University of Women Sheila Coursey, Kimberly Hamlin, and Teri Kennedy

Inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s essay and imaginative map project “City of Women,” three interdisciplinary scholars come together to reflect on, discuss, and imagine what a University of Women might look like. What is a University of Women? It is not necessarily a university consisting only of women-identifying people, though it could be. For our purposes, a University of Women is a place where women’s knowledge and experiences are centered and vital; where women’s names are etched on buildings and painted on portraits in conference rooms; where women’s contributions to literature, history, art, and the sciences are taught in all classes; where female faculty and staff face no discrimination, are equally paid, support one another’s success, and comprise half (or more!) of  university employees; and where all students are safe from sexual assault and are free to develop their minds, souls, and bodies. As far back as Christine de Pizan, who wrote The Book of the City of Ladies in 1405, women have been imagining such places, and the ghosts of our foremothers haunt our campuses. What can these pasts reveal about today, and what might our ideal University of Women look like? Join us as we delve in!