This article offers a historical analysis of documents and narratives from Mexican American women that reflect the tumultuous 1990s at Indiana University. Their recollections reveal how they became activists, the racist incidents that compelled them into activism, and the racial tensions and backlash towards identity politics felt by students of…

This essay provides an overview of feminist methodology and its potential to enhance the study of higher education. Foregrounding the multiple purposes and research relationships developed through feminist research, the essay urges higher education scholars to engage feminist theories, epistemologies, and methods to inform policy, research, and…

Students' educational expectations are one of the strongest predictors of their future educational attainment (Mortimer, 1996; Reynolds & Burge, 2008; Sewell & Hauser, 1980; Sewell & Shah, 1968). Thus, the growing gender gap in educational expectations partially explains the growth in the gender gap in educational attainment (Reynolds & Burge,…

Profiles historically nontraditional students who attended state normal schools, discussing how normal schools met their needs. Overall, state normal schools had much in common with today's nontraditional schools, welcoming women, minorities, and other atypical students and encouraging them to reach beyond their unprivileged backgrounds. (SM)

Based on national longitudinal surveys, demonstrated the effectiveness of women-only colleges in cultivating students' desire to influence social conditions, mainly due to the socially active and altruistically oriented student climate of women-only colleges. Also illustrates how a model for studying institutional effectiveness and a multilevel…

Female graduate students with female major professors gave significantly higher ratings to the quality of the interactions with professors, and to professors' concern for their welfare, than did female students with male major professors. No differences emerged on other aspects of student-major professor interactions. (Author/MSE)

The influence of attending a women's college on early career attainments was assessed through a national sample of college students. When controlled for individual background and aspirations and for college selectivity and size, the net impact of attending a women's college on five measures of attainment was reduced to nonsignificance. (Author/MSE)

Women continue to receive fewer doctoral and first-professional degrees than men, even though women receive more bachelor's degrees. The underrepresentation of women holds even after allowing for time to complete an advanced degree. Although researchers have examined sex and racial/ethnic group differences in undergraduate enrollment (e.g.,…

A survey concerning sexual harrassment of 356 women graduate students at a major public university documents the extent and complexity of incidents of "everyday harassment" and both consensual and coercive dating and sex with male faculty. Current university policy is evaluated. (Author/MSE)

Feminist Phase Theory was used to analyze the literature on female community college students. Results suggest that thinking about women has been largely compensatory and bifocal (comparing men and women), focusing little on the value of women's experiences. Thinking about women was found to have changed little in 20 years. (Author/MSE)

This study examined the experiences of 22 women in advisory relationships with women dissertation committee members. Mentoring relationships became professional friendships, while nonmentoring relationships were marked by silent betrayals. Both phenomena were elucidated when advisees' recollections were compared with memories of mother-daughter…

A phenomenological study investigated 22 women doctoral recipients' perceptions of power and sexual issues in their relationships with male advisors. Variations in adviser style were also examined. How cross-gender advisement teams in the study dealt with these issues discriminated effective from ineffective mentoring relationships. (Author/MSE)

A study used the College Student Experiences Questionnaire database to examine whether a "chilly classroom climate" exists for women students in higher education, and if so, whether faculty behavior contributes to this environment. Results show female students were not experiencing this climate, and reported college experiences and gains…

A Montana State University project aimed at integrating content on women into courses throughout the university is described. The 40 faculty who participated in the project reviewed their classroom materials and behaviors for sex bias; conducted research on women, sex roles, and gender; and integrated this research into their courses. (MLW)

The history of Spelman Seminary (Georgia) for African-American females is reviewed as an example of education as an instrument of socialization for southern women to their prescribed roles. The discussion covers the missionary role, Georgia in the 1880s, the institutional mission, school founding, debate over classical versus industrial roles of…