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Women's Caucus of the University of Idaho records, 1971-1980

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Women's Caucus of the University of Idaho
Title
Women's Caucus of the University of Idaho records
Dates
1971-1980 (inclusive)
Quantity
1 cubic feet
Collection Number
MG 109
Summary
Contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, minutes of meetings, and legal documents of the Women's Caucus of the University of Idaho. Also, newspaper clipping, newsletters, and publications pertaining to the American Association of University of Women and women in Technology in the U.S.
Repository
University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

In 1971, U of I President Ernest Hartung appointed a committee to study the high attrition rate of women students. About 35 percent of students were women, and their drop-out rate was 25-30 percent. The committee's scope was broadened to include other issues affecting women on campus, including the number of women in various faculty ranks, promotion, pay scales, etc. The committee did extensive work over the next year or so and published their findings (U of I's first "campus climate" report). Those interested in the committee's work would meet weekly, and became known as the Women's Caucus.

When President Hartung told the Women's Caucus he was unable to make the changes they demanded, and that they would have to file a formal complaint against the institution, the Core Group did exactly that, filing a complaint against the university with the Idaho Human Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in May 1973.

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Content Description

The material in this archival group is contained in one small file box. It consists of newspaper clippings, correspondence, minutes of meetings, reports of university committees, legal documents relating to the 1973 law suit which the Women's Caucus filed against the university, and brochures designed to inform women students of the opportunities available to them at the university. Series 2 of the collection also includes newspaper clippings, publications, and newsletters pertaining to the American Association of University Women and women in technology in the United States.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

[Description of Item], The Women's Caucus of the University of Idaho records, MG 109, Special Collections and Archives, University of Idaho Library, Moscow, Idaho.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The material in this group was separated by subject and the items in each area were then arranged chronologically. Folders containing the material are arranged alphabetically.

Series 2 consists of the second donation to the collection, processed in 2024. The materials in this group were separated by subject and genres, and the items in each area were then arranged chronologically. Folders containing the material are generally arranged alphabetically. Duplicates were discarded.

Acquisition Information

Series 2 was donated by Sharl Kay Keskinen, the last secretary of the Women's Caucus and its Core Caucus in July 2024.

Related Materials

Related materials may be found in: UG 71 (Women's Center Records), UG 59 (Women's Center Records), and MG 455 (Betsy Thomas Papers).

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Series 1: The Women's Caucus of the University of Idaho Records

    • Description: Affirmative Action
      28 items : Contains several newspaper articles from the Idahonian (1973-1975) dealing with affirmative action at the university, a letter from Virginia Wolf to President Hartung and Vice-president Richardson regarding affirmative action at the university, a copy of the Women's Caucus complaint filed with the Idaho Commission on Human Rights (May 18, 1973), minutes from two meetings of the Faculty Council in the fall of 1974 in which affirmative action was discussed, and the university's affirmative action plan as printed in the University Register, October 20, 1975.
      Dates: 28 February 1972-11 September 1979
      Container: Box 1, Folder 1
    • Description: Brochures, Publications
      22 items : Contains two issues of a newsletter entitled Awareness published at the University of Idaho, one copy of a Boise newsletter Feminist, and one issue of the Women's Center Newsletter. The remaining items in the folder are brochures published by the university which were designed to inform women of the opportunities available to them at the university.
      Dates: 1 October 1971-March 1975
      Container: Box 1, Folder 2
    • Description: Legal Suit
      43 items : On May 18, 1973, the Women's Caucus filed a suit against the University of Idaho, charging the university with sex discrimination in hiring, promotion, and salary. This folder contains several of the legal documents in the case, correspondence with the Idaho Commission on Human Rights, and related newspaper articles.
      Dates: 24 May 1973-13 August 1980
      Container: Box 1, Folder 3
    • Description: Legal Suit Interrogatory
      1 item : On May 18, 1973, the Women's Caucus filed a suit against the University of Idaho, charging the university with sex discrimination in hiring, promotion, and salary. This folder contains an interrogatory for the case, including several legal documents and correspondence.
      Dates: 14 January 1960-20 July 1973
      Container: Box 1, Folder 4
    • Description: Legal Suit (Duplicate Interrogatory)
      1 item : On May 18, 1973, the Women's Caucus filed a suit against the University of Idaho, charging the university with sex discrimination in hiring, promotion, and salary. This folder contains an interrogatory for the case, including several legal documents and correspondence. (duplicate copy)
      Dates: 14 January 1960-20 July 1973
      Container: Box 1, Folder 5
    • Description: Meetings
      97 items : Contains notices of meetings and minutes of meetings of the Women's Caucus for the period December 1971 to April 1980. Material is very incomplete for most years, 1971, 1977, 1978, and 1979 contain one item each. The most complete years are 1973 and 1974.
      Dates: 7 December 1971-16 April 1980
      Container: Box 1, Folder 6
    • Description: Notices, Letters, and Memos
      111 items : Contains the Constitution and by-laws of the Women's Caucus which were adopted in 1980. There are also several miscellaneous letters regarding the organization of the caucus, letters dealing with the lack of women on committees, including the Presidential Search Committee, suggestions for women speakers for the 1972 Borah Symposium, a list of caucus members, newspaper and magazine articles dealing with the women's movement in general, the report of the university's committee on language use policy, a brief history of the Women's Caucus, and a transcription of tapes made during a meeting caucus members had with President Hartung in April 1972.
      Dates: 21 February 1972-1 May 1980
      Container: Box 1, Folder 7
    • Description: Salary Equity
      87 items : Contains charts of academic salary distribution for the academic years 1972/1973 to 1976/1977, a report of the university committee on collective bargaining (1975), correspondence with the US Dept. of Labor Wage and Hour Division regarding the university's violation of the Equal Pay Act, questionnaire, newspaper articles, correspondence with George Kibbie of the Idaho Human Rights Commission regarding the compliance review, and the University of Idaho response to recommendations in the report of the State of Idaho Human Rights Commission compliance review (1977).
      Dates: 26 April 1972-1 May 1980
      Container: Box 1, Folder 8
    • Description: Women on Campus
      101 items : Contains reports of the Committee on Women's Education and the President's Committee on Women's Programs, studies on the reasons for the high drop-out rate among female students—including the results of questionnaires sent to those who dropped out, and newspaper articles related to the above material.
      Dates: 19 April 1971-November 1974
      Container: Box 1, Folder 9
    • Description: Women's Status in Contemporary Society
      9 items : This was the title of a seminar held at the University of Idaho Student Union Building on February 19, 1972. The items in this folder include the printed program and seven newspaper articles.
      Dates: 12 February 1972-23 February 1972
      Container: Box 1, Folder 10
  • Series 2: Addition to the Women's Caucus of the University of Idaho Records

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • University of Idaho. Women's Caucus
  • Women college students
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