Editorial: Leading ladies

While there have been concerns about women in student leadership roles for years, several recent events have brought this issue to the fore. First, as reported last week by this paper, 2009 marks the first year in over a decade with no female eating club presidents. Second, when seven freshmen sought the class presidency earlier this year, none of the candidates were women. Though statistics show that over half of student group leaders are women,  the fact remains that almost none of the top, most visible positions in student activities at Princeton are filled by females. This fact and these events have highlighted the dearth of women in prominent student leadership positions on campus, a disconcerting trend.

The problem of having few women in these positions is particularly vexing because the underlying reasons are largely a matter of speculation. For example, there is no clear information about whether this is a problem specific to Princeton or if it exists to the same degree at our peer institutions. The lack of female representation is particularly apparent in elected positions at Princeton: The last female USG president was elected in 2001, and — as suggested above — female class presidents and eating club presidents are the exception rather than the norm. We are keenly aware that our own organization has had only two female Editors-in-Chief over the past 10 years. Accounting for this trend has led to a broad range of explanations: students being unwilling to elect women because of stereotypes about male leadership qualities; women candidates discouraged by a lack of role models; women preferring leadership roles that allow them to exert influence behind the scenes; and women being unwilling to put themselves up for judgment in the same way as their male peers. While each of these accounts may have some merit, none stands out as the clear explanation for this phenomenon.

Because the source of the problem is largely unknown, it is difficult to formulate a concrete plan to address these issues. What is perhaps most disconcerting is the lack of discussion about this significant gender disparity, on both the informal and formal levels. We believe the University and the USG should create a joint task force to seek to understand the issues of women in leadership roles more thoroughly and determine ways they can be addressed. A clear choice to lead this effort, were she willing to undertake it, would be Nannerl Keonhane. Keohane, the former president of Wellesley College and Duke University, is now a Princeton professor whose current research includes leadership and gender issues. We also recommend that student organizations examine the role of women within their own structures and consider how best to encourage female participation in leadership roles.

We all share the responsibility of remaining cognizant of the role of women on campus. As students, male and female alike, we should ensure that women considering prominent leadership roles receive our support and our unbiased consideration. Women thinking about pursuing these opportunities should not allow themselves to be discouraged by the current gender gap. During her 2008 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton said that while she was not running because she is a woman, she was nonetheless proud to be running as a woman. We encourage Princeton women to take the same perspective.