The leadership for the program is distributed among several smaller committees. These committees meet at the beginning of each semester to identify goals, responsibilities, deadlines, and interests for the semester. Members of the committees determine the frequency of their meetings. The chairs of the committees and director meet as a steering committee on a regular basis.
The committees are fairly small (4-5 members) and ideally they include at least one tenured and one untenured faculty member. The standing committees:
- Curriculum: The members of this committee take primary responsibility for those courses that receive Women's Studies credit. This task includes establishing a deadline by which course applications need to be received, reviewing applications, suggesting necessary changes, and voting to approve or reject the application. In addition, they maintain a list of WS courses and coordinate publicity for those courses prior to registration each semester. They seek new courses for the program, facilitate renewals of WS credit for courses, act as a liaison to the registrar's office, review the overall shape of the curriculum, and initiate the request for staffing for the Introduction to Women's Studies course.
- Student Affairs: The members of this committee maintain a list of WS students and advisors and coordinate social events, field trips, etc., with the students, and co-ordinate WS involvement in student initiated campus programs/speakers. They serve as liaisons to the Womyn's Center and alumnae / alumni.
- Professional Development: The members of this committee take responsibility for the coordinating support and mentoring networks for untenured faculty and for faculty who are finishing dissertations. They are also aware of campus job searches. They coordinate opportunities for faculty to discuss research projects, publications, and conference presentations and co-ordinate WS involvement in faculty initiated campus programs/speakers.
- Program development: The members of this committee coordinate the development priorities identified by the WS committee.
