Us Congress House Bill HR1091

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/24
• Refer: 3/19/24

Caption

Recognizing and thanking the Nation's women's colleges and universities and recognizing March 5 as "National Women's Colleges and Universities Day".

Impact

By acknowledging the unique contributions of women’s colleges, HR1091 seeks to elevate their status within higher education discourse. The resolution points out the significant role these institutions play in increasing the number of women, especially women of color, earning degrees in STEM fields, thus addressing gender disparities in these critical areas. This resolution could potentially bolster advocacy efforts aimed at maintaining and enhancing support for women's colleges, especially as institutional challenges mount in the current higher education landscape.

Summary

House Resolution 1091 recognizes and thanks the Nation's women's colleges and universities while designating March 5 as 'National Women's Colleges and Universities Day.' The resolution highlights the long-standing mission of women's colleges, which have been pivotal in providing access and opportunities in higher education for women over the past 250 years. The resolution pays tribute to the remaining 30 women’s colleges in the United States, underscoring their commitment to diversity and socio-economic mobility, particularly among first-generation college students and Pell grant recipients.

Contention

While HR1091 is primarily a recognition resolution and may not be contentious in the same way as a policy bill, it does reflect underlying issues regarding the sustainability and relevance of women's colleges in contemporary society. As the number of women’s colleges has drastically declined from 230 in the 1960s to only 30 today, there lies a broader debate over educational equity and the means to support diverse educational environments that cater specifically to women's needs and experiences in higher education.