Guaranteed to have more women than a Bette Midler “chick flick” are the nation’s remaining 84 all female colleges.

But is the information in recent studies about the learning environment for women true?

Do women who attend all female learning institutions really get more out of their education?

These are just a few of the issues that will be addressed in a panel discussion today called “How a Woman’s College Affects a Woman’s Education.”

Leading the panel and discussion are Elizabeth Hoffman, dean of the LAS college and Ruth Swenson, retired associate dean.

They will share information about the positive and negative aspects of an all women’s college.

“We’re both products of women’s colleges,” Swenson said. “Because of our experiences, we’ll be stressing the positives.”

Those “experiences” include attending rival schools in New England. Hoffman attended Smith College in New Hampshire while Swenson went to Mount Halio in South Hadley, Mass.

Swenson said that she feels woman’s colleges provide both a safer environment for women as well as more opportunities.

“Whether it’s intentional or it just happens, teachers just don’t realize they favor boys.”

“There’s much more opportunity to participate in classes and in leadership positions,” she said. “At women’s colleges, about 85 percent of the presidents are women and 55 percent make up the faculty.

“There’s clearly more opportunity to observe women.”

But the goal, Swenson said, is not to convince co-eds to leave Iowa State. She said, rather the discussion is to share perspective and ideas to boost the confidence of women who attend classes here.

“I was a science major,” she explained. “Traditionally women who go to a women’s college major in male dominated disciplines.”

Swenson said that often times women don’t receive as much attention in the male dominated classes. This, in return, could affect their learning.

“Whether it’s intentional or it just happens,” she said, “teachers just don’t realize they favor boys. Part of it may be socialization. Girls may not think it’s cool to be smart.”

Swenson added that it’s up to the administration to convince faculty they need to give women “a fair break.”

The discussion will be at 1 p.m. today in Room 244 of the Memorial Union. Questions and commentary are welcome.

For more information call the YWCA at 294-1663.