ABSTRACT
During the two-year-long process of designing, proposing, and gaining ap proval for the women’s studies program at my university,1 faculty members leading the effort met with many different university groups. One of these meetings, coming at the very end, was with the board of trustees. A few of us2 were asked to have a discussion with the board before the vote on ap proval of the program would be taken. I was confident that the matter would not have gotten to this level without significant administrative sup port, and I felt optimistic about the outcome. Still, it was a difficult audi ence, despite the supportive presence of the wife of a past board president who had requested an invitation to the meeting as an observer.
