Goals of the Capstone Women's Network (CWN)
to give personal and professional support to women at the universityto share pragmatic advice about developing professional skills
to alert the University community to skills offered by professional women.
History of The Capstone Women's Network
The Capstone Women's Network (CWN) began in 1980 as a local response to a national program designed to address two problems perceived in the mid-70s by the American Council on Education's (ACE) Office of Women in Higher Education: how to identify women who had shown promise for academic administration, and how to assist them to attain positions of educational leadership. A major premise of ACE was that opportunities for academic women "will expand and improve if more women are included in administrative decision-making post."
Initiated in 1977, the National Identification Program (NIP) for the Advancement of Women in Higher Education Administration aimed to establish a "personalized system of identifying, recommending and advancing women administrators," thus increasing the number of women prominent in educational leadership. In the individual states, the program was run by a planning committee, under the direction of a state coordinator and with the advice of a panel of men and women who influence and shape educational policy in the state.Martha Tack, Assistant Dean of the College of Education of The University of Alabama, was named State Coordinator for Alabama in 1980 and initiated an effort to expand the state master information file of qualified women and establish a network of women on each campus. Dr. Tack sent a memorandum dated June 3, 1980, asking University of Alabama faculty and staff women to respond if interested in being included in the master file. The qualifications for inclusion were: hold at least a M.A. degree and be in an administrative position or be interested in moving into administration. Approximately ninety women replied. Anne Toppins was chosen to represent The University to the state organization and met in October with other institutional representatives and the national director of NIP to plan for the implementation of the program on each campus.
With the support of Acting President Howard Gundy, Dr. Toppins selected a steering committee to determine the direction of the organization at the University. The original committee chaired by Dr. Toppins consisted of Camille Cook, Glenda Guyton, Marian Huttenstine, Carol Kay, Marjorie Knowles, Marie Panger, Louise Rich, Martha Tack, and Doris Williams. Graduate students Jeanne Angel, Anna Crawford, and Glenna Brown served as resource persons to the committee.
Goals set by the Steering Committee in the late fall differed from the national and state in two significant aspects: 1) all women on campus with at least a bachelors degree would be invited to participate in the local network; and 2) faculty women not interested in moving into administration themselves but interested in encouraging other women in that direction would be included as well as women administrators.
The committee also decided to develop a vita file of women interested in and qualified for administrative positions, sponsor events designed to address the needs and interests of women on campus, promote the development of a network, recommend the reestablishment of the Administrative Internship program, and encourage women to attend state, regional, and national professional meetings.
The specific goals of the national organization were to:
1. determine the present status of women in administrative positions in higher education
2. identify current female leadership in higher education
3. increase the visibility of women qualified by education, experience and personal characteristics for administrative positions in higher education
4. eliminate institutional barriers to women's advancement in higher education
5. create and maintain an on-going network of persons and groups interested in the recognition and continued progress of women leaders in higher education
6. increase the number of women nominated for major administrative position in higher education and successful in securing them.
At the local level, another invitation to all women not responding to the Tack memorandum was issued in January 1981. Over two hundred women responded. Vitae of those eligible for the state network were sent to the state information file.
Other actions of the committee in the spring of 1981 included the selection Capstone Women's Network as a name, contact with University administration to explain the purpose of the organization and sponsorship of several public events. These included a report of the Washington Women's Network by Majorie Knowles, a luncheon featuring Nina Martin, President of the Faculty Senate, and a working session with participants sharing ideas about the direction the local group should take. Several members attended a state meeting held by the Alabama Planning Committee. The focus of the first year had been on organizing and planning. The second year saw the implementation of those plans and a consolidation of the network.
In the fall of 1981, Carol Kay became chair of the steering committee, and Willita Zoellner and Joan Mitchell were added to the committee. A full schedule of three to four meetings each month featuring prominent speakers were held and enthusiastically received. Gloria Steinem, Edith Seashore, and Sarah Weddington were among those appearing. Popular features both fall and spring were the "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" programs occurring at members' homes with special invited guests.
In the first year of operations, the Capstone Women's Network had been financed by charging slightly more than the cost for each event. To offset the expenses of the greatly expanded organization, contributions of $25 ($15 student) were accepted the second year. These funds paid for a Directory of members as well as normal operating expenses.
The national program was originally funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York with support grants from the Exxon Education Fund, the Johnson Foundation of Wisconsin, the Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education, the National Institute of Education, and the Ford Foundation.
In 1993, CWN established long and short-term goals. These included official recognition as a campus organization. CWN mugs began distribution. A separate scholarship committee was established and membership goals were set at 225 by 1998. In 1994, CWN co-sponsored campus events with the Black Faculty and Staff Association. Dinner programs were conducted at CWN member's homes, titled "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."
In 1995, the CWN membership voted to amend membership eligibility to state "any woman employed by the University of Alabama or who is a graduate student is eligible for membership. Women retired from the University (to be referred to hencefoth as "retires") are also eligible for membership." The change was opposed by some members who felt the new membership changed CWN from its original purpose. The membership voted again with membership eligibility remaining for any woman employed by The University of Alabama. CWN records were moved to storage in the archives.
In 1997, CWN increased membership to an all-time high of eighty-five. CWN increased scholarship awards from two to three women studying at the capstone. During 1997, CWN also collected the largest contribution ($356) for Turning Point, a shelter for abused women.