Since its founding in 1881, AAUW has led the charge to secure equal educational opportunities for women. As early as 1945, AAUW began to study the impact of sex discrimination on college campuses. Members at the branch and state levels, concerned about the exclusion of women due to the influx of returning war veterans, issued surveys to colleges and universities on the status of women on their campuses. This exercise led to a concerted effort to ensure women’s inclusion in all educational opportunities.
AAUW was already addressing the subject of sex discrimination before the passage of Title IX in 1972, so the organization was well prepared to jump into action when the issue came before a national audience. We were instrumental not only in securing passage of the legislation but also in fighting for the subsequent regulations that would ensure compliance with the law.