News Release

____________________________________________________________

April 12, 2005

BOISE STATE JOINS NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR RESEARCH ON WOMEN

The Gender Studies Program at Boise State University has been accepted as a member of the National Council for Research on Women, joining such illustrious colleagues as Harvard University, Stanford University, Columbia University and the University of Michigan. In addition, members include organizations such as the International Center for Research on Women, the YWCA and the National Women’s Law Center.
 

Membership allows for access to resources, networking and information sharing relevant to women’s research or policy making. Lisa McClain, director of Gender Studies, said the new affiliation will serve as a focal point for a variety of state agencies and individuals working toward improving the below-average status of Idaho women, as reported in The Status of Women in Idaho report published in November 2004. Individuals and groups, whether connected to the university or broader community, can come together to access research, publish results, participate in cooperative projects and network both nationally and internationally.
 

“This also ties into the university’s mission to become a metropolitan research university of distinction,” McClain said, noting several issues the program is already looking into, such as the low number of girls and young women in engineering and math programs. The university’s proximity to the Capitol also makes it an ideal source of information for the Legislature, which needs the most up-to-date information available on women in the state and the nation, she said. “We want to be that resource.”
 

McClain said a long-term goal is to create a Center for Research on Women and Gender at Boise State, where organizations would not only have access to networking and existing research, but also a physical location and funding to pursue their own research.
 

The Boise State Gender Studies Program was created to investigate broad issues of gender and sexuality that affect both women and men. To learn more about the program, visit genderstudies.boisestate.edu.  To learn more about the National Council for Research on Women, visit www.ncrw.org.

-30-

Contact: Lisa McClain, Gender Studies, (208) 426-1985, lmcclain@boisesetate.edu

Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, University Relations, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu

The Office of Communications and Marketing - Boise State University
1910 University Drive - Education Building, #726 - Boise Idaho 83725-1030

208-426-1577
(fax)208-426-4001

email newservices@boisestate.edu

Last reviewed on Thursday, December 22, 2005