On May 3, 1990, the Board of Trustees at Mills College voted to admit men for the first time in the institution's 138-year history. The announcement was the catalyst for a student strike that resonated with women across the country. Sixteen days later, the Board of Trustees changed its mind.

As one of the most important milestones in the history of women's education, the student strike at Mills was about so much more than keeping men out. It represented an inspired commitment to preserve a dynamic, diverse learning environment that encouraged women to think critically, challenge their creative visions, and effect thoughtful change. Heard around the world thanks to international media coverage, the unified voices of students, faculty, and alumnae pledged to uphold the College's identity as a women's institution of higher learning.

The story behind the strike
For 138 years prior to the infamous vote to turn the institution coed, Mills had always been a women's college. The decision to overturn that tradition and admit men was not one that the Board of Trustees came to overnight or took lightly. For two years, they studied ways to help the College deal with ongoing budget deficits, increasing operating costs, and stagnant enrollment.

As the board explored their options, students conducted a massive letter-writing campaign and held town hall meetings. The Alumnae Association of Mills College presented fundraising campaign proposals, and the faculty voted two to one in favor of keeping Mills a women's college. In the end, their efforts were simply not enough. The College needed a great deal more in financial support if it were to survive. On May 3, 1990, board members came to a majority decision that the only way to sustain Mills for the future was to turn it into a coed institution.

One voice for all Mills women
On the morning of the vote, the entire campus, as well as journalists from major television networks and newspapers across the country, gathered at Toyon Meadow to wait for news. In a dramatic announcement, F. Warren Hellman, the Board of Trustees chair, and Mary Metz, then President of Mills, informed the crowd of the board's decision to admit men starting in the fall of 1991.

The response from students was immediate and passionate dissent. In peaceful protest, they boycotted classes, blocked entrances to all major administrative buildings, and closed down the campus to business as usual. Within hours, they designated the Student Union as their headquarters and turned student government offices into press rooms, fundraising centers, and support offices. Working together day and night, they formed a collective voice in support of Mills and women's institutions across the country.

Support behind the scenes
As the strike gained momentum, faculty, administrative staff, and alumnae supported students by holding classes outdoors, waiving finals, providing sleeping bags and walkie-talkies, supplying food, and offering guidance to help students organize their efforts. Most importantly, they put together quantifiable proposals that promised to change the financial situation the College was facing.

Collectively, they agreed to cut salaries, teach more classes, collect new endowment pledges, and increase alumnae giving. By making these commitments, faculty, staff, and alumnae were able to convince the board that Mills could achieve financial stability in the short term and realize tremendous growth in years to come.

Mills. For Women. Again.
On May 18, after two weeks of heated debate, passionate demonstrations, and compromises on behalf of all parties involved, the Board of Trustees officially reversed its vote to admit men. In his announcement, F. Warren Hellman declared, "Sometimes, in your lifetime, you're involved with something that may not just change an institution, it can change the world. I think you've done it."

The conviction of the students and alumnae who participated in the strike is indicative of the environment at Mills, which develops leadership skills and encourages young women to stand up for principles that ultimately shape a just society. Mills offers women a solid liberal arts education as well as the chance to nurture their beliefs and become good global citizens.

To this day, Mills is the only women's college that reversed its financial decision to become coed because of the will of its students, alumnae, and faculty.

The 20th anniversary of the strike reaffirms and celebrates the College's commitment to educating and cultivating thoughtful and powerful women. Thanks to the bold efforts made by strike participants and supporters, Mills continues to be a place where women are encouraged to find their voices, become leaders in their chosen fields, and realize their potential inside and outside of the classroom.