Abstract

This paper is based on the 2002 survey of women's studies programs and departments located in the Western United States. Questionnaires were sent to 106 institutions; 38 responded. The study updates and provides a comparison with a previous survey conducted in 1988. The study concentrates on program structure, personnel, funding, and curriculum. One significant finding of the 2002 survey is the increase in the number of schools that employ women's studies directors or chairs in regularly salaried positions: 63 percent compared with 23 percent in the 1988 survey. The current study also documents the emergence of a core curriculum, compared to the "adisciplinarity" of course offerings in 1988. Multicultural and global courses are now a more significant part of the curriculum. Ongoing problems such as budgetary constraints, including funding for additional faculty lines, and problems with support by students and administration at some schools, are discussed. Recommendations include the importance of additional tenure-track faculty lines to program stability and curriculum while recognizing the difficulties of current budgetary insecurity at many schools.

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