Following a nationwide trend, the women’s studies major at OU was renamed women and gender studies.

The curriculum will largely stay the same, but that doesn’t mean more gender classes won’t be offered in the future.

“We looked at the courses we are offering, and we were offering more and more courses that deal with gender,” said professor Jo Reger, director of the women and gender studies program. “We’re hoping to continue to get more classes offered in gender in the future.”

The move was not made to get more men into the women’s studies classroom. Reger dismisses that notion outright.

“It’s not like there are no men in our classes,” she said.

Typically each class offered will have a few men in attendance. There are currently one male major and 28 female majors. Some classes with general education credits have males making up 40 percent of the class.

One class offered this semester that highlights the shift to gender classes is titled, “Gender in the Media.”

It’s just one example of classes that will be offered in the future that are sure to get more men to consider joining.

“As more and more men get into the program we should see more gender classes,” said Reger.

The true motivation for the name change, though, was keeping up with national trends, according to Reger.

“A lot of different women’s studies programs around the country were making the change, and we felt it would be a good thing to do,” said Reger.

The name change will be more cosmetic than substantive.

Reger still feels good about the momentum the program has going forward.

“I only foresee the program growing and getting stronger as time goes on,” she said.

The three-decade-old discipline of women’s studies is something that won’t be easily changed at Oakland, not that anyone wants it to change.

Students learn about social change and gender in a wide range of diverse subjects, including an emphasis on women’s issues.

Gloria Steinem once said: “There can be no free men until there are free women.” It’s a phrase highlighted on the program’s Web site and embodied in the program.

 The goal of gender studies programs like Oakland’s is to promote that kind of equality, and create a greater understanding for both men and women.

For more information, go to www2.oakland.edu/ouws/.