A Preliminary Report on the Status of Women at Kalamazoo College

Abstract

This project to uncover the status of women at Kalamazoo College was a very difficult project to undertake due to the fact that no one had previously attempted it. The very fact that no one had previously conducted such a survey is what made it both a challenge and a necessity. It was difficult to know where to begin because I was unsure about what I was looking for. I therefore began with a search through the archives to give me general information about the school and women throughout the history of the college. This led me to more contemporary research, which entailed gathering information regarding students, faculty, financial aid, and national and GLCA comparisons. I was able to accumulate a great deal of data. These numbers reflect one aspect of the status of women; however, concrete numbers only scratch the surface of what is really occurring with women on campus. Numbers do not reveal the subtle problems or discrimination, nor the climate in which women students live. This is an important part of the status of women at Kalamazoo College that can, hopefully, be done after this foundational report. From all of my research it is possible to gain an overview of the status of women at Kalamazoo College, but there is still more research to be completed and other issues to explore.