The Utah Women and Education Initiative (UWEI), which launches its website at
www.utahwomenandeducation.org, will be led by Director, Mary Ann Holladay and Senior Advisor, Dr. Susan R. Madsen. It is an outgrowth of the Utah Women’s College Task Force (UWCTF) convened by Governor Gary Herbert in 2011 to make recommendations that would lead to an increased number of women attending college and completing post-secondary degrees in Utah. In 2012, the Utah Legislature appropriated $100,000 in funding for the Utah State Board of Regents to implement the task force recommendations, which included establishing the Utah Women and Education Initiative.
Housed at the offices of the Commissioner of Higher Education, the charge of UWEI is to implement the 10 key recommendations that came out of the UWCTF. The recommendations include, promoting post-secondary education for women in Utah, creating a “college-going” culture for women in Utah, creating women-focused mentoring programs, retaining current female students enrolled at Utah institutions of higher education, and creating flexible attendance and credit options for students who balance education, family, and work. The complete list of recommendations can be found at
www.utahwomenandeducation.org
