The Governor's Commission on the Status of Women was originally created in May 1964 by Governor John Reynolds in response to recommendations issued in the 1963 report of the President's Commission on the Status of Women. It was recreated by Executive Order 4 in January 1975. Through a series of executive orders the commission continued until June 30, 1979, when it ceased to exist. The Commission, comprised of thirty-four members, met quarterly and worked primarily through its committees. The commission's purpose was to investigate the conditions and the quality of life of Wisconsin women and to work toward substantive changes designed to improve the status of women, enabling them to participate more fully in contemporary society.
Through its publications and press releases the commission attempted to keep the public informed on a variety of issues of concern to women, including discrimination in employment, credit, insurance, housing, education, the media, and corrections and offenders. The commission served as a clearinghouse and referral service and recommended qualified women for gubernatorial appointments. Some of these functions were continued by the Wisconsin Women's Council, created in 1983 by Wisconsin Act 27 to assess and improve the status of women in Wisconsin. The commission was chaired by Kathryn F. Clarenbach with Norma Briggs serving as Executive Secretary.
As part of the commission's activities, a two-year research project assessing the impact of federally-funded employment programs on Wisconsin women began in October 1977. The research project was funded by special 4% Funds of the Governor's Employment and Training Office. The project compared services received by men and women in federally-funded Comprehensive Employment and
Training Act (CETA) programs and developed recommendations to improve programs for unemployed and low-income women. The project was transferred to and completed under the auspices of the Division of Human Resource Services of the Department of Employment Relations after the Governor's Commission on the Status of Women ceased to function.
The commission produced two reports from their research: CETA and Wisconsin Women: An Interim report on the Participation of Wisconsin Women in Programs Under Title I of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act During the Fiscal Year 1977, 1979, and CETA and Wisconsin Women: A Report on the Participation of Wisconsin in Programs of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act During Fiscal Year 1977, 1979.
See the Agency History in the catalog.
