President's Commission on the Status of Women Records, 1971-2010

The President's Commission on the Status of Women (PCOSW) was established in 1972 as an independent commission responsible to the President. Composed of both men and women from the student body, faculty, and university staff, PCOSW advises the President and other administrators on issues of concern to women at the University, such as the availability of child care, lighting on campus and other safety issues, institutionalized sexism in the hiring process, pay equality, and the recruitment, retention, and tenure of women faculty.

The Commission has regularly sought input from faculty, staff, and students on issues of concern to women, and commission members frequently represent the group at events like University Day and Charter Day. According to Mary Perkins (Chair, 1988), the mission of the commission is to “recruit, employ, and promote women in student, faculty, staff, and administrative positions; improve educational opportunities for women at both undergraduate and graduate levels; appoint women faculty, staff, and students to positions of greater responsibility in university governance; and establish and maintain programs that enhance the professional development of women in teaching, research, and service.”

PCOSW has historically advocated – and continues to advocate – for women at every level of University service and involvement. In 1987, PCOSW and the College of Science co-sponsored an initiative – “Women in Science” – as a support network for undergraduate women in science. Co-organized by Anne Brodie (Biochemistry and Biophysics) and Ilsa Kaattari (Microbiology), the initiative is still active. In 1989, PCOSW advocated that the Women Studies program at OSU be elevated to department status.

In 1992, PCOSW spearheaded the creation of the Staff Development Award, with funding from then-President John Byrne, the Office Personnel Association (OPA), and the OSU Management Association (OSUMA). The award was created to “commend the efforts of a supervisor at any level who supports and encourages classified staff and management staff to participate in educational opportunities. The award consisted of a framed certificate, $400 to be used to fund further staff development, and $200 as a bonus to the supervisor. Later that decade, the name of the award was changed to the University Professional Development Award.

In 1994, PCOSW’s Faculty Recruitment and Retention Committee presented the results of their five-year focus on the “concerns and treatment of tenure-track women faculty at OSU.” Entitled “Achieving Parity for Women at Oregon State University,” the report laid out the current level of underrepresentation of women at OSU, the challenges women face both in and out of the work place, and how the goal of parity might be achieved. The Committee also formulated twelve recommendations that would assist in reaching parity, including: raising awareness on campus of the underrepresentation of women at the ranks of associate and full professor; hiring more women at all ranks, particularly at the senior rank of professor; establishing University-wide rules for parental leave, and affirming OSU’s positive and supportive philosophy toward the right of parental leave; conducting a University-wide salary equity study of faculty salaries; and investigating the extent to which women faculty experience gender harassment in the classroom and in their interaction with students.

In its role as advocate for women at OSU, the Commission has often responded publicly to developments and traditions on campus that are seen as sexist and demeaning to women. In the past, such controversies have included the continuation of the Ms. OSU Pageant, and the portrayal of rape on a T-shirt produced by an OSU fraternity for the annual Civil War game.

According to the Commission’s current bylaws membership in PCOSW is comprised of General Members and Ex-officio Members. New general members drawn from the ranks of faculty and classified staff are appointed by the President of OSU. Annually, a call for volunteers is sent out by the OSU Faculty Senate Office. The list of volunteers is then forwarded to the President’s office; the President makes the final selection, and mails a formal letter inviting the individuals to serve on PCOSW. Student general members are appointed by the Associated Students of OSU (ASOSU). Ex-officio members are “standing members representing other campus organizations and units that have similar goals and can assist PCOSW in furthering its mission.” Unlike general members, ex-officio members are invited by the Leadership Team to serve on the Commission; they are not appointed by the President.

The Commission is governed by a Leadership Team consisting of: a Chair or Co-Chairs, a Public Relations Officer, a Membership Officer, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Website Officer. Chair / Co-Chairs serve two-year terms, and may serve only one consecutive, two-year term. All other officers serve year-long terms, and may serve no more than four consecutive terms in the same office. Faculty, staff, and student members serve for one three-year term; student members may be appointed for a one-year, renewable term. All terms of office begin and end in August.

The Commission’s work is typically conducted between August and May, and much of this work is done outside of general meetings, in committees with special focus. Past committees and task forces have included the Institutional Services and Practices committee, the Research Assistant committee, the Sexual Harassment Task Force, the Women in Science Task Force, and the Women on Committees Task Force. Present standing committees include the Speaker Series, Scholarships and Awards, and Campus Climate and Institutional Change.

The leadership team for PCOSW for the 2019-2020 school year is comprised of: Whitney Archer and Diana Ulrey (Co-Chairs), Brittany Nefcy (Treasurer), Kim Hack (Secretary), Mealoha McFadden (Membership), and Erin McIlraith (Communications). Past chairs have included Mary Perkins, Debbie Colbert and Cari Maes (Co-Chairs, 2017-2018), Laura Rice (Chair), Karel Murphy (Chair), Moira Dempsey (Co-Chair), and Michelle Bothwell (Co-Chair).

[Sources used in this guide: The central, OSU landing page for the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, and especially the “About” and “Bylaws, Annual Reports, and Meeting Minutes” tabs, was consulted heavily in writing the historical note for this collection. Additional sources used are linked to in the text of the historical note.]

Accruals: Additions to the collection are expected.

More Extent Information: 7 boxes

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: The records were transferred to the University Archives in numerous accessions from 1992 through 2011.

Related Materials: The Special Collections and Archives Research Center has other records that address and examine the climate for women students, faculty, and staff at OSU, particularly with regard to the recruitment and tenure of women faculty. These holdings include the Faculty Senate Records (RG 044), the Affirmative Action Office Records (RG 172), the Student Affairs Records (RG 102), and the Women's Center Records (RG 243). There are also PCOSW records in the record group for the President's Office Records (RG 013), and the Oregon State University Child Care Records (RG 280).

Preferred Citation: President's Commission on the Status of Women Records (RG 159), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Finding Aid Revision History: This finding aid replaces an earlier version created in 2003.

President's Commission on the Status of Women Records, 1971-2010

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