◆ SpookStack

E. - .Rossi Rouse.’ ASA Swomanpower™ became the major issue at the 1969 Anerican Sociological Association meeting in San Francisco. This came about through the efforts of Dr. Alice Rossi of the Sociology Department of Goucher Cole lege and monber of the NOW national board ‘who organized a Women's Caucus within the ASA whose se is to transform the role ‘of women in the association, on campuses ‘and in society in general, - - ‘The Woments Caucus, which with diffic- -wity got the endorsement of both the ofe *€icial caucus, the Berkeley Women's Socio~ {dogy Caucus and the Women’s Radical Caucus tof the Sociology Liberation Movement group ;was given @ room at the ASA convention for a caucus meeting that would have held only '250 people. Oly through "last minute ;wery scary and iffy tactics...we got a - ghift of room to the main ballroom by ‘ official handling of ASA president, much :as he disliked doing it,” according to pr. Rossi. The caucus mseting was attended by well over 500 pepple, and the next day at the i general business meeting, Dr. Rossi decid-= F ed to use. the time to present a speech and " yead ten resolutions that the caucus had - pdopted and to motion that the membership rendorse the spirit of the resolutions. + In her speech, Dr. Rossi asserted that i where women are concerned, the majority of i male soctologists are guilty of the "put down" through ridicule disguised as sexual flattery and discrimination tn hiring and ‘promotional practices. She accused these men of accepting and acting upon set ster- eotyped expectations regarding male and female socially and intellectually. She also stated that the sociological profes- sion accepts complacently and convention= ally that “what is ought to be". She indicted society in general and the sociology professioi in particular for the ‘Fact that, according to the findings of the women's caucus survey of graduate de- partments in the spring of 1969, women L were 30% of the doctoral candidates in — 4% of the full time full professors in graduate departments; elso women are 39% of the Research Associates in the elite oapeerererronars Associate and 1% of the full Professors in these same top departments. Dr. Rossi stated that what the Women’s enetsacersenesateniinl graduate school this past years; but only. graduate departments but only 5% of the — the Caucus seeks is "effective and dramatic -_ action". This was put in the form of the following resalutions: 1. That every sociology department give priority to the hiring and promotion of faculty on the same salary scale as men; 2. That equitable stipend support be given to graduate students regardless of sex for both full and part-time programs of study; 3. That sociologists collaborate with others from the relevant disciplines in proposing and assisting in the establish- ment of day care centers for pre-school children of employees, faculty and stue dents at all colleges and universities; 4. That women sociologists be given the encouragement and support to establish new courses on the history and sociology of women and the analysis of women's movements for political and social change fn all college and university sociology departments; 5, That sex inequality be added as a topic to all courses and texts which cover social inequality but are now confined to race, religion and ethnie citys 6. That flexibility guide the appointment of both men and women to department facule ties, facilitating easy transitions betwe- en full and part-time appointments to in- crease the career continuity of women with family responsibilities or to permit men to play significant roles in their fam- {lies and commnitiess 7. That women sociologists be added as quickly as possible to all comaittees amd boards within or related to ASA; 8. That sociology endorse the principle of parenthood leave and family sick leave for all employees, faculty and students at colleges and universities; 9. That sociology consider the findings of its own research; 10. That the Council and the editorial . boards of the American Sociologist estab- lish a new section in this journal, to be entitled the "Women's Caucus Newsletter" to be handled by an editorial representa=- ‘tive of the Women’s Caucus. —_ "The Council not only Nw - . 1s 1 AN . ‘ endorsed the spirit of B9 WOT FOLD, SPINDLE OR MUTILATE on independentiy“to urge all graduate. dopartments to discuss and take ef- fective action on then,