History of the UF Division of Student Affairs | Page 53

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issues and was among the first to openly address issues of sex discrimination
and sexual assault/abuse experienced by female students. A Minority Walk-In
Counseling Service followed a year later with additional emphasis on out-ofoffice activities in order to successfully reach students of color. The University
Counseling Center initiated a peer counseling program to proactively work
with the first wave of Black students enrolled at UF. Staff not only assisted in
programming to facilitate campus racial integration but also provided group
leaders for student interaction groups when Gainesville integrated its racially
separate high schools. A Couple’s Walk-In Clinic was also established in 1973 to
provide conjoint counseling to couples who may not otherwise seek services for
troubled relationships. This was a time when traditional gender roles were still
very prominent and a potential source of conflict for women and men exploring
broadened roles.
During this period, the humanistic psychology movement flourished as reflected
in the University Counseling Center’s group counseling offerings that expanded
to include brief encounter groups and weekend mini-marathons. Increased
gender awareness was reflected in changes in career counseling. In sync with
national changes in vocational psychology, the staff stopped using tests which
showed separate profiles for men and women with stereotypic interests and
career patterns. Up until then, the most frequently used vocational interest
inventory had bubble answer sheets colored pink for women and blue for
men. The interpretive career profiles came back separately as well (e.g., nurse
and interior designer were possible career options for women while doctor
and architect were possible career options for men.) Nationwide, counselors
protested this overt sexism, and the test was overhauled to provide a single
version to be taken by all students.
T h e 1 9 8 0 s a n d t h e U n i v e r s i t y Co u n s e l i n g C e n t e r ’ s
50th Anniversary
In the 1980s, the term “counseling” was being usurped by all kinds of enterprises.
To distinguish the unique functions of the University Counseling Center, explicit
modifiers were added, resulting in a new name — the Psychological and
Vocational Counseling Center. However, despite the use on official documents
and letterhead, few people actually referred to the office by this new name;
most simply called it the “Counseling Center.” By the end of the decade, the

Department histor ies : Coun seli n g an d W elln ess Center