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SpeechesCommission for Women: Celebrating 50 years of progress
Graham B. Spanier
Good evening. It's a pleasure to be here to celebrate 25 years of Penn State's Commission for Women, an important and effective voice within our University community. April 3, 2006 I am sorry that I cannot stay for the entire evening because of travel arrangements made some time ago for an out of town event. However, I could not miss this historic occasion and the opportunity to personally tell Commission members--both past and present--how your work has positively affected Penn State and beyond. As you heard from Karen, over the last 25 years the Commission for Women has diligently worked to improve the climate on campus and advance the interests of women. The pioneering group of women that launched the Commission in 1981 were agents of change. It was a time when our nation also was struggling with equality and the advancement of women, and there was no clear path or easy step-by-step instructions to follow. Twenty-five years ago, those path-breaking Penn State women could not have known where their work would lead. They were simply trying to find their voice and change minds and attitudes. But their work, and yours subsequently, has forever altered the face of our University. As Karen indicated, the Commission was responsible for myriad policy changes, the creation of new programs, initiatives and research studies, and increased campus safety. The Commission has launched programs geared toward students and in every employment category at the University, and has helped increase the representation of women at the highest levels. From 1981 to today, the percentage of women with tenure at Penn State has more than doubled, reaching 25 percent of all faculty, and the number of female faculty now stands at 35 percent of our faculty ranks. At the executive level, women now hold 24 percent of those positions, as opposed to just 7 percent in 1981. In the administrative ranks, including academic administrators, there has been a 200 percent increase in the number of women holding those positions since 1981. The Commission for Women is a strong network that has reached well beyond our campuses and into our communities, supporting the establishment of resource centers and safe houses. To put it plainly, the Commission for Women is an important part of a greater movement of the last two decades--a movement that has opened doors for large numbers of women to enter the professions, the trades, and businesses of every kind. A movement that has propelled women into leadership positions, and provided educational opportunities with women now earning more than half of all bachelor's degrees and more than half of all master's degrees. The Commission for Women has played a critical role in positioning women at Penn State to access nearly unlimited opportunities for professional and personal growth. Those of you in this room who have lived through this progress know that it is women who made these changes happen -- concerned women, like you, who pushed the boundaries, lobbied for change, studied the issues, and boldly spoke out against injustices. Your success is unmistakable and significant. It won't be long before I will have been president for half of the years the commission has existed. During this time I have been thankful for your insight, passion, and vigilance. But as with most success, the work must continue. While many obstacles to women's progress have been eliminated, some still persist. I look forward to the day when everyone understands that the human race will reach its highest potential when equality is achieved. I appreciate your work in making Penn State a more welcoming community, as well as a more equitable and just community, and I look forward to your continued work on behalf of the women of Penn State. Congratulations to all of you. Enjoy your evening! |
