns as director of Women's Studies.

1997

Brenda Cooper begins a three-year term as director of Women's Studies.

1999

Jean Lown is appointed as director of the Women and Gender Research Institute.

2000

Pamela Riley is Acting Director, Women's Studies until Brenda Cooper returns in 2001-02 to resume the directorship.

2001

The WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE is initiated by the Women's Center. A primary focus is the "Learning Today-Leading Tomorrow" course open to women who want to gain a stronger sense of self, discover ways in which they can lead, and practice and develop leadership skills before they prepare to leave USU.

2002

The name of the Women's Studies program is changed to Women and Gender Studies as this title more thoroughly suggests the substance of the course offerings and the state of the current scholarship.

Pat Gantt and Anne Shifrer, both Associate Professors in the English Department, serve as co-directors of the Women and Gender Studies program.

2003

Vicki Allen becomes the Director of the Women and Gender Research Institute .

2004

The CENTER FOR WOMEN AND GENDER PROGRAMS opens its doors in the Taggart Student Center Room 315. The Women's Center, Reentry Student Center, Women and Gender Studies, Women and Gender Research Institute and ADVANCE are located in this office space. This central location provides increased visibility for those programs and enables students, faculty and staff to access information, resources and support more efficiently.

2006

Brenda Cooper returns to the director's position of the Women and Gender Studies program.

Julie Gast begins a three-year term as Director of the Women and Gender Research Institute.

Patricia Stevens is appointed Director of the Women's Center and Re-entry Student Center.

2007

First Annual Women and Leadership Lecture Series begins.

Cecelia Harrison Foxley spoke during Women's History Month. She was previously a Director at USU's Women's Center. Dr. Foxley served for over 10 years as Commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education and Chief Executive Officer to the State Board of Regents. She is currently Commissioner Emerita and Regents Professor in the Educational Psychology Department at the University of Utah. Prior to her appointment to the position of Commissioner, she served as the Deputy Commissioner, and the Associate Commissioner for Academic Affairs. Her institutional experience includes faculty and administrative positions at Utah State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Minnesota.

Ruby Chacon spoke during Women's History Month. She is an artist, native to Utah, and recognized as one of the contemporary voices in American Art. She received her BFA in painting and drawing in 1998 from the University of Utah. Chacons work has been exhibited around the Southwest and in London, Tokyo, and Osaka, Japan. She has been invited to Self-Help Graphics in Los Angeles, where her work has been silk-screened and added to the Chicano Art Collection, a body of work that is archived in various international museums, including parts of Europe and Mexico City. Chacon received the Cultural Heritage Award in 2003. She has been featured in many places such as "AHA!" magazine, "OYE" magazine, "Bello" magazine and published in "Triumphs of Our Communities: Four Decades of Mexican American Art" through the Bilingual Press/Editorial Bilingue at Arizona State University, and locally in Salt Lake Magazine.

Jeanetta Williams spoke during Women's History Month. She is employed at Utah Transit Authority in the Public Relations and Marketing Department. She is the founder of the Utah Conference of Minority Transportation Officials Chapter and is President of the NAACP Salt Lake Branch. She served on the NAACP national Board of Directors. She is a member of the West Valley Police Citizens Review Board and co-founder of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce Multi-Ethnic Business Committee. The NAACP Salt Lake Branch recently awarded Jeanetta with the Rosa Parks Award and YWCA with their first Racial Justice Award. Jeanetta has a Bachelor of Arts in Management and a Masters of Management Degree, both from the University of Phoenix.

2008

Second Annual Women and Leadership Lecture Series begins.

Karrie Galloway has been with Planned Parenthood for 27 years. She started in 1981 as a community educator and has been the CEO since 1987. Today, Planned Parenthood consists of seven medical facilities that serve over 45,000 women, men and teens throughout the entire state of Utah. Programs include clinical services, community education and outreach, public affairs and resource development.

Ms. Galloway has received the YWCA Outstanding Achievement Award and the AUCH Award for Recognition to Dedication to Increasing Access and Reducing Health Disparities for the Medically Underserved in Utah. She is a member of the Utah Non-Profits Association, the Cervical Cancer Prevention Advisory Committee, Utah Safety Net and the Utah Governor’s Task Force on Teenage Pregnancy. You also might know her as a regular guest on Babs Delay’s “Women - the Third Generation” program on KRCL radio.

Dr. Christine Moll is an Associate professor in the graduate Department of Counseling and Human Services at Canisius. Prior to her faculty position she served as the Director of the Counseling Center on campus. Dr. Moll also has a private practice in which she works as a mental health counselor.

In addition to her work, Dr. Moll volunteers for Aids Family Services as a co-leader for a support group for family members of individuals with HIV/AIDS. She is a trainer and consultant for the Diocese of Buffalo Youth Department and Perminate Deacon programs.

Christine is also a leader within the American Counseling Association, the professional organization for counselors in the US. Her leadership roles include past president of the New York Counseling Association, past president of the Association for Adult Development and Aging, and the ACA North Atlantic Region representative to ACA’s Governing Council. Currently, Dr. Moll has been doing leadership development programs for a variety of ACA Branches, and Regions.

Dr. Moll completed her undergraduate work in Religious Students & Education at Barry College in Miami. She holds a Master’s degree in Counselor Education from Canisius College. And, she returned to Miami and Barry University for her Ph.D. in Counseling & Leadership.

Judge Shauna Graves-Robertson was appointed to the Salt Lake County Justice Court by the Salt Lake County Commission in January 1999. Judge Graves-Robertson is a Salt Lake City native and a graduate of West High School. She graduated from Arizona State University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Judge Graves-Robertson received a Masters in Public Administration in 1987 and a law degree from the University of Utah in 1990. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Graves-Robertson worked for the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association. She has attended The National Judicial College and is a member of the Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure. Judge Graves-Robertson is currently the presiding judge in Salt Lake County.

Michelle Larson is the Assistant Provost and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Physics at Utah State University. As Assistant Provost she enjoys the fun and challenge that comes with working near the helm of a Research I university on a daily basis. As an adjunct in physics she is able to maintain ties with her discipline and engage in stimulating conversation among geeks when she starts missing such interactions.

Prior to joining USU, Michelle was the Deputy Director of the Center for Gravitational Wave Physics, at Pennsylvania State University. In this role she was responsible for integrating the research, education and outreach efforts of the Center and worked closely with research scientists to share exciting discoveries in the field of gravity with a broad range of audiences.

In the years prior to Penn State, Michelle was the deputy director of NASA's Montana Space Grant Consortium, she was a scientist in the Kellogg Radiation Laboratory at Caltech where she was the project coordinator for the California High School Cosmic Ray Observatory (CHICOS), and she worked as a public outreach scientist in the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley where she developed ways to bring the science of NASA missions to public and school audiences.

Michelle grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and after high school moved to Bozeman, Montana where she received her B.S. in Physics from Montana State University. She continued at MSU and received a M.S. in Physics and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics, with a research area in neutron star astrophysics. Since then, she has spent the majority of her career making research science interesting and accessible for broad audiences.

Michelle is also an amateur astronomer. She particularly enjoys sharing the more spectacular objects of the night sky with the general public. A favorite highlight was when a young child exclaimed, "Wow! Saturn looks just like a Chevy symbol."