The Women's Center records contain subject files, correspondence, memoranda, reports, proposals, surveys, programming records, committee records, flyers, job descriptions, training materials, photographs, slides, videocassettes, and other materials relating to the history and daily operation of the Center. Major subjects include sexual assault, crime prevention, safe sex, gender issues, sorority life, harassment, and women in science and engineering. Materials can also be found on the following groups or programs: BASES (Building Awareness through Shared Experiences); DARE (Duke Acquaintance Rape Education); GPWN (Graduate and Professional Women's Network); MAC (Men Acting for Change); SASS (Sexual Assault Support Services); Take Back the Night; VOICES (magazine published by the Women's Center); WISE (Women in Science and Engineering); Women of Color; and the Women's Center Art Gallery.
The collection also contains images and text from the "Breaking Out" exhibition. Exhbit materials consist of women sharing stories about sexual violence and harassment. The exhibit was created by students and co-sponsored by the Women's Center. Materials in the collection range in date from 1970-2014.
The Women's Center serves the Duke undergraduate, graduate and professional student communities. The Center was established in January of 1989 and began offering programming in the fall of 1989 after a two and a half year process begun by a group of undergraduate women who called themselves "The Coalition for a Women's Center at Duke." The Coalition researched and published a report outlining the need for a Center whose sole purpose was to support and promote student women and gender issues on campus. A task force was appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs and its charge was to further research the need for and explore the feasibility of a Women's Center at Duke. After being founded, the Women's Center expanded its services to include the Office of Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) in the spring of 1991.
The Women's Center is a department within the Division of Student Affairs and part of the Campus Life management team within the Division. The Women's Center's Director reports to the Assistant Vice-President for Student Affairs. The Women's Center's budget comes from the Division of Student Affairs. The SASS budget comes from Student Health fees. The Women's Center is currently (2008) staffed by 5 professional staff members: a Director, a Program Coordinator, an Office Manager, the Coordinator of Sexual Assault Support Services, and an Assistant Coordinator of Sexual Assault Support Services. Directors include: Martha Stewart, 1989-1993; Ellen Plummer, 1993-1998; Donna Lisker, 1999-2007; and Ada Gregory.
Processed by Sherrie Bowser, January 2009
Encoded by Josh Larkin Rowley, February 2009
Accessions A99-3, A2001-42, A2002-69, A2003-37, UA2006-0047, UA2008-0071 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.
Accession UA2022-0028 added and finding aid updated by April Blevins,
