- Entry type: Organisation
- Entry ID: PR00047
Women’s Information Centre Flinders University
(From 1979 – 1984)- Occupation Library
Summary
The Women’s Information Centre at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, was established to assist female students with their studies and to act as a free library. The Centre was the focus of a campaign to save Women’s Studies at Flinders University when it was proposed that the course be withdrawn. This campaign was international with support from other women’s studies courses and lecturers. The Centre’s Name was changed to the Southern Women’s Recourse Centre and they published a newsletter Connections.
Details
The Women’s Information Centre was part of the Flinders University Students Union student services. It was part of the Union building on campus and housed not only a library of feminist books by women but also a collection of articles and students’ work. The Information Centre was open not only to students at the University but also the public and students from other educational institutions. Flinders University Women’s Studies Course was part of the Philosophy Department from 1973 and available to both enrolled students and women in the community. It had a progressive approach to teaching. The students’ work was assessed by fellow students and topics for essay or discussion were student driven. A daybook was kept to record tutorials and could be used for essay topics or further discussions. In 1981 the Women’s Studies course was threatened with closure. The students, staff and Union of Students mobilized a campaign to maintain the course. Through this campaign there were petitions and letters in support of the course, from both Australia and overseas. The outcome was that the course was retained and given a higher profile.
Published resources
- Resource
- Book