About PCOSUW
This page is no longer updated. In March 2022, the President’s Commission on the Status of University Women was re-launched as the the Gender Equity Alliance. Learn more about the Gender Equity Alliance here.
In the fall of 2011, President Waded Cruzado announced the formation of the President's Commission on the Status of University Women (PCOSUW) at Montana State University. The 28-member commission was created to study, evaluate and advise the president on issues related to diversity and gender equity.
In an advisory capacity, the Commission evaluates and works to improve issues related to gender equity and diversity on Montana State University's four campuses.
It is the Commission's pledge to facilitate the creation and sustainability of an environment of accountability, integrity, and optimism through collaboration between and among the MSU campuses, ensuring an atmosphere of equity, support, and balance. Through its continued efforts, the Commission will work toward the discovery and elimination of institutional barriers to the success of women and inspire women to become leaders, problem solvers, and innovators making meaningful contributions to MSU, the state of Montana, and society at large.
Through meetings each semester, and the monthly meetings of sub-committees, the commission will identify institutional strategies to improve campus climate, alleviate the isolation of women in academic and work units through hiring and retention initiatives, and accommodate the needs of diverse workers.