Where's the Women's Studies?

The University System of New Hampshire is a collection of five public higher education institutions in New Hampshire:

Plymouth State University
University of New Hampshire
Keene State College
University of New Hampshire-Manchester
Granite State College

Beyond USNH, there are private schools:
Saint Anselm
Colby Sawyer
Hesser College
Chester College of New England
Antioch New England Grad School
Daniel Webster College
Dartmouth College
Franklin-Pierce University
Franklin-Pierce Law Center
Lebanon College
Magdaline College
McIntosh College
New England College
New Hampshire Institute of Art
Rivier College
Southern New Hampshire University
Thomas Moore College of Liberal Arts

So ... out of all of the schools in New Hampshire, what are students' options for studying women's studies and/or gender studies?

At Plymouth State University, students may minor in Women's Studies. *However* although there is a Women's Studies Council there is *no* Women's Studies Department. Instead the faculty, who are primarily adjunct and from other departments must get a sort of release from their own department chairs to teach WS courses. (this is my understanding of how things work... it may not be entirely accurate) There is minimal funding for the program at a university that is more concerned with environmental issues than diversity and gender. There is no minor offered in Queer Studies, and it was a struggle just to get a course titled "Contemporary American Male" accepted into the list of pre-approved courses for the Women's Studies Program. Gender Studies - a product more of the third wave - does not seem to be embraced by the Women's Studies Council.

The University of New Hampshire offers not only a minor in Women's Studies, but a major in Women's Studies. It also offers a minor in Queer Studies. (PSU is offering its first Queer Studies course next year) It would appear that UNH is doing a lot more than PSU. Why? Well, UNH is a much larger University, with more funding and resources. It has it's own Women's Studies Department.

Dartmouth College offters Women's and Gender Studies. (Hmmm and interesting title, don't you think?) "Women's and Gender Studies may be undertaken as a program for a major, minor, modified major and a certificate." (right from their website) LGBTS courses are equally as prominent at Dartmouth as Women's and Gender studies courses, and are currently integrated into several fields of study (including the Women's and Gender Studies department) and may be headed towards a major/minor program of it's own.

Keene State College offers a minor in Women's Studies with it's own Women's Studies Department.

Colby-Sawer offers a minor in Women's Studies as well. Their faculty seem to be based in the Humanities department.

Granite State College, Franklin Pierce University, Saint Anselm College, Rivier College do not offer Women's Studies or Gender Studies.

I was going to come to a point that larger, more prominent universities and colleges seem to have stronger more active Women's Studies/Gender Studies/Queer Studies programs and departments. And yet, New England College - an itty bitty College in Henniker offers a Women's Studies major and minor program. Furthermore... Keene State College has 5,717 students (including undergrad, grad and part-time students. Plymouth State University has 6,562 students (also including undergrad, grad and part-time students). Size clearly is not an excuse. I would argue that if Keene State College can find the resources to provide for a Women's Studies department, then so can Plymouth State University.