The Women’s Studies Program: Female Pioneers Opening the Road to a Complete Education

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Matthew

In the fall semester of 1970, San Diego State University founded the first Women’s Studies program in the United States. Eleven years later, UTEP instituted a program of its own. The founding of Women’s Studies marks a proud moment in the history of the institution and has allowed for students of this university to comprehend the issues that face women, both in the past and present. Additionally, a more precise education on women’s issues promotes a more understanding future among the sexes.

Cover of an early Women’s Studies Program Pamphlet from UTEP

Although the program was officially formed in 1981, Dr. Mimi Gladstein had been teaching Women’s Studies courses at UTEP since the early 1970’s. Dr. Gladstein’s efforts to “create campus wide interest” on the subject of sexuality and to institute a permanent program faced some difficulties. According to Dr. Gladstein, the main issue faced was to “make evident to the community that the courses were intensely academic” and that they were not “touchy-feely” as was often believed.

Interior of Women’s Studies pamphlet. Note the amount of classes offered.

Her efforts become even more respectable when one learns of the difficulties faced at this institution in the past. For instance, Dr. Gladstein herself, when inquiring about employment at UTEP in the 1960’s was told by the chair of the English Department that “we don’t hire housewives.” Dr. Gladstein’s tenacity shines through when realizing that upon the retirement of the aforementioned chair, Dr. Gladstein took his place as head of the Department of English.

Dr. Gladstein with prominent feminist Gloria Steinem.

Award earned by Dr. Mimi Gladstein

There was not a full-time director of Women’s Studies until Dr. Brenda Risch accepted the interim position in 2006. In 2007 the position was upgraded to a more permanent status, and Dr. Risch is now the first tenure tracked assistant professor of Women’s Studies at UTEP.

Dr. Brenda Risch

Prior to her accepting the position, the directors of the program also maintained positions in their primary fields.

Women, including Dr. Kathleen Staudt, Dr. Lois Marchino, and Dr. Gladstein among others, rotated into the directorship while maintaining their responsibilities to their respective departments.

Dr. Kathleen Staudt

Dr. Gladstein during the early days of the program

The admirable perseverance of these women should be an inspiration to anyone who is interested in women’s rights and history, which is presented in the courses. The program has progressed from humble beginning to a wide variety of courses, now numbering thirty-three. Courses now offered include topics ranging from gender in popular culture to the revolutionary women of China. These advances, and the tireless efforts of all those involved in the program are a testament to the viability and importance of the program for future generations.

Sources: Dr. Mimi Gladstein, Dr. Brenda Risch, UTEP Library Spceial Collections Dept., The Politics of Women’s Studies: Testimony from the 30 Founding Mothers

Woman's Auxiliary of UTEP

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Laura

In 1924, a group of prominent El Paso women, led by Mrs. Frank H. Seamon, organized the El Paso Women’s Association (Sponsors’ Club), which later became known as the Woman’s Auxiliary. The charter members, aware of the college’s increasing needs, aimed “to do any and all things conducive to the betterment of the College and ultimate welfare of the student body.” The ladies worked tirelessly to raise funds for student loans and to help pay faculty salaries. They supported dormitories, gyms, and athletic teams, organized band and music programs, and developed the library. The club members worked to beautify and landscape the barren campus. Among many other projects, the women also started and staffed the Pick ‘n’ Shovel cafeteria, the first campus dining facility. Later, the group supported the building of the Centennial Museum and purchased collections for the museum.

The student body was very grateful for the ladies’ efforts, stating in the 1924 Flowsheet, “The most important thing that has happened this year in its bearing on the welfare of the College of Mines has been the organization of the El Paso Women’s Association.” The Woman’s Auxiliary still actively supports the university with student scholarships and other activities and buy cheap cialis online will hold an annual anniversary tea on April 14, 2012.

Sources: The Flowsheet, 1924, and Woman’s

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Auxiliary records, MS387, C. L. Sonnichsen Special Collections Dept., The University of Texas at El Paso Library.

Students Change

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Keith

In 1914, when the school opened, 27 students enrolled. All were male and one was from Mexico. In 2010, 22,640 students enrolled, 54% were female, and 77% Hispanic.

The story of UTEP’s history involves growth, obviously, but also demographic transformations. The rise of female students mirrors national trends as women now receive more undergraduate and doctoral degrees than men in the United States. The shift in ethnic composition was the result of conscientious leadership initiatives, beginning as early as the 1960s.

After Two Years without Female Students

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Keith

[The Texas College of Mines operated for two years without any female students--27 males the first year, 14 more more the second. In the fall of 1916, however, two female students enrolled and by the fall of 2010, that number had risen to 12,265 to constitute 54% of the student population. The El Paso Times story below is about one of those first two female students and, though the headline gets the number wrong, later in the article it notes that the second female student could not be located.]

1st coed at college honored

October 23, 1983

59 men, 1 woman in 1916

[Note: enrollment was only 37 in 1916]

By Rick Cantu
Times staff writer

Ruth Brown McCluney recalls being surrounded by young men when she entered the State School of Mines in 1916.

After all, she was the first woman – ever – to register at the school, now called the University of Texas El Paso.

McCluney, now 83, was invited by UTEP President Haskell Monroe to join homecoming ceremonies this weekend. She was the guest of honor at a banquet honoring the university’s golden graduates Saturday at the Student Union.

When speaking of her years at the mining school, McCluney said most people have one question on their minds: What was it like going to school with 59 men?

“I never really thought about it in that fashion,” she said. “I had known a lot of the boys from high school for from Asbury Methodist Church, so it wasn’t as if I was a stranger.”

Later, she said with a laugh, “Nothing ever happened with those boys because they were busy getting their mining degrees.”

Another girl, Grace Odell, enrolled at the school with McCluney but she left after one semester and no information could be found on her whereabouts.

McCluney said she transferred to the University of Kansas in 1920 to earn her chemistry degree.

McCluney, 16 at the time, entered the mining school because she was too young to leave El Paso. Her father had read in the local newspaper that the school was allowing women to enroll for the first time.

“My father wanted me to stay in town and I guess I wanted to stay here, too,” she said. “I understood that there were two years of instruction available to me in my field and that I would leave after that.”

She said expansion of the school over the past 67 years has been “amazing.” She recalled there were only four buildings when she attended the school.

“The thing that amazes me now is how today’s students need to use their cars to drive one block from the dorms to get to their classrooms,” she said.

McCluney, who has lived in Fort Worth the past 42 years, taught high school chemistry after she graduated from Kansas. She and her husband, Eugene, soon will celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary.

Eugene was unable to attend the banquet because of an illness. But McCluney’s sister and brother-in-law, Gladys and Jack Carnes, sat with her at the guest-of-honor table.

About 70 people attended the banquet, including 17 graduates of the class of 1933.

Women’s Basketball

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Keith

[Note: We're on spring break here at Transformations, but we could not let the Lady Miners go unnoticed. Our thanks to Trish Long at the El Paso Times.]

1990: UTEP Women’s Basketball celebrates 25 years

11/21/1999

By Matthew Aguilar

El Paso Times

A handful of fliers, a slippery floor and $1,000.

That’s what the UTEP Miners women’s basketball team started with back in 1973 when Don Lewis and Wayne Thornton decided the men’s basketball team at the University of Texas at El Paso – already a powerful program that had netted a national championship seven years earlier – needed a complement. So Lewis and Thornton started a grassroots campaign to get the women on the court.

“I had just started college, and we started asking girls on campus (if they) wanted to play,” Thornton said. “We had fliers, posters, and we got a good response from girls who wanted to get something going.”

Twenty-five years later, the women’s program compares favorably with the men’s program, traveling extensively to big-time tournaments in places such as New York City, developing a core group of fans and regularly getting exposure and radio.

Transformations

A Blog about UTEP's History and Centennial Celebration

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