The mission of the Women's Center, which was established in 1972, is to educate, advocate, and provide support services for the achievement of women's equity at the University and within the community at large. Special attention is focused on, but not limited to, women who face additional challenges due to their race, ethnicity, socio-economic class, sexual identity, religion, age, and physical or mental ability. This mission is accomplished through the major components of the Women's Center, which are Educational Programming/Cultural Events, Advocacy, Support Groups/Services, and the Violence against Women Prevention Program. The programs and services of the Women's Center are designed to support and enhance the experience of students, staff, and faculty on campus and include activities that fall in the following areas:

• Retention and Recruitment
• Programmatic Initiatives/Diversity Education
• Outreach and Public Service
• Advocacy
• Teaching and Learning
• Research and Evaluation
• Compliance
• Collaboration with Other Units

The Center provides a unique environment in which women are encouraged to explore the connections between their academic and practical experiences. Individuals are exposed to a variety of role models for women’s participation in a community and a variety of leadership styles. The Center provides services and educational experiences to both women and men, as evidenced by our establishment of the Men against Violence against Women Program and by the number of requests by faculty to facilitate discussions on gender issues and violence against women in their classrooms, especially the FYE seminars. The University’s investment in the Women’s Center is an investment in the creation of a non-sexist, more equitable learning environment for all.