History:

The Women’s Place (TWP) is the result of efforts by Ohio State University women in all ranks advocating over the last twenty years to improve the climate for women.  Formal groups like Council on Academic Excellence for Women and Critical Difference for Women, and informal groups such as the ‘grassroots network’ and Association of Faculty and Professional Women (now the Association for Staff and Faculty Women) carried out these efforts on behalf of all women at OSU.  Regardless of the group, the goal was the same, to articulate what was needed within the University so that the climate was positive for women and so that women could succeed and advance.  Based in part on these efforts, President Gee appointed a task force for The Women’s Place in 1996 and the initial concept for the function was developed.

The Ohio State University has actively recruited women and minorities, but not retained them at the same rate, thus the percentage of women in tenured faculty and administrative leadership positions has not increased markedly over the years.  In 1998, President Brit Kirwan and Provost Ed Ray recognized the potential value of The Women’s Place in addressing climate issues that impact retention.

The Women’s Place opened its doors in January of 2000.  In its first years of service it created a website that served as a clearinghouse for information for women on campus, provided networking opportunities and served as a resource for faculty to support retention, implemented the President’s Council on Women, and collected data on climate issues for women and began publishing the Annual Report on the Status of Women at OSU. 

The office continues to focus on recruitment and retention for women and faculty of color, and continues to serve as a catalyst for institutional change to expand opportunities for women at the university.