Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1869 as a college for women. For many years Wilson College maintained a residential college for women but allowed men over the age of 22 to attend classes as commuter students. Men could also enroll in graduate programs.
In January 2013, the board of trustees voted to transition the college to full co-educational status. Last fall men of traditional college age were allowed to enroll as commuter students. This month, the first male students took up residence on the Wilson College campus.
There are 24 men among the 148 among the new student residents on campus. Thus, men make up about 16 percent of the new residential students. All of the men live on one floor in one residence hall. The original plan was to more evenly distribute the male resident population but the college decided that the necessity of bathroom renovations made it cost-effective to concentrate the men in one place.
Wilson has announced plans to offer five men’s varsity sports programs, although not all will be competing this academic year. There are five women’s varsity teams.
Although Wilson College has announced that it is coeducational, it has not received permission from either the PA Department of Education or the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, its accreditation body, for this fundamental change in mission. Wilson College Women, a group of alumnae, former faculty members, and friends of the College, have protested this violation of state law and are urging the Department of Education to preserve one of the few remaining women’s colleges in PA. Read about our efforts here: http://daisiescantell.com/pages/about.