Operated by the University of Richmond, Women Involved in Living and Learning (WILL) is a four-year program with academic and social components. Every one of the program's more than 100 participants--who enter WILL immediately upon arrival on Richmond's campus--graduate with at least a minor in women's studies. In addition, they attend lectures, workshops and run their own student government.
But WILL admits only women--a point program directors insist is exactly what makes it work.
"Given the power differentials in this culture, for women to have a space and place to talk, organize and act is crucial," says Holly J. Blake, director of the WILL program. "For many it provides an outlet for activism, for others [WILL is] a community."
According to Blake, the program has yet to think about how Title IX might affect its admissions policies. And the University of Richmond is in an unusual Title IX situation. Though men and women attend classes together, they live separately at two "residential" colleges, each of which operates its own extracurricular activities and administration.
In the gray world of Title IX, the women's campus, Westhampton College, may very well be eligible for the same kind of Title IX exemption Radcliffe College once enjoyed.
But Dean of Westhampton College Patricia C. Harwood says the importance of single-sex programming should outweigh Title IX considerations, even at schools that receive no explicit Title IX exemption--like those visiting Richmond to learn about WILL this weekend.
"I think that if we use Title IX to eliminate gender-specific efforts in education, I think we are throwing the baby out with the bath water," Harwood says. "I think it's very helpful to have both single-gender and co-educational experiences in one's collegiate life. It's not that one should negate the other, but that one learns different things from each."
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