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A Chronology of the Development of Women's Studies in Canada: the 1970's

[ 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 ]

1980

	Trent University offers a third-year History course entitled Women in North America, taught by John Syrett.
	The Women’s Studies Program on the St. George campus at the University of Toronto now offers a Minor, Major and specialist degrees, together with numerous core and cross-listed courses.

Women’s Studies begins at Bishop's University, originating as a 24-credit Minor for full-time students and a 30-credit Certificate for part-time students.

	Signature du Protocole UQAM/Relais-femmes. En lien avec la mission des services aux collectivités de l’UQAM, le Protocole non seulement permet d’officialiser et d’intensifier les liens de collaboration déjà établis entre des chercheures de l’UQAM et divers groupes de femmes, mais encore il offre, à travers les Services aux collectivités de l’UQAM, aux regroupements de femmes du Québec un accès privilégié aux ressources universitaires en formation et recherche, tout comme il donne aux chercheures universitaires accès aux savoirs, préoccupation.
	There are a sufficient number of courses and programs across Canada that a scholarly association, the Canadian Women's Studies Association, is founded. The Canadian Women's Studies Association is a bilingual, pan-Canadian, feminist association. Its members are Women's Studies faculty and students, as well as policy researchers and community activists. The goals of the CWSA are to build a Women's Studies network across Canada, and to promote Women's Studies as an interdisciplinary field within the academic community.
	Trent University offers a second-year Canadian Studies course entitled Canadian Women’s Writing, taught by Crystal Verduyn.
	Women’s Studies "Option" begins at University of Waterloo. The Women’s Studies Program later evolves and expands to include three or four-year General Major B.A. in Women’s Studies, Women’s Studies Minor, Women’s Studies Option, or Diploma in Women’s Studies. By 2001, Waterloo offers over 60 “WS Approved Courses” from all five of its faculties.
	Wilfrid Laurier University sets up an interdisciplinary Coordinating Committee and develops a Women’s Studies “Option,” following the example of the University of Waterloo. It may be taken only in combination with a General Major or Honours Program. The first Coordinator (1982-86) is Arlene Guinsberg (History).
	The Principal of Queen's University strikes a Women’s Studies Subcommittee to “examine the need for the development of an undergraduate program of Women’s Studies.”
	Mount Saint Vincent University introduces a 100-level interdisciplinary course in Women’s Studies. Over the previous decade, women-emphasis courses had been developed in various university departments.

	The Federal government announces, after pressure from academics, a plan to establish Five Regional Chairs in Women’s Studies with an endowment fund of up yo $500 000; these are located at: Mt. St. Vincent, Laval, Ottawa-Carleton, Winnipeg-Manitoba, SFU. Some of the holders of these prestigious chairs since then are: Monique Bégin, Joanne Boucher, Margaret Conrad, Huguette Dagenais, Margrit Eichler, Keith Louise Fulton, Helene-Lee Gosselin, Thelma McCormack, Maureen McNeil, Greta Hoffman Nemirof, Susan Prentice, Wendy Robbins, Sunera Thobani.
	The Wilfrid Laurier University calendar lists 2 WS courses, 6 core courses (in English, history, philosophy, psychology, and sociology), and 30 elective courses from both WLU and the University of Waterloo. Students are required to complete 5 full credits for the Women's Studies “Option.”
	The University of Ottawa, which has developed discipline-based courses focusing on women since the 1970s, establishes a Women’s Studies Program, its first interdisciplinary courses being taught this fall.

The Senate at Mount Saint Vincent University approves a Women’s Studies Major.

Five federally funded Chairs in Women’s Studies are endowed by the Secretary of State; these are located at: Mt. St. Vincent, Laval, Ottawa-Carleton, Winnipeg-Manitoba, SFU. Some of the holders of these prestigious chairs since then are: Monique Bégin, Joanne Boucher, Margaret Conrad, Huguette Dagenais, Margrit Eichler, Keith Louise Fulton, Helene-Lee Gosselin, Thelma McCormack, Maureen Mcneil, Greta Hoffman Nemirof, Susan Prentice, Wendy Robbins, Sunera Thobani.

	The University of Saskatchewan begins the establishment of Women's and Gender Studies in the fall through a subcommitee struck by the Committee on Academic Affairs. Six years later the first course is offered (see 1991).
	A minor concentration in Women’s Studies is proposed to the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen's University with IDIS-200- “ Introduction to Women’s Studies” being the first course to be offered, along with several courses from other departments within the Faculty of Arts and Science, as well as the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Law and the Queens Theological College. Dr Roberta Hamilton is the first Coordinator of the WS Program. An Honours program is also established in the same year.
	Athabasca University, an "open distance" university, offers its first course in Women’s Studies.

	The MPHEC (Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission) gives approval to a Women's Studies Minor in the BA degree at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton campus. The founding mothers are: Vicky Gray (Psychology), Jennie Hornosty (Sociology), Wendy Robbins (English), Janet Stoppard (Psychology), and Gillian Thompson (History). This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the admission of the university's first woman student, Mary Kingsley Tibbets. "The interdisciplinary Women's Studies Programme offers students the opportunity to study the experiences and achievements of women, with a view to gaining a more complete and balanced understanding of women's and men's lives, both historically and in contemporary society."
	Women’s Studies Program, to be housed within the Faculty of Arts, gets approval at University of Alberta. The first students enrolled two years later in 1988.
	A Women's Studies Diploma is approved at the University of Waterloo.

	Fondation du Centre de recherche (CRF) féministe au sein du GIERF (1987-1994). L’implantation du Centre coïncide avec une volonté de favoriser le regroupement des chercheures féministes au sein de l’UQAM. Le CRF regroupe les chercheures autour de trois thématiques principales : production/reproduction, femmes et pouvoir, théories, épistémologie et pratiques féministes.
	Élaboration d’un programme volontaire d’accès à l’égalité en emploi pour les femmes. Suite à l'annonce des programmes fédéraux, en 1987, le Ministère de l'enseignement supérieur et de la science du Québec signait avec l’administration de l'Université du Québec à Montréal un protocole d'entente en vertu duquel l’université acceptait de participer à une expérience pilote dans le domaine.
	Trent University offers its Women’s Studies Program, consisting of seven courses. (These courses are still taught today in some form or another in 2001.) The second-year foundational course, Introduction to Women’s Studies, is taught by Sally Cole (Anthropology).
	Mount Saint Vincent University’s Senate approves a Women’s Studies Department and an Honours option.
	Lakehead University founds a Women’s Studies forum for faculty members to discuss gender issues in curriculum development and academic research.
	A Minor in Women’s Studies is now offered at the University of Victoria.
	At OISE, Margrit Eichler, Rhonda Lenton, Louise Vandelac, and Rosanna Tite (research officer) begin data collection for the Canadian Women's Studies Project, funded by SSHRC.
	Carleton University establishes the Institute of Women's Studies in September. (It is renamed the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women's Studies in 1993.) It offers a BA Major and a combined BA Honours degree in Women's Studies, as well as a Minor to students in other disciplines.
	The University of Western Ontario establishes the Centre for Women's Studies and Feminist Research, jointly sponsored by the Faculties of Arts and Social Science. It administers honours, combined honours, and general programs in Women's Studies and promotes feminist scholarship through provision for resident scholars, a Distinguished Speakers Series, faculty colloquia, conferences, and publications.

	Queen's University now offers a total of 17 cross-listed courses in Women’s Studies; students may now enroll in BA (Minor), BA (Medial) and a BA(Honours-Special Field Concentration).
	A Major in Women’s Studies is offered at the University of British Columbia.
	At St. Thomas University, Tish Thornton is appointed as the first Co-ordinator of the program now renamed Gender Studies by the President of the university.

	Sur l’initiative des membres du GIERF, l’ACFAS, pour la première fois de son histoire, met une section « études féministes » au programme de son colloque annuel. Des membres du GIERF assureront l’organisation scientifique du premier colloque organisé dans ce cadre. Les membres de l’IREF ont depuis été très actives au sein de cette section.
	Établissement d’une concentration en études féministes au niveau du premier cycle. Cette concentration de six cours est offerte aux étudiantes et étudiants admis dans les différents programmes de premier cycle dispensés par l’UQAM. En plus d’ouvrir sur une éventuelle spécialisation, la concentration leur permet d’acquérir une formation de base en études féministes tout en poursuivant leurs études de baccalauréat dans leur champ disciplinaire respectif.
	At the University of Regina, a small but determined committee of women faculty members, known as the Ad Hoc Women's Studies Committee, coordinated by Leona Anderson (Religious Studies) begins developing courses in collaboration with students, and then a program of study, in consultation with members of the community. The academic departments involved are: English, History, Indian Studies, Political Science, Religious Studies, Social Work, and Sociology.
	A degree program in Women's Studies is now offered at Laurentian University. This becomes a full four-year program the next decade, in 1998-99.
	A Women’s Studies Program at McMaster University is approved. The first course, Women’s Studies 1A06-Women in Canadian Society, is offered the following year.
	The University of New Brunswick appoints Monique Frize as (probably) the world's first Chair of Women in Engineering. Her first duty, on Monday, December 11, is to attend the funeral services at the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal for victims of the Montreal Massacre. Five federally funded Chairs for Women in Engineering are set up across the country.