The center is the result of almost four years of work by women on campus, including graduate student Susan Shome, who gathered initial data in support of the center. Burger is often invited to speak with classes about careers for women in science. In making plans for the Women's Center, the organizers visited or talked by phone with directors of more than 20 such centers around the country. They also held focus groups with students, faculty and staff members, and community groups, to determine if there was support for the center and, if established, what its role should be. Goals focus on institutional change and assistance to individuals and to groups.
Students often come in to talk with center personnel about problems they are having.
Services include information and referral, support services and advising, educational programming for women and men, and advocacy for women and women's issues. The center specifically addresses issues of recruitment, retention, and sexual assault and harassment education. The center is the administrative home for Women's Week. The phone number is 1-7806. The Coordinating Council for Women's Concerns , formed in 1989, identifies problems and opportunities for women on campus, then proposes solutions and advocates policies on behalf of women.