Interesting piece in today's NYTimes by Tamar Lewin, titled ‘Sisters’ Colleges See a Middle Eastern Bounty. It seems women’s colleges are a dwindling breed in the United States. So this spring the admissions deans of the five leading women’s colleges — Bryn Mawr, Barnard, Mount Holyoke, Wellesley and Smith — went recruiting to a place where single-sex education is more than a niche product: the Middle East. Read the rest.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Women's Colleges Head East -- Middle East, That Is
Interesting piece in today's NYTimes by Tamar Lewin, titled ‘Sisters’ Colleges See a Middle Eastern Bounty. It seems women’s colleges are a dwindling breed in the United States. So this spring the admissions deans of the five leading women’s colleges — Bryn Mawr, Barnard, Mount Holyoke, Wellesley and Smith — went recruiting to a place where single-sex education is more than a niche product: the Middle East. Read the rest.
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I worked as a grants director for a private women's college, one of the oldest in the country. There was a lot of fear among alumni (not so much among faculty) that they would have to open up admissions to men (the evening school was already co-ed). I understood their anguish to a certain extent, as I attended an all-girls school a few years in my day, but the reality for many colleges is that young women nowadays are far more comfortable studying, working and living alongside their male counterparts than even a generation ago. Becoming co-ed because of economic necessity isn't a sign of betrayal, but rather of the times.
Cheers,
Marjorie
Marjorie - what an interesting historical vantage point you have on this. I think it's fascinating, this change in the times. Do you think ultimately the women's colleges will all turn co-ed? On other fronts, I hope you received the book I sent?! Enjoy!
Deborah,
I don't think that all women's colleges will go co-ed, but I do think that more will close up shop or otherwise go the co-ed route in the next 10 years or so. Some of the institutions are just not prepared for the rapid changes that are occurring in the modern era of higher-ed. Some of them are mired in alumnae politics and fundraising, with each strangling the other. Throw in faculty politics and poor leadership, and you've got yourself a recipe for disaster.
I think a few will survive, and those who do will be well poised to become among the strongest institutions in the academic world, co-ed or otherwise. It's unfortunate that, much like in the private sector, success breeds more success as people flock to the shining stars and ignore the struggling institutions, even though much can be said about the more intimate and collegial atmospheres of smaller colleges. But at a time when college isn't about education for its own sake anymore, or about creating a society of intelligent citizens, but rather about finding a career that can garner oneself a ton of money, small, underfunded and undersupported colleges will have a hell of a time staying afloat.
Cheers,
Marjorie
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