Have you ever wondered what this University would be like if it were an all-female institution?

Of course, there would be the obligatory pillow fights. There even might be some girl-on-girl … study groups. And maybe some passionate … discussion sections. Aside from all the intensely hot … walks to class, what would such a university be like? Would it offer a fair and exceptional education?

Students at Wells College seem to think so. Wells College has been an all-female institution since 1858. That’s pretty amazing. In the face of enormous patriarchal adversity, Wells has managed to thrive and succeed for decades, continuing its tradition of educating only women.

That is, until recently. In an effort to recruit a larger number of students, Wells now is becoming a coed university. Students had no say in this decision, even though many students came to Wells because of its all-female policy.

As Wells sophomore Rebecca Miles-Steiner told Newsday, “We want to know why we weren’t given more time to prepare. Last year, there was a lot of talk about possibly going coed. Freshmen were told when asked that it wouldn’t happen. They have been lied to. I’m a sophomore, I only got two years. Where is that promise you made me when I applied?”

Students at Wells were not just lied to, they were cheated. If someone comes to a university for its excellent work-study program, and then that university ends the program after promising it wouldn’t do so, what becomes of that student? Such a dramatic step is nothing short of a breach of contract.

Regardless of such broken promises, some people believe going coed is a necessary change. These people feel that such an institution is out of date, even sexist. Women who attend such universities are called into question and accused of being man-haters and “butch” feminazis.

This same label is put on women who take women’s studies courses at this University. This same label also is put on women who take part in Take Back the Night activities. Whenever that time of year rolls around, men write to The Daily Illini by droves, complaining that man-hating lesbians shouldn’t be allowed to canvass the streets and accost men.

In a way, that’s true. Women who take their aggression out on strange men during Take Back the Night are completely out of line. But this does not mean Take Back the Night is inherently flawed or sexist. Just because women’s studies courses focus on the efforts and achievements of women does not mean men’s achievements are being mocked or devalued.

The same applies to Wells College. Just because women find they receive a more fair and open education at a school without male students does not mean they hate men. It is not as if Wells has classes called “How to Kick a Man in the Groin without Ruining Your Best Stilettos.” It is just a normal college, except for that it focuses all of its attention on women students.

Men who take this personally are misdirecting their anger. Instead of being upset with women for forming their own institutions, men should be upset with the sexism and sexual harassment that created the need for such institutions.

After all, Wells did not become all-female because every man is a predator. Take Back the Night did not start because every man is a predator, either.

However, some men are predators. And organizations for women need to exist for that sad fact. When women are taking classes without men or marching down Green Street for victims of sexual assault, men should not take it personally. It’s just a chance for women to show their solidarity and plans for the future.

Besides, what’s so bad about a little girl-on-girl oral … Spanish exam?

Bridget Sharkey is a senior in LAS. Her column runs Monday. She can be reached at [email protected].