Archives West Finding Aid

The Dean of Women position was started at the University of Montana in 1907 with Mary Stewart as Dean. Originally, the Dean supervised the students at the university who lived at the women’s dormitory. The Dean of Women became responsible for the administration of the activities, social life, and counseling of the university’s women students. Harriet Rankin Sedman was appointed Dean of Women in 1921 and served in the position until 1935. Sedman initiated several campus organizations and traditions, including Mortar Board, Spur, and Lantern Parade and organized the Association of Women Students and Big Sister movement. Mary Elrod Ferguson served as Dean of Women from 1935 until 1946.

Maurine Clow became Associate Director of Student Personnel Services, a position which superseded that of Dean of Women, in 1946. The title of the position changed to Associate Dean of Students in 1948, although the job responsibilities did not change. Clow became advisor to student organizations that were once the responsibility of the Dean of Women, such as the Spurs, Junior Sponsors, Alpha Lambda Delta, the Mortar Board, the Miss Montana Program, and many others.