Women's Studies Task Force

The Women's Studies Task Force, a student group, was formed as an operational group of the Women's Resource Center (WRC) in February, 1979. Faith Reidenbach, a member of the Center, served as the group's first chair, and other WRC members formed the bulk of the initial membership of the Task Force. In 1979, the Women's Resource Center (chartered by the College in 1973) supported three task forces, the other two being the ERA Task Force and the Health Task Force.

The Women's Studies Task Force was formed at a crucial time in the history of the development of women's studies at Smith College. The Task Force, like its parent organization, the WRC, played a vitally instrumental, if little recognized role in providing impetus towards a formal women's studies program at the College. The Task Force was formed under the 'pledge' of the WRC to "work with the CEP [Committee on Educational Policy] for as many years as it takes to persuade the administration to recognize a formal women's studies program" (WRC Newsletter, Feb. 16, 1979).

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