1972

Women’s Center is officially established. It includes a small library, counseling services, referral services, and rape crisis support and advocacy.

1973

Feminists take over Gulley Hall after Marcia Lieberman is denied tenure and told that her scholarly publications were of "questionable quality" (read feminist). Demands are made to interim President Gant that included her reinstatement, a women's studies program, and childcare.

1974

Cathy Havens hired as the first permanent director of the Women's Center. Women's Center and Continuing Education for Women (CEW) move to a house on Gilbert Road. There are now 15 collectives serving needs of gay students, divorced women, rape survivors and black students. In November,

1975

There are now 15 collectives serving needs of gay students, divorced women, rape survivors and black students.

1976

Establishment of literary magazine. Center is recognized as a state resource for women.

1977

Publications of several topic specific booklets and general newsletter. Establishment of Information Clearing House and Brown Bag Rap.

1978

Expanded affiliation with state and national organizations. Involvement in National ERA March.

1979

Chairing a Day of Metanoia after a brutal assault on campus. Rape Crisis Collective leaves the Women’s Center to become a community rape crisis center serving the Northeast region.

1980

Launched pornographic awareness program. Instituted a series of sexual harassment workshops.

1981

Rape Education Program established.

1985

Started Women’s WHUS Radio Collective. Offered career counseling series.

1986

Publication of CT Peer Project on Teen Pregnancy, Education, Attrition. Involvement with Project on Women and Technology and CT Women’s Network. Major advocacy efforts to improve child care on campus.

1987

Co-sponsored two national conferences, “Global Perspectives: Local Action, Equality, Development, and Peace” and “Women, Work, and Technology.”

1988

Publication of “Inching Toward Equality” and “Small Indignities/Large Affront: A Qualitative Study of Graduate Life.” Establishment of Vocational Equity Research Training Evaluation Center with School of Education.

1989

Publication of three research reports (Double Jeopardy – The Precarious Status of Women of Color, Child Care – Everyone’s Concern, and Traditional Dreams in a Changing World: Balancing Work and Family).

1990

Publishing of “It’s Our Shop Too!” Chairing a campus Day of Metanoia committee.

1992

Establishment of Mandatory Orientation Training for all incoming students on sexual assault and acquaintance rape. Expanded support groups for students, services for women of color, and advocacy services.

2000

Publication of three research reports (Double Jeopardy – The Precarious Status of Women of Color, Child Care – Everyone’s Concern, and Traditional Dreams in a Changing World: Balancing Work and Family). Planning Participant for the 100 Years of Women Celebration. Initiated ongoing sexual assault training for athletes. Involvement in “We Won’t Go Back” rally in Washington, DC.

2001

Helped organize the first Cultural Explosion and Love Your Body Day.

2002

Awarded the “Advancing the Status of Women” award from the Soroptimist International of Willimantic, CT and recognized at the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund’s 15th Annual Hosted the 16th Annual Women’s Health Conference with the School of Nursing.

2003

Focused on staff development for full-time and student staff. Decision is made not to host Take Our daughters To Work Day due to the change by the national sponsors to include taking sons to work on that day as well.

2004

Many staff and students from the UConn Community participate in the March for Women’s Lives in Washington D.C.

2005

Women’s Center creates several new programming initiatives including “Creating Real Community”, “Celebrate Women Brown Bag Lunch Series”, “Support Staff Brown Bag Lunch”, and “Among Women”.

2006

Moves to the 4th floor of the Student Union. Launches “Don’t Cancel Your Class” program that allows faculty to work with Women’s Center staff to provide guest lectures when a faculty member is unavailable to teach.

2007

Ariel Levy, author of “Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the rise of Raunch Culture”, comes to speak to the University of Connecticut.

2008

The Women’s Center focuses on a Civic Engagement Project that attempts to enhance political interests of young women across campus and beyond for the Presidential election.

2009

The Women’s Center sponsored a lecture by Sheryl WuDunn, best-selling co-author of “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide”.

2010

The Women’s Center initiates and is the primary organizer for the University’s Constitution Day program, which recognized the 90th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Men's Project, a semester long program to train students who identify as men to positively influence their peers.

2011

The Women’s Center, along with the other Cultural Centers, becomes a part of the Division of Student Affairs.

2012

The Women’s Center collaborates with area high schools to develop a series of girls empowerment workshops - Girl 2 Girl (G2G). Greeks Against Sexual Assault (GASA)is launched. Celebrates their 40th Anniversary by inviting Gloria Steinem to the campus.

2013

Center served on the writing team for the University’s proposal, Next Generation Strategies for Advancing Gender Equity (Next Gen/SAGE), which was led by the Provost’s Office.  Served on the President’s Task Force on Civility and Campus Culture.

2014

Served on the Mandatory Sexual Assault Education/Prevention On-line Program Development Committee.  Co-sponsored 15th Annual International Human Rights Conference UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights - Human Trafficking, Forced Labor and Exploitation.

2015

Peer led Women In Stem (WiSTEM) mentoring program launched.

2016

2017

2018

2019

Women's Center launches In-Power, a peer led support group for victim-survivors of gender based violence. Women's Affinity Group for staff and faculty is launched.

2020

COVID

2021

Today

This year marks our 50th anniversary.