That's very interesting. Can you share links or citations of where you read that? And what period (century, decades) do you mean when you say "in the early days of some sex-integrated universities"?

Unfortunately, it has been such a long time since I came across this information that I do not recall the sources. I did just find this article, though: "The clearly defined roles required that men studied Greek and Latin and prepared for the ministry, while the women cooked, washed, and cleaned. In fact, 1837 policy at Oberlin dismissed female students from Monday classes so they could do the male students’ laundry (Tuttle, 2004)." [https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1062478.pdf](Link)

I don't think there were any "women's studies departments" or even courses until the 1970s, and those were explicitly feminist. Can you explain more what you mean?

Actually, I may have erred slightly. As I think about it further, it was the home economics department that female professors were relegated to. So a female professor of chemistry would be housed in the home economics department instead of in the science department with all the male chemistry professors. When this sex-based system of organization broke down and the popularity of home economics as a discipline waned, remaining home economics professors were rolled into the newly formed women's studies departments.

I believe I got this from a podcast or NPR radio segment, and it contained a very fascinating look at the merits and detractions of this pedagogical sex segregation from the female professors' perspective. It is a shame that I cannot remember it. If I can locate the source, I will let you know.