Office of Women’s Affairs celebrates 40th anniversary

When the Office of Women’s Affairs was founded in 1972, the same year Title IX passed, women celebrated the creation of an office that would address gender inequalities on campus and empower women on campus and in the community.

This month, OWA is celebrating its 40th anniversary to coincide with Women’s History Month. The office created a timeline of women’s history at IU, which is on display at the Herman B Wells Library.

OWA is also creating a commemorative card series honoring famous IU women, as well as a cookbook for families on a budget. OWA is sponsoring a screening of the documentary “Miss Representation” on March 28 and planning a “Walk A Mile in Her Shoes” event during the Women’s Little 500.

“OWA is celebrating its 40th anniversary by empowering all units on campus to recognize the women who have been instrumental in facilitating the successes of their respective areas,” said Yvette Alex-Assensoh, dean of the OWA.

OWA’s programs and advocacy efforts affect women across campus, from undergraduate students to faculty and staff. The office funds groups such as IU Working Moms and the Women in Science Program and works with the University to ensure it’s providing resources such as childcare and lactation rooms.

On the cusp of this milestone, OWA is undergoing changes of its own. Alex-Assensoh will leave her post as dean of OWA this summer to become the vice president for equity and inclusion at the University of Oregon.

IU Interim Provost Lauren Robel congratulated Alex-Assensoh and acknowledged the time of change at OWA.

“I hope to take this moment to work with the office, and all interested constituencies, to envision how we might best structure initiatives on behalf of women on the campus to have the highest possible impact on women’s achievements and advancement at IU,” Robel said in a prepared statement.

“I am convening an advisory group from around the campus of people who have long histories of supporting women’s initiatives at IU-Bloomington and who can inform the vision for our future efforts to advance the success of women on the campus.”

IU Communications would not comment about whether it would seek a successor for Alex-Assensoh and, if so, when the hiring process would begin.

— Stephanie Doctrow