Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Established in 1980 as part of the Center for Continuing Education of Women (now CEW+), the Women in Science and Engineering Program (WISE) has sought to increase the number of women who major in and seek advanced degrees in mathematics, science and technical fields. WISE has offered internships, resource guides, programming, and the Warner-Lambert lecture series towards this goal. In addition to supporting women at the collegiate level, WISE offers a variety of K-12 programs for students of any gender identity, although they are primarily aimed at women and girls. Records include correspondence and reports; physical and digital materials related to programming efforts, including the Warner-Lambert lecture series and Girls in Science and Engineering summer camp; funding proposals; research papers and talks by WISE staff members; and clippings and documents related to the establishment of WISE. Planning files for the Girls and Science and Technology (GASAT) IV Conference 1987, digital transcripts and recordings from an oral history project that sought to preserve the history of University of Michigan alumnae in the sciences and engineering, and material related to Smartgirl.com as well as the Women in Engineering Office are also included.

The WISE records (11.3 linear feet and digital files (online)) reflect the changing approaches that WISE took to encourage and support women in the sciences and engineering, as well as the changing organizational structure of the program. Specific formats include correspondence, digital photographs and videos, grant applications and program proposals, oral histories, research studies and talks, publications, reports, web archives, and background material on women and sciences at the University of Michigan. Prominently represented in the collection are WISE's various programming efforts, the Women's History in Michigan Science and Engineering Oral History Project, and the Women in Engineering Office (WIE).

Support group founded at the University of Michigan to aid minority women employed as office and professional staff members in combating racial and sexist stereotypes and in providing counsel on matters of career planning, job hunting, and development of communication skills. Records include newsletters, brochures, and webpages of the Task Force, and programs and publicity for its Annual Career Conferences.

The Women of Color Task Force Publications include directories, newsletters, programs, brochures, and announcements, annual reports, clippings, posters, press releases, and programs of the Women of Color Career Conference. The publications are organized into two series: Unit Publications and Sub-Unit Publications.

Support group founded at the University of Michigan to aid minority women employed as office and professional staff members in combating racial and sexist stereotypes and in providing counsel on matters of career planning, job hunting, and development of communication skills. Records include subject files detailing activities of the Task Force, especially to those conferences it sponsored; also history, minutes, correspondence, photographs, publicity, publications, and videotapes.

The Women of Color Task Force (WCTF) records include subject files detailing activities of the Task Force, especially to those conferences it sponsored; also history, minutes, correspondence, photographs, publicity, publications, and videotapes. The Women of Color Task Force (WCTF) records are divided into three series: Administrative, Events and Audio-Visual

Records, 1939-1983, of the Women of the University Faculty. Includes constitution, history, membership rosters, minutes, financial reports, and correspondence.

Most of the records, 1939-1983, of the Women of the University Faculty have been arranged in chronological order by academic year. The first files contain basic information -- such as a history, various revisions of the constitution, publicity, duties of officers, and summaries of activities. There are also files relating to the group's clubroom and the hosting of the Senate and House Club (wives of Michigan legislators) on two occasions. The general files, arranged by academic year, include membership rosters, lists of officers and committee members, minutes, financial reports, and correspondence.

Established in 1984, disbanded in 1992, the Washtenaw County chapter of Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament (WAND), was a local women's initiative advocating peaceful alternatives to armed conflict. The group's members sought to accomplish this goal through coalition-building with other peace and justice organizations, education, political action, and promotion of nonviolent conflict resolution. The record group includes meeting agenda and minutes of the Coordinating Committee (the central organizing body) and subsidiary committees (Executive, Political Action, Strategic Planning). Also included is the WAND newsletter, summaries of member surveys (1985-1987), flyers of special events, and videotapes of protest demonstrations.

Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament, Washtenaw County Chapter records include meeting agendas and minutes of the Coordinating Committee (the central organizing body) and subsidiary committees (Executive, Political Action, Strategic Planning). Also included is the WAND newsletter, summaries of member surveys (1985-1987), flyers of special events, and videotapes of protest demonstrations. The WAND records are organized into four series: Administrative Records, Newsletters, Campaign files and Audio and Visual Materials.

A 2001 research project conducted through the University of Michigan Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG) on the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare's (HEW) investigation of a complaint of gender discrimination at the University of Michigan in 1970. The complaint led to amendments to Title VII and to Title IX in 1972. Files include administrative files and audio cassettes of interviews.

The records of the University of Michigan Institute for Research on Women and Gender's research project, "Women's Activism Against Sex Discrimination: The 1970 HEW Investigation of the University of Michigan" have been divided into two series: Project Files and Interview Audiocassettes.

Papers, 1970-1976, of the Women's Advocate of the University of Michigan, office created to meet the personal and legal needs of women at the University of Michigan. Contain reference and topical files concerning women's issues, especially abortion, childcare, health care, legal problems, affirmative action, and equal rights.

A large part of the collection consists of reference files of articles related to women's issues. Topical files include materials on career planning, the Center for Continuing Education of Women, the Women's Media Center, and childcare programs and other projects for women at the university. Annual reports, evaluations and various committee reports related to the work of the Women's Advocate Office are also included.

Records, 1905-1962, of the Women's Athletic Association of the University of Michigan. Include constitution, minutes, reports, and other materials; also record books detailing administration of Michigras and Spring Weekend, social and fund-raising activities jointly sponsored with the Michigan Union.

The records contain the original constitution and those of 1953 and 1959, officers reports (1955-1961), executive committee record books (1905-1929), record books (1917-1960), lists of officers, and annual reports of activities. Newsletters, scrapbooks, and photograph detail the activities of the W.A.A., including those of the Michigras Committee and the Spring Weekend Committee.

Researchers interested in the Women's Athletic Association should also consult the records of the Department of Physical Education for Women, which include a history of the Women's Athletic Association.

Administrative unit of the University of Michigan Athletic Department responsible for management of women's varsity sports. Records, including topical files, committee minutes, administrative files, and materials on Title IX, document the period when Womens Athletics operated as a semi-autonomous unit under a Director of Women's Athletics.

The Women's Athletics records document the evolution of varsity sports for women at the University of Michigan, and the struggles women engaged in for equity in funding, coaching, facilities, and scholarships. The bulk of the collection represents the administrative files from Phyllis Ocker's tenure as Associate Director for Women's Intercollegiate Athletics. The records document the internal development and management of the women's athletics program, governance of women's athletics through the various intercollegiate conferences and associations with which the program was affiliated, the implementation of Title IX and subsequent internal and external complaints and investigations, and the management and operation of individual sports teams. (Additional material, including media guides, game programs, and photographs for individual sports teams, and microfilmed news clipping scrapbooks can be found in the Bentley Library in the records of the University of Michigan, Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Sports Information Office.)

Women's support group founded in 1971 to aid and counsel victims of rape and abuse. Background materials, coordinator's files, publicity files, and visual materials.

The records of the Women's Crisis Center (WCC) document the goals and activities of this organization in Ann Arbor during the 1970s and 1980s. The bulk of the collection consists of press articles about rape in Washtenaw County, training manuals, and other documentation given to the volunteers of the WCC. The records are divided in four series : background materials, coordinator's files, publicity files, and visual materials.