March 26, 157u

Addexdum to Proposal for an Institute for the Study of

Women end Sex Roles, CUNY Graduate Schoci and University Center

From a wertaty of sources faculty and administrators of the Graduate
School and University Center have been pressed to become seriously involved
in the area of women's studies. Students have a Sr the need for
additional coursework on this subject to supplement the very few courses
currently being offered at the doctoral level that pertain to the study
of women and sex roles. Students who have wished to pursue interdiscipli-
mary study ead/or dissertation research in the area of women's studies
have found it difficult to obtain the necessary encouragement and guidance.
Faculty and students seeking support from outside agencies to fund proposed
research projects have expressed their need for the sponsorship of sity
official body within the Graduate School and University Center. At the
same time, we have received suggestions that range at one extreme from
the development of a community public information center with Ceaaclmusuaes-<
raising as a major goal, at the other to the proposal for a new graduate
degree in Wonen's Studies.

_A committee of concerned faculty,. students, and administrators studied
and discussed these issues during 1975 and cohcindee bar while the Graduate
School and University Center needed to develop a mechanism to support the scho~-
larly study of women and sex roles, it did not eueiiend bene the public~
information model nor the development of a new degree.. Instead, the committee
agreed that a program SL oprsueteteny titled an Institute for the Study of

Women and Sex Roles is needed to fulfill two major purposes: a) to coordi-

nate the development of research and instruction in the area, especially of


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aDDZNDUM - page 2

az interdisciplinary nature, end b) to provide a vehicle for. seeking
outside funding for sponsored research and related scholarly programs
such as symposia and conferences, The overall character of the proposal
is an emphasis on scholarship rather than on public information, although
the committee agreed that the latter sbiective might assume a more promi-
nent role once the major functions were well under way.
The Graduate School and University Center therefore proposes to
- establish an Institute for the Study of Women and Sex Roles aa Guplinea in
the earlier memorandum dated February 18, 1976. When the Institute is
epvroved, the President will appoint a Director. After one year the progress

of the Institute will be evaluated so that planning for subsequent years may

take place.