An argument for women in Biola's AS presidency

Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Let me reframe that for today: “All that is necessary for the triumph of mediocrity of AS is that good women do nothing.”

This year’s ballot selection was disappointing, not because the candidates were bad, but because so many of Biola’s incredible, intelligent, ambitious, competent female leaders were absent. In fact, it hasn’t been since the 1994 that a woman has taken the AS presidency. That’s a 15-year drought of executive female leadership.

But it’s not just a recent drought. Records aren’t complete, but since 1926, the year AS was founded, only three women appear in the annals of executive leadership: Ruth Farquharson in 1928, Carol Hulgus in 1986, and Jennifer Cowen in 1994. By comparison, 62 percent of the undergraduate student body is female. It’s safe to say that the people representing the interests and concerns of the student body are not representative of the student body.

Why is that? Why is it that women currently constitute ¾ of the executive leadership team in AS? That they’ve been presidents of SMU, directors of ministries, presidents of clubs, editors of The Chimes, The Point and The Biolan, and yet haven’t taken such a weighty role as the AS presidency?

There are a number of reasons for this “glass ceiling” in AS. First, women haven’t seen a role model in recent history. If they have never seen a woman take on this responsibility and successfully execute it, the image of what it means to be “presidential” persists – you must be an attractive, white male with senatorial experience. Voters tend to choose someone who “looks presidential,” and it will take a non-traditional candidate to re-draw that image in the minds of students.

Second, some women self-eliminate when they buy into wrongheaded biblical interpretation that women should leave significant leadership roles to men. Even if you are against women in the pastorate, AS is certainly not the church and such antiquated, culturally-enforced stereotypes only serve to debilitate and deprive such an organization.

The last thing this school needs is to elect a candidate simply because she is a woman – that would be patronizing. What we do need, however, is to nurture women who show leadership gifts and encourage them to run for this position next year.

Here’s to all the freshman women out there: Start by praying about this. Has God gifted you with administrative ability, people skills and a love for Biola? Then why isn’t AS on your radar? Some of the most talented women on campus aren’t in this post right now because they never had the dream from the outset and never prepared themselves for the role.

Second, prepare yourself. Seek out positions within AS as soon as possible, whether that be a seat in the senate or a hired service chair position. Work hard at it. And don’t get discouraged if you don’t make it the first time around. Also, take on roles of executive leadership that require you to be the primary decision maker and exercise creativity. Leading a mission trip or a club is a good place to start.

The glass ceiling needs to shatter, not because men are bad leaders and women need to prove themselves. It needs to shatter because the ceiling might be holding back the competent, humble, visionary woman AS needs to take it to new heights.
After all, nobody wins win good women do nothing.