Vision 2000 was collaboratively written by the New England Council of University Women, an inclusive group of faculty, staff and students representing several institutions, disciplines and departments. It builds on a foundation of research and a 1987 report from the American Council on Education Commission on Women in Higher Education calling for individual campuses to create a working agenda to meet the educational needs of women.

The document was introduced to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Faculty Senate on December 4, 1997, by Ann Ferguson, co-chair of the Faculty Senate Council on the Status of Women. Prior to this date, Vision 2000 had been widely distributed to recognized groups at the UMASS campus, and also to various constituencies at the other five New England Land Grant institutions for endorsement. At the December 4th meeting, issues were raised by several faculty members critical of the document’s specific recommendations and the document was sent back for further study to the rules committee and appropriate sub-committees. On February 5, 1998, it was brought back to the Faculty Senate with a recommendation to postpone endorsement until April because committees had been unable to review the document during January. In addition, the Status of Women Council asked for time to receive feedback from constituencies on ways to adapt Vision 2000 to the UMASS campus.

The Vision 2000 document is a vision statement that was written in the spirit of openness and with a desire to broaden the traditional canon of knowledge within higher education. It proposes resolutions to existing problems of gender inequities at the New England land grant institutions with specific recommendations being adapted to each individual campus. The goal is for social change to occur at the institutional level through conscientious policy development and decision making.

The Status of Women Council sub-committee on Vision 2000 is currently accepting feedback on this document and asking Faculty Councils to commit to a gender equity action plan. It is imperative that the implementation process of this document be fully democratic and inclusive of all groups on this campus. We welcome your responses and hope for your support.