The records of the Academic Women's Caucus (AWC) provide an almost complete history of the AWC from its origins to the present, although the materials documenting the years 1972-1974 are not particularly strong. Many of the early records are from the co-chair Aline Soules. The records do provide valuable documentation of the general concerns of women faculty members at a major research university.
The Academic Women's Caucus (AWC) was officially formed in 1975 as an outgrowth of the Commission for Women, a unit of the Affirmative Action Office. The idea for the AWC was developed at a brown-bag lunch meeting which included Ann Larimore, Jean Cobb, Zelda Gamson, Harriet Mills, and Eunice Burns, all faculty and staff members of the University of Michigan. They decided to work with the Women's Commission Committee which was also interested in organizing a women's academic group. The group was first formed as the Academic Women's Committee of the Commission for Women and later was called the Faculty Women's Committee. In the summer of 1975, it took its present name, the Academic Women's Caucus.
The purpose of the group, as described in an AWC pamphlet, is "...to develop an inclusive organization of all women faculty members of the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses of The University of Michigan which will serve as a forum for the exchange of information about the status of faculty women at the University and as a focus for action necessary to the investigation and resolution of their special concerns. The history of the AWC and the equality movement of women faculty at the University is documented in the video Striving Toward Equity at the University of Michigan: 25 Years of the Academic Women's Caucus 1975-2000. The video was produced by member Ruth Barnard from 1999 to 2000 and reconstructs, through interviews, photographs and narration, the difficulties and discrimination faced by women faculty at the University.
"Via task forces and the initiative of individual members, the AWC has researched and testified in a variety of salary and equity surveys and cases at The University of Michigan. It has made presentations to the Board of Regents, and is consulted regularly by the Affirmative Action Office and top University administrators. Orientation sessions for new faculty women were an early and on-going feature of the Caucus. The continued monitoring and publicizing of data about the status of women faculty, primary researchers, librarians and curators was and remains a high priority. Women interested in academic administration have been identified and nominated for training workshops such as the one at Bryn Mawr each summer. The Caucus also regularly nominates women candidates for various awards and administrative positions.
"A new co-chair is selected each year and usually serves for two years, thus providing continuity for the group. Recently a steering committee was formed to help plan for the entire group, and as another continuity mechanism. This group is composed of several past chairs, current co-chairs, task force conveyors, and others interested in serving. Sub-committees and short-term task forces allow members to work on behalf of the caucus for the amount and duration of effort their schedules permit. The Affirmative Action Office of the University provides office support and other services to facilitate the work of the AWC." (See Box 1, folder: History, Awards Ceremony Program)
The Academic Women's Caucus records were processed by Melissa Johnson, May 1991; Kimberlee J. Mayer; August 1993; Lisa M. McNamara, January 1998; Kristine Palmquist, May 1999; Carol Whittaker, October 2001; latest update took place in January 2020.
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