Final answer:
BU (Boston University) opening its divisions to female students isn't specified, but Title IX in 1972 played a critical role in mandating gender equality in all federally funded educational programs, marking a significant advancement for women in higher education.
Step-by-step explanation:
The year BU (Boston University) opened all its divisions to female students is not specified in the provided materials. Nevertheless, an important contextual consideration is the role of Title IX, which was established in 1972, making it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sex in any U.S. education program that received federal funding.
This legislation has been crucial in ensuring that educational institutions, including colleges and universities, provide equal opportunities to both male and female students. It marks an important milestone in the history of women's access to higher education. Prior to Title IX, colleges and coeducational institutions showed varied progress towards gender equality.
For instance, Oberlin College became the first coeducational institution by admitting four women in 1837. By the 1920s, women had attended college in roughly equal numbers to men. The struggles for gender equality in academia continued with significant strides being made post-Title IX, resulting in increased numbers of women pursuing professional, medical, and graduate programs.
BU's timeline in this progression is not clearly indicated in the text, but the overarching historical movement toward gender inclusivity in higher education would imply that BU eventually followed this trend, likely after Title IX was enacted.