Campus Safety Updates

Campus safety continues to be a concern for our students on campus.

Campus Blue Lights

Curious about the Blue Lights, what they do, and how long it takes for a response? Check out these videos.

• Campus Blue Lights - Part 1
• Campus Blue Lights - Part 2
• Campus Blue Lights - Part 3

Research and Data

Learn about the state of female-identified students on campus.

The Status of Women at Sacramento State (2024)

Women's Resource Center History

Timeline

1978 - Sacramento State establishes the first Women's Resource Center with help and inspiration from the Women’s Studies Department.

1980 - The Women’s Resource Center launches expanded programming including workshops.

1981 - WRC establishes “Women’s Focus” newsletter.

2005 – WRC Coordinator Pat Grady hosts a month of activities for Women’s History Month, including bringing alumna Tiffany Tamaribuchi, lead drummer for Taiko Dan Drummers.

2007 - WRC and The Pride Center share a space in Multi-Cultural Center.

2009 - WRC and the Pride Center move to the University Union.

2012 – WRC hosts a blog, #FeministHornets; One Director serves as leader of the Centers for Diversity & Inclusion (CDI), which included the WRC, MultiCultural Center, and the PRIDE Center.

2013 – WRC hosts the first Empowering Women of Color Conference; continues through 2019.

2014 – WRC establishes @wrc.sacstate Instagram.

2016 – WRC establishes @ Wrc Sac State Facebook page.

2018 – Empowering Women of Color conference postponed due to campus closures around area wildfires and poor air quality.

2019 – WRC gets its own space in the University Union, second floor; hosts open house in September.

2023 – WRC Hosts the first Women’s Leadership Summit.
– Parents & Families Program moves in to the Women’s Resource Center and shares space and resources, including a director and coordinator.

Something to add, update or change? Email us at wrc@csus.edu or DM us @wrc.sacstate on Instagram.

Narrative History

1970s: The Women’s Resource Center is Established

Dr. Sally Wagner, founder of Sac State’s Women Studies Program, the first or second academic major department at a university in the United States, established our Women’s Resource Center in response to the growing need for a dedicated space and resources for women on campus in 1978. Its first home was next to the Women’s Studies Program office in a temporary building across from the Student Union.

The September 1978 edition of the Women Studies newsletter highlighted the first volunteer, Debbie Lyrds, a student enrolled in Sally Wagner/Joann Marrows' "Psychology of Women" course. Debbie focused on creating a lending library full of feminist literature as part of a class project. She extended an open invitation to students to share her space, assuring them of a welcoming environment where "the hot water pot will be on, so come on over."

The Women’s Resource Center was open limited hours only two days per week (Tuesdays from 3-5 pm and Fridays from 1-5 pm).

In October 1978, the Center grew by shifting its library to JJ-3. It welcomed all interested persons—students, faculty, and staff—to visit and check out the books, newspapers, handouts, and other resources.

In November 1978, the Women’s Resource Center announced expanded hours from Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, with the help of additional student volunteers. They envisioned having the Center open until 8 p.m. one night each week.

1980s: WRC Grows; Begins Creating Community and Hosting Events

“The WRC is getting too large to expect just one person to do all the work” WRC Collective Meeting minutes, March 19, 1980, p.2

In the early 1980s, the WRC expands its programming, offering workshops, support groups, and advocacy services for women on campus as revealed by a collection of data from Newsletters and The State Hornet Newspaper archives. Newsletters include WRC news about women on campus, politics, entertainment, community activities, social events, scholarships, and grants offered.

First edition, named “Women Aware” was written by Professors Sally Wagner and Sally Nordman and incorporated both the WRC and Women’s Studies Program, sponsored by ASI.

It later evolved to its own newsletter in 1981 called “Women’s Focus.”

The center became a hub for feminist activism and awareness. Services were provided for all interested students.

Women’s History Week began on a Sunday in March, with a Potluck Dinner and Dance and included multiple lectures, panels, and presentations featuring women authors and women-centered information throughout the week.

1990s: WRC Increases Visibility and Collaboration

During the 1990s, the WRC gained increased visibility and recognition on the Sacramento State campus. The center collaborates with other campus organizations and community groups to address issues affecting women both on and off-campus.

2000s: From Digital Expansion and Outreach to Intersectionality and Inclusivity

In the 2000s, the WRC embraced digital technologies to expand its outreach. The center launched a website, social media platforms, and online resources to reach a broader audience and provide support beyond physical presence.

In 2007, in response to changing societal norms, the WRC adopted a more intersectional approach, recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by women from diverse backgrounds. The center became a leader in promoting inclusivity and diversity on campus, and shared space with the Pride Center and the MultiCultural Center.

The WRC and Pride Center were two distinct yet intersectional programs that were also different than the MCC. Each needed its own space to afford them freedom and comfort to express multiple identities and host events geared for specific audiences.

In 2009, the WRC and the Pride Center moved to the University Union, next to RoundTable Pizza on the first floor. The WRC hosts the first annual Women of Influence Awards, which continues to this day.

The WRC was primarily led by students and with the increase of people coming in with multiple issues, it became evident that professional staffing was essential, yet missing.

Students became more vocal and demanded staffing, resulting in hiring a staff position for both the WRC and the Pride Center.

2010s: WRC Thrives under Dedicated Coordinator and Students with Heart and Vision

In 2012, the WRC hosted Congresswoman Doris Matsui and a panel of five professional women to discuss Women’s Health. It expanded programming to include a weekly support group for single mothers from April through May, and monthly events including:

• Horny Hornets- Come ask questions and get the info you may need pertaining to sexual health. A positive and safe environment.
• Single Moms Support Groups- Our support group for Sac State moms. A positive place of support and a place to get to know other Sac State moms. Come get the resources or help you need.
• Movie Night- Come watch a movie at the W omen’s Resource Center, chat with other students, discussion follows.
• The “F” Word- Discussion about feminism as it exists today, varying topics. Informative and a place to exchange ideas with other women with varying perspectives.

2014 Aisha Engle started working at the WRC as a student assistant, majoring in Women’s Studies and graduated magna cum laude in May. Aisha was promoted to Coordinator and began a master’s program in Women’s and Gender Studies in Fall 2014. She stayed in the coordinator role until 2022. This consistency and reliability allows students and staff across campus to associate Aisha with the Women’s Resource Center, and the stable staffing allows WRC to participate in recurring campus events such as summer and winter orientation tabling, Weeks of Welcome, and so forth.
Aisha Engle established and continued many important events and traditions including the SPEAK program (Students Promoting Education and Knowledge), Take Back the Night, Denim Day, the annual Women of Influence Awards, the annual Empowering Women of Color conference, and many more. She was instrumental in bringing black feminist voices and many female-identified leaders to campus. Engle and the WRC worked with Unique Events to promote Tarana Burke, founder of the MeToo movement and social activist, as a speaker in honor of Black History Month in 2019.

In 2019, the University Union expanded and included a space for the WRC on the second floor in room 2250 in the area of new construction.

2020s: A Room of One’s Own

The WRC is developing its own intersectional feminist identity in its space in the University Union. Students have tables where they can study, a microwave and a refrigerator. The lending library is still in existence. There are comfortable chairs and a small couch, too. Pregnancy tests, a variety of condoms, tampons and pads are available on the resource wall near the door for students to take anonymously.

In 2023, Dr. Haley Myers Dillon, the director of the Parents & Families Program (P&F), also became director of the Women’s Resource Center, and hired Pamela Robertson as a Women’s Health Specialist and Stephanie Reyes Alcala as the coordinator of both the WRC and P&F.

The WRC is experimenting with new programming and workshops, offering a weekly group peer counseling session called “Women Empowering Women,” free movie Fridays, arts and crafts, and other leadership-related workshops.

If you would like to suggest revisions to this history, this website, or our activities and events, email wrc@csus.edu.

If you would like to donate to help support our events, you can do so online through our Make A Gift donation form.