Expanding Women's Opportunities

Women have challenged gender-based discrimination at Vanderbilt, a school founded for the education of young men since their arrival on campus. The items and documents featured in this case underscore women’s attempts to make space for themselves on campus over several decades. The administration attempted to ignore these attempts until 1926, when the Board of Trust hired the first Dean of Women. Since then, women both in the student body and on the staff fought for equality as the administration slowly began to change policies in their favor. The aftereffects of these battles still affect campus culture and official Vanderbilt policy today.