Recognizing the importance of a campus climate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute that is hospitable to all women, we have benchmarked a number of institutions similar to our own to ascertain their involvement in and provision for Women's Programs. Additional information was collected from their annual reports, as well as from two publications: the National Evaluation of Existing Women in Engineering Programs (WEPAN 1993) and the Final Report: The National Survey of Women in Engineering. (WEPAN 1991). Accordingly, after consultation with individual faculty, representatives of faculty committees, and staff, I have decided to appoint a Committee on the Status of Women at WPI that will report directly to the President. The Committee will be charged with the following:
The Committee will have broad representative both from within and outside the campus, as follows:
Alumna 1
Trustee 1
Faculty 4
Administration 3
Staff 2
Students (UG) 2
Students (Grad) 2
Corporate Rep. 1
To form the initial committee that will serve during the balance of the 1995-96 academic year, I am appointing the following individuals:
Helen Vassallo, Chair
Holly Ault
Chris Terwilliger
Janet Richardson
I ask that this group work out the details for building the committee to full strength for the 1996-97 academic year according to the procedure described below.
The election/appointment process for the future will be as follows:
Appointment of the alumna, trustee and corporate membership and election by secret ballot within each of the other named constituencies.
1. Term of office for alumna, trustee, faculty, administration, staff, and corporate membership would be three years.
2. Term of office for alumna, trustee, faculty, administration, staff, and corporate membership Term of office for students will be two years.
3. Terms will be staggered with approximately 1/3 of the committee membership changing each year.
4. Individuals are not eligible for direct re-election, but become eligible for election after a hiatus period of one year.
5. Vacancies that occur during the academic year shall be filled for the unexpired term by naming to that vacancy the individual who was the runner-up in the previous election process. Members filling unexpired terms shall not be excluded from re-election.
The Committee shall elect its own chair, who will report to the President. It is expected that this Committee shall meet at regular intervals during the year, that its Chair will meet with the President of the Institute, at least once a term, and that reports shall be issued.