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Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 310

Smithsonian Institution Women's Council

Records, 1972-1983

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:Smithsonian Institution Women's Council
Title:Records
Dates:1972-1983
Quantity:5.5 cu. ft. (11 document boxes)
Collection:Record Unit 310
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

The records of the Council consist of correspondence; memoranda; newsletters of the Council and related women's groups; SIWC's constitution with amendments and original charter; newsclippings; meeting agendas; photographs of Council members, Smithsonian officials, and special events; an architectural drawing and plans of a proposed site for a child care facility at the Smithsonian; and copies of publications related to the Council's activities. Included are files documenting the election of the Council; minutes, correspondence, and financial records from Council meetings; surveys, evaluations, and reviews of statistical data of women and minorities in the Smithsonian workforce; a 1983 report to the Smithsonian's Executive Committee discussing the Council's history, achievements, and areas of involvement; files of various committees including the Four Star newsletter, career development, child care plans for Smithsonian employees, training, and upward mobility; files on a proposed Smithsonian women's exhibit; and records of the SI Minority Women's Council, a group formed prior to the official establishment of the SIWC.

Historical Note

The Smithsonian Institution Women's Council (SIWC) was formally established by the Secretary of the Smithsonian on April 19, 1972. The Council was originally organized as an informal group of women employees to discuss promoting the status of women within the Institution's hierarchy. The Council's goals are dedicated to the achievement of women employees, especially in their gaining access to jobs previously closed to them because of their sex. In addition, it lends cooperative strength to individuals and groups seeking to promote the good of all Smithsonian employees. The SIWC's membership operates as a voluntary support group, representing the concerns of employees to the Smithsonian administration. The Council reports directly to the Assistant Secretary for Administration, and its fiscal authority lies with the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. From 1973 to 1979, Council members were elected annually by Smithsonian employees; thereafter, elections were held biannually. The Council consists of the twenty members who receive the highest number of votes in the election; the remaining nominees serve as alternates. The Council convenes once a month to conduct its business meetings. During these meetings, projects and proposals are discussed, direction of Council activities is examined, and formal action is taken on various issues. The Executive Committee of the Council consists of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian. It meets weekly to establish administrative priorities and the agenda for the next SIWC meeting, provide an update on current projects, and discuss sensitive issues. The stated goals and objectives of the SIWC are achieved through providing training opportunities, employee benefit programs, lectures, and the publication of its newsletter, Four Star. The Four Star was first issued as a bimonthly from June 1980 to April 1983, and with the June/August 1983 issue, it became a quarterly publication. Chairpersons of the Smithsonian Institution Women's Council have included Edna Owens, 1972; Gretchen Gayle, 1973; Edith Mayo, 1974; Mary C. Quinn, 1975; Diane G. Walker, 1976; Penelope A. Packard, 1977; Rosemary M. DeRosa, 1978; Charlene James, 1979; Audrey B. Davis, 1980; Margaret Santiago, 1981; Elizabeth Beuck, 1982; and Susan Kalcik, 1983- .

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Descriptive Entry

The records of the Council consist of correspondence; memoranda; newsletters of the Council and related women's groups; Council's Constitution with amendments and Charter; newsclippings; meeting agendas; photographs of Council members, Smithsonian officials, and special events; an architectural drawing and plans of a proposed site for a child care facility; and copies of publications related to the Council's activities. Included are files documenting the election of Council members; minutes, correspondence, and financial records from Council meetings; surveys, evaluations, and reviews of statistical data on women and minorities in the Smithsonian workforce; a 1983 report to the Smithsonian's Executive Committee discussing the Council's history, achievements, and areas of involvement; files of various commmittees including the Four Star newsletter, career development, child care plans for Smithsonian employees, training, and upward mobility; files on a proposed Smithsonian women's exhibit; and records of the SI Minority Women's Council, a group formed prior to the official establishment of the SIWC. Working copies of the Four Star are restricted.

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Access Restriction

Boxes 10 and 11 contain materials restricted indefinitely; see finding aid. Contact reference staff for details.

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 310, Smithsonian Institution Women's Council, Records

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Container List

Series 1

ORGANIZATION FILES, 1972-1983.

Includes self-nominating petitions; ballots; candidates' platform statements and, in some cases, tallies of votes; and procedures for nominating and voting. Also included is the Charter for the SIWC, April 1972, signed by Secretary Ripley.

Box 1

Folder 1 Charter, 1972

Box 1 of 11

Folders 2-9 Elections, 1973/1974-1983/1985

Box 1 of 11

Series 2

MEETINGS' MATERIALS, 1972-1983.

Includes notices of meetings, agendas, minutes, correspondence, memoranda, financial records, and general reference to Council activities, which are elaborated on in specific Committee folders in Series 3 below.

Box 1

Folders 10-12 Meetings, 1972-1974

Box 1 of 11

Box 2

Folders 1-7 Meetings, 1975-1980

Box 2 of 11

Box 3

Folders 1-4 Meetings, 1981-1983. Folder 4 includes "Report to Executive Committee," February 1983.

Box 3 of 11

Series 3

COMMITTEES' FILES, 1972-1983.

Box 3

Folder 5 Bylaws and Constitution, circa 1972-1982. Includes a chronological set of constitutions as amended, circa 1973 to May 1981, with pertinent memoranda, as well as a December 1982 proposal for amendations. Although termed "Bylaws," these are articles of the Constitution.

Box 3 of 11

Box 4

Folder 1 Bylaws and Constitution, continued. Includes sample bylaws and constitutions of other organizations; procedures for handling Women's Council's budget; and copies of annotated Women's Council's Constitution.

Box 4 of 11

Folder 2 Career Development, 1973-1974, 1976-1978, 1980. Includes reference material on flexitime.

Box 4 of 11

Folders 3-5 Child Care Inside SI, 1973-1983. Also referred to as Day Care, Dependent Care, Learning Center, and Services and Benefits. Includes "Smithsonian Child Care Projects: Study I, The Employee Information Exchange" and "... Study II, On-Site Learning Center" by Joyce R. Manes, Child Care Coordinator, 1975. Also included is the architectural drawing of proposed facility, 1982.

Box 4 of 11

Box 5

Folders 1-2 Child Care Outside SI, 1972-1982. Includes clippings, resource information, and miscellaneous references and architectural drawings for Outdoor Play Area for Department of Labor Day Care Center, 1978.

Box 5 of 11

Folder 3 Information Processing-Secretarial Clerical Support, 1981-1982

Box 5 of 11

Folder 4 Four Star, 1980. Includes general correspondence, memoranda, and samples of other newsletters.

Box 5 of 11

Folder 5 Policies and Procedures, 1982

Box 5 of 11

Folder 6 Programs, 1975-1982

Box 5 of 11

Folder 7 Publicity, 1973-1978

Box 5 of 11

Box 6

Folder 1 Publicity/Newsletters, Four Star Serial. Includes copies of the newsletter of the SIWC, December 1976 to May/June 1979 and a complete set of the Four Star from June 1980 to June/August 1983.

Box 6 of 11

Folder 2 Publicity/Stationery, 1981

Box 6 of 11

Folders 3-4 Publicity/Torch, 1972, 1975-1980. Includes monthly issues of the Torch in which there are references to the Women's Council.

Box 6 of 11

Folder 5 Recruitment and Promotion, 1973-1978. Includes Secretarial Skills File material.

Box 6 of 11

Box 7

Folder 1 Services and Benefits, 1978, 1983. Includes Women's Council input to the American Federation of Government Employees, 1978, and health-related materials.

Box 7 of 11

Folder 2 Training, 1982-1983

Box 7 of 11

Folder 3 Upward Mobility, 1974-1981

Box 7 of 11

Folder 4 Women's Week 1983-Health Fair. Includes sketches of proposed SIWC logos.

Box 7 of 11

Folder 5 SI Federal Women's Program/Women's Week, 1973-1981

Box 7 of 11

Folder 6 SIWC Orientation Training, 1974-1981

Box 7 of 11

Folder 7 Federally Employed Women and SIWC 1980 Conference

Box 7 of 11
EXHIBITION, MEMBERSHIP, PHOTOGRAPHS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND RELATED MATERIALS, 1972-1983.

Box 7

Folder 8 SI Women's Exhibit, 1981

Box 7 of 11

Box 8

Folder 1 Membership List, 1972-1980

Box 8 of 11

Folder 2 SIWC Photographs, 1974-1983. Includes group photographs of Council, 1974-1975, 1977, 1979, 1982-1983; SIWC Executive Committee, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981; training sessions, 1975-1976; Gloria Steinem lecture, 1979; and the Dorothy Rosenberg retirement reception, 1979.

Box 8 of 11

Folder 3 SIWC Library, 1981. Includes memoranda and purchase orders for publications.

Box 8 of 11

Folder 4 SI Minority Women's Council, 1972-1973. Includes information concerning the nature of this group that preceded, paralleled, and was partially assimilated into the SIWC.

Box 8 of 11

Folders 5-8 External Women's Organizations

Box 8 of 11

Box 9

Folders 1-3 Women Today, 1973-1977. Incomplete set.

Box 9 of 11

Folder 4 International Women's Decade, 1975

Box 9 of 11

Folders 5-6 SI Policies, Programs, and Statistics

Box 9 of 11

Folder 7 Smithsonian Year/WC, 1972-1981

Box 9 of 11

Series 5

FOUR STAR WORKING COPY, 1980-1983. [RESTRICTED]

Box 10

Folders 1-12 Volumes 1-2, June 1980-April 1982

Box 10 of 11

Box 11

Folders 1-8 Volumes 3-4, June 1982-October/December 1983

Box 11 of 11