Yesterday's article detailed the attempts by the University to quietly admit women. Princeton now has more proactive methods of integration for women and minorities.
Today, there are a number of groups and programs that contribute to the wellbeing of women on campus. These support systems work to address women's student life, academic and health concerns.
Needs assessment
The Standing Committee on the Status of Women addresses the issues faced by female faculty and students. According to Colleen Shanahan '98, the committee features four "task forces" – student life, work life for University employees, information and needs assessment.
The needs assessment team is forming a survey that will result in policy recommendations regarding women. The survey and report was last issued in 1989 and included a recommendation that it be repeated five years later.
"One of the problems is that the University doesn't coordinate their surveys," Shanahan said. Four other surveys (unrelated to women) are being distributed this spring, so the committee will wait until next fall to distribute the needs assessment poll, according to Shanahan.
The survey will sample the opinions of equal numbers of undergraduate and graduate men and women about academics and campus life.
According to Shanahan, the overriding questions will be, "Do women and men see their Princeton experiences differently? In what ways are they different?"
Aside from the survey, the committee addresses the needs of working women: "Flex pay" for working mothers employed by the University was recently instituted, Shanahan said. Under the plan, women can alter their work hours according to their personal needs.
The committee also passed a resolution in conjunction with the eating clubs this year stating that women would not be subjected to unfair treatment during Bicker and sign-ins.
"Third floor Bicker" reports subsided this year, but dry bicker week may have contributed to a less sexist Bicker and sign-ins, Shanahan added.
"Selective processes create power imbalances," Shanahan said of the Bicker process, adding, "And alcohol creates behavior that wouldn't ordinarily take place."
Health concerns
Several health services groups address the issues of alcohol, social pressures and women's concerns. These services include Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising Resources and Education and the Eating Disorders Team.
Both groups are part of the McCosh health system and use undergraduates as counselors – the Eating Concerns peer educators and SHARE peer advisers. SHARE and the Eating Disorders Team have trained counselors at McCosh on-call on a 24-hour basis.
"A good majority of people who come through our office are female undergraduates," said Janet Waronker, director of SHARE.
"People are worried that if they come in, they'll be told to report (incidents to authorities)," Waronker said, noting that discussions with counselors or peer advisers are completely anonymous.
There are three options for people who feel they have been sexually harassed or assaulted. A victim can ask SHARE for a mediator to work through the issues between the two people involved, appeal to the University disciplinary committee or file suit in the New Jersey state court system.
Waronker said she tells those who she advises of the available options, but never instructs them to take disciplinary or criminal action unless they desire to do so.
There are factors present in the social environment that precipitate harassment, Waronker said.
"Some of it is being new and younger, and wanting to be accepted in places like the clubs," she said. "You don't have anyone around you saying anything, any female role models to say 'That's not right.' "
Waronker said alcohol consumption also creates situations conducive to sexual harassment. "It's an environment where things are more tolerated than they should be," she explained. About 90 percent of coerced sex cases that are reported to her involve alcohol, she said.
While there are some cases of students feeling harassed or assaulted by preceptors, teaching assistants, staff, or faculty, most involve two undergraduates, according to Waronker.
Social and psychological pressures also contribute to eating disorders on campus.
"I think there's definitely a certain air at Princeton," said Michelle Toering '98, an eating concerns peer educator. "There's a lot of competition especially because there are a lot of athletes who are used to being the best in high school."
Toering said the vast amounts of food available at buffet-style PUDS meals, snacks during late-night study sessions and study breaks can contribute to abnormal eating habits among female students.
"There's pressure to be that much thinner, or better – so they think," Toering said. "Some might feel this is how they'd be noticed."
"If you talk to upperclass women, we are very aware of these eating disorder problems," Shanahan said. "We can see when its going to happen – usually the summer between freshman and sophomore years. You can almost pick out to whom its going to happen, how its going to manifest itself. If it's that predictable, maybe we should be directing more resources toward prevention."
According to sources who have asked to remain anonymous, some women have called McCosh this academic year and been told the support groups run by trained counselors are full. "The response that a support group is full is unacceptable," Shanahan said.
Women's Studies
While the Standing Committee on the Status of Women and Health Services discuss some of the social dilemmas faced by women on campus, there are proactive organizations pertaining to academics and student life.
Two programs – the Women's Studies program and the Women's Center – attempt to bring campus women together to study and develop women's sense of self.
Melissa Crane '98 is an English major who is working to receive a certificate in Women's Studies. "A lot of times, the syllabi of certain courses lend themselves to women but aren't listed as Women's Studies courses," Crane said.
Women's Studies currently offers WOM 201: "Introduction to the Study of Gender," WOM 301: "Sociobiology, Sex Roles, and Human Development" and WOM 302: "Feminist Political Theory," as well as some upper-level courses on women and science, and women and political theory.
Crane said she has taken almost exclusively cognate courses and would like to see more courses exclusively under the WOM heading.
The politics department does not have any members who have gender as their main research or teaching subject, said Wilson School professor Jennifer Hochschild, who is on the programming committee for Women's Studies.
"It needs to move in the direction of social sciences and gender," Hochschild said of the Women's Studies program.
"It's hard for that program to attract people. They don't attach that WOM to as many classes as they should. Some people find the intro course lacking," Crane said.
Crane, whose thesis topic is on the changing role of the muse, said she has enjoyed being in the Women's Studies program, but would like to see the name changed to Gender Studies.
Crane has also addressed women's issues in the context of student life, starting a mentoring program between female juniors and female freshman in conjunction with the Women's Center and the standing committee.
So far, the program has only started in Forbes college, Crane said.
Women's Center
Founded in 1977 as a student organization, the Women's Center was involved with events surrounding the feminist movement of the 1970s. Now, the center holds events to create solidarity among females on campus and to raise awareness of women's concerns.
"When the first women were here, the needs and concerns of women were much different than they are now," said Women's Center Director Cheri Sistek. "The scales have shifted. We're now less of an advocacy group and more of a programmatic place."
The Women's Center, SHARE and the local chapter of National Organization for Women will help sponsor a Take Back the Night march Thursday in honor of female victims of sexual violence.
Shanahan collaborated with the Women's Center to create the Princeton Women's Alumni Connection between current and former undergraduate women. Also, female alumnae created a Friends of the Women's Center organization, according to Sistek.
In addition to individual events and networks, the Women's Center initiates discussion on women's issues.
"I think the social life here really fits into a lot of stereotypes," Sistek said. "I think the prevalence of alcohol on campus has some heavy-duty effects on women."
Sistek also cited elements of the social scene besides alcohol that put pressure on women.
"Physical appearance is very important. I think we attract a lot of students who are perfectionistic," she said.
Shanahan expressed similar sentiments. "The University must continue to pay attention to gender issues. I think you've got a lot of people here who are perfectionists or competitive," Shanahan said.
Many people feel " 'I'm going to be as fit as all my friends. I have to be the smartest. I have to look the best. I have to be the cutest. I have to be the thinnest,' " she said.
Sistek said academic pressures are placed on women as well. "I've heard women say their contributions in class discussions are not valued as much. I've heard them say they don't want to contribute as much in precepts."
Last year, the administration suddenly moved the Women's Center from Murray-Dodge Hall to Stevenson Hall with little student input. Sistek said although the distance from the center of campus is greater, she now has more space.
Although Sistek said she has enjoyed her time at the University, her job has been demanding. "It takes a lot of energy to work for change in an institution that is slow to change," said Sistek, who is leaving at the end of this year to teach young children.
Associate Provost Georgia Nugent '73 agreed that the University has some changes to make.
"The way in which coeducation and integration of minorities was accomplished was assimilation," Nugent said. "The way we're looking at it now is, 'I expect to change because of Princeton, but I expect Princeton to change to accommodate me.' "
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