It saddens me that Chatham will more than likely no longer have a women’s college starting in the Fall of 2015. I feel as though we are allowing trends to determine the type of university that we should be and that perhaps we are normalizing just to stay afloat. YES women do now have equal access to education, YES women now have equal rights, YES we do not NEED to have a separate college for women. However, I will 100% support the tradition that Chatham embodies until all women can safely say that they feel just as empowered, respected, and capable in all other university settings and classrooms. We represent a history of women’s education that should not be given up on but that should remain and furthermore serve as an example of a gender safe environment for the entirety of the higher education system. I do, however, understand the societal and financial circumstances that are pushing Chatham to make this difficult decision. I have hope that this change will allow Chatham to become an equal and safe place for people of all genders and to continue to, as a University, fight against the issues of gender that exist today.