UCW History

September 24, 1999

President Arthur K. Smith appoints 24 UH-affiliated women to the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women for a two-year period to address the issues and concerns of women on the University of Houston campus.

October 18, 1999

First meeting of the commission is held. Ileana V. Treviño is elected chair.

November 17, 1999

At the request of the commission, President Smith expands the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women to 35 members to include males and other identified persons.

Spring 2000

Review and selection of consulting firms.

Summer 2000

Work groups formed; consultants begin gathering information; committee on the Status of Women (CSW) proposes to President Smith the formation of a Women’s Resource Center (WRC); President Smith defers final decision on proposal until commission’s final report; CSW invited to attend commission meetings.

Fall 2000

Consultants conduct survey across UH campus.

Spring 2001

Review of consultant findings; development of seven committees to write formal recommendations based on the consultant findings.

Summer 2001

Finalization of formal recommendations to the president and the executive summary.

September 21, 2001

Final Report with executive summary forwarded to President Smith.

Fall 2001

President Smith reviews recommendations with his cabinet.

January 17, 2002

President responds to commission.

Spring, Summer, and Fall 2002

Kathy Anzivino and Anne Jacobson elected as co-chairs; committees begin work on specific recommendations including the process of creating a single, permanent, campuswide advisory group on women's issues at the university.

March 11, 2003

Commission forwards bylaws of the University Commission on Women to President Smith.

May 13, 2003

President Smith approves, effective immediately, the establishment of the permanent University Commission on Women and the bylaws recommended for its operations.

November 5, 2003

President Gogue appoints the members of the new permanent University Commission on Women.

January 12, 2004

First meeting of the new, permanent University Commission on Women.