The Women and Gender Studies program at Weber State began in 1991. Women and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary program dedicated to exploring women’s experience through their roles, contributions and scholarship. As such, the program studies the diverse representations of women within the contexts of ethnicity, class, sexual orientation and gender. It promotes new areas of research, discovers lost contents of human history, identifies women’s place in contemporary life, and encourages a sense of empowerment among students through analysis of their commonality of experience.
In 1980, a report was presented to the Faculty Senate by the Faculty Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Women’s issues. Prior to this, there were no courses dedicated to women’s studies at Weber State College (WSC). This was followed by a proposal in 1982 by the Women’s Studies Task Force for an interdepartmental Women’s Studies (WS) minor, but the proposal was not approved. In 1985-1986 another proposal was made to establish a Women and Gender Studies Concentration in the Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS). When this too was not approved, students negotiated a WS program under Ethnic Studies. In Spring 1989 students, faculty, and staff continued to meet through Honors Women’s Reading Group classes in WS, and faculty interactions once again began talks of establishing a WS minor.
In November 1989 Resolution #90-12 in support of the establishment of a WS minor was introduced at the Associated Students of Weber State College (ASWSC) Senate. The resolution passed unanimously on November 13, 1989. A few days later, student, Pam Harrison, head of the Women’s Studies Student Committee, and the first graduate with a WS minor in 1992, presented a proposal to develop a WS minor to the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee. Open meetings were held throughout the year to continue discussions. The meetings were announced through the Signpost and through memos mailed to persons who expressed interest in the program. Meetings were chaired in turn by professors Kathryn MacKay (History), Kathy Edwards (Communications), and Nancy Haanstad (Political Science). A Strategy Committee was formed and information was gathered from other institutions with WS programs. The Student Committee also collected 600 student signatures in support of a WS program at WSC.
In Fall 1990, Nancy Haanstad and Kathryn MacKay of the Strategy Committee met with Vice President Jeff Livingston to consider administration support, including budget concerns. Administrative support was given and confirmed by Robert Smith, Vice President of Academic Affairs. An administrative decision was made to house the proposed WS program in the School of Social Sciences. The Strategy Committee met regularly with Dean of Social Sciences, Richard Sadler to prepare the final proposal for a WS minor. On October 23, 1990 the Social Sciences Curriculum Committee unanimously approved the proposed WS program.
In November 1990, the first in a series of Faculty Seminars in Gender and Multicultural Issues was held, a memo sent to all faculty in the School of Social Sciences describing the proposed WS program, and a retreat for faculty to become acquainted with current scholarship in WS, to acquire theories, and practical strategies for integrating women’s and multicultural voices across the curriculum was held. On December 5, 1990 the revised WS minor program was unanimously approved by the Social Sciences Curriculum Committee. The following month the program was approved by the Curriculum and General Education Committee, and the Executive Committee places the WS program proposal on Faculty Senate agenda.
In 1991, the first year of the program, 15 students pursued a WS minor. At the time 24 credits were required, 12 coming from WS core curriculum, and 12 cross-listed electives.