A shift in power? Women with positions of power in higher education still face obstacles competing with men

Administrative positions in colleges and universities are an example of leadership posts traditionally viewed as “men’s jobs.”

From the president to the provost, men have typically held these jobs, but recently there has been an increase in the number of women presidents of colleges and universities.

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, 25 percent of private four-year university presidents are women.

The number is only slightly higher for women presidents of two-year public or private universities at 30 percent, and is slightly lower, at 23 percent, for public universities.

Ohio Wesleyan has never had a female president, and the officers to the president have ordinarily, though not exclusively, been men.

However, this past summer, the president added two women on to his staff — Vice President for University Enrollment Rebecca Eckstein and Vice President for University Relations Colleen Garland. Both positions have a significant impact on the university.

Both women have brought their own insight to Ohio Wesleyan, said President Rock Jones.

“
 Each brings extraordinary experience, talent and expertise to their work as officers …. Like each of the officers, they bring unique perspectives that enhance our work on behalf of the university,” he said.

Jones said while Eckstein and Garland were hired for knowledge of their respective fields, the fact that they are women was a value-added.

“While each was hired because of her experience and fit for the needs of OWU today, it was an extra benefit that we were able to bring two women to the officers’ table,” Jones said. “Their perspectives as professional women enrich our work considerably.”

In the summer of 2000, 11 of the 61 schools in the Association of American Universities, of which Ohio Wesleyan is not a part, had women in chief academic positions, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The publication also reported that attention should be paid to women’s leadership issues in higher education: “These women run the day-to-day operations of some of the most prestigious, complex universities in the country. They oversee budgets, decide which programs will grow or shrink, sign off on faculty hires, advise trustees, and, increasingly, raise big bucks.”

Such is the case for Colleen Garland. She is responsible for, among other things, overseeing alumni relations.
While Garland said she had never aspired to be a vice president, her drive to want to learn and grow has helped her to move forward.

“I like to be challenged, and to continuously learn and improve, and those qualities often lead to more responsibility and promotions,” she said.

Being a woman has also helped in her particular field, Garland said.

“I also believe women can be very effective in development and alumni relations as we tend to be good listeners, and we like to unite people around a cause or idea,” she said.

Dean of Students Kimberlie Goldsberry said she feels the number of women in positions of power obviously varies from university to university based on “the history, climate and mission of the university.”

And she argues that the more important factor is how power is defined. “I don’t like the word, ‘power,’ because of the baggage. We are in positions of influence,” she sad.

Goldsberry has had experiences at other universities where it was thought to be harder to move up into positions of power as a woman. But at Ohio Wesleyan she feels that is not the case.

“I have worked at institutions where it has been perceived to be hard to get a position as a woman,” she said.

“At OWU, it’s my understanding that it has had a rich history of having women in positions of power. You
wouldn’t see it being slanted one way or another.”

Both Garland and Eckstein echo Goldsberry who said at times she was challenged in a position simply because she was a woman.

“Several of my previous employers held biases toward women in higher level supervisory positions,” Eckstein said. “It was truly unfortunate and prompted me to seek positions elsewhere.”

While Goldsberry has not experienced this discrimination at OWU, she does feel there is a reason women are underrepresented in top leadership positions in higher education.

“In looking at career paths for women, they have more twists and turns than a man’s (path). That may be changing, but, as a whole, women tend to have a less traditional career path than their male counter parts,” she said.

Eckstein feels similarly to Goldsberry about women’s different career paths.

“I really feel like during the childbearing years, many women are torn between decisions of work and family and certainly not able to continue their education to progress to the level that they desire,” Eckstein said.

“After their children are somewhat self-sufficient, often women feel like it is too late or too much time has elapsed to continue their education to progress to that higher level.”

Women may not be the majority in traditional roles of power at colleges and universities, but the number is growing, creating more role models.

The more women that are in top positions, the less assumptions are made about who can is capable of doing a certain job, experts argue.

While 25 percent of women presidents may seem to be a small number, it is a number that has certainly increased over the years.

According to the website Inside Higher Ed, of the 2,148 higher education institutions in the U.S., 494 had female presidents as of 2011.

Goldsberry feels there are changes coming that may make this number higher.

“I certainly think there are some initiations where (women being unrepresented) is the case, but I think you’re seeing dramatic changes in that,” she said. “I have had folks share with me that the opportunities are going to be there in the future. There are a lot more women coming up through the ranks that are going to elevate to that role (of president) if they so choose to.”

There’s a thin line between a compliment and harrassment

When do compliments cross the line into harassment?

This is the question that we, as members of the Ohio Wesleyan community, have felt the need to ask ourselves in light of recent incidents, specifically students receiving cat calls on campus.

How does one determine when someone is “just being nice,” and when an incident should be reported?

Many people like receiving compliments, but there is a difference between complimenting someone, as a kind gesture, and deliberately making them feel uncomfortable or objectified.

If someone comments on a part of your body, it is your body and not theirs to judge, especially in a public setting.

You have no need to feel inferior, apologize or thank anyone for unsolicited remarks.

In our culture, people, especially women, are objectified by the mass media and it has infiltrated to all layers of society. People are no longer viewed primarily as individuals with personhood, but rather as simple images that are produced solely to satisfy the viewer.

Nobody, regardless of gender, orientation, race, religion, or body type should feel afraid to walk amongst people in their day to day lives – as if by merely existing they are under constant evaluation.

No person is justified in openly passing judgment on those around them, whether they know the individuals or not.

Those who have felt victimized or objectified in this matter should not be afraid to speak out against those who have wronged them, regardless of that person’s higher age, socioeconomic status, position of power or of any other perceived or socially constructed superiority.

They also should be made aware of resources that exist to combat this kind of behavior and console those who have been affected by it.

Furthermore, no one should feel as if they need to be silent or ashamed of their experiences. Whether it is talking to a friend, advisor, family member or counselor, external processing is important and accessible for those who have suffered any kind of emotional distress.

On campus and in Delaware, there are safe spaces and hotlines that you can utilize if you are ever made to feel unsafe. They are available from the Health Center, the Women’s Resource Center, the LGBTIQ Resource Center and other similar offices on campus.

Additionally, by reporting specific incidents to Public Safety, you can help further campus discussion on these issues, and hold others in our community accountable for their behavior.

Even if you choose to remain anonymous, information about incidents such as these on campus help pave the way to a safer, more constructive environment.

Although we may often feel the need to bend to societal pressure as if nothing can be done to help these issues, what comes to the forefront is the need to educate ourselves and others about issues of objectification, discrimination and harassment.

If you see or hear something that makes you uncomfortable, do not hesitate to report it. If someone comes to you about an incident, encourage him or her to seek help from on-campus and outside resources.

Furthermore, when those around you make comments that can be perceived as discriminatory or objectifying, we encourage you to educate them about the consequences of their use of language.

Action, whether big or small, makes a difference.

Let the Delaware fun continue throughout the summer

Ever thought of spending the summer in the classroom? If not, you should think about it. With the closing of yet another semester I have found myself yearning for the end of the year but not quite ready to leave OWU.

And that’s where summer school comes into play.

Last summer I stayed on campus and took classes, and that one summer made me fall in love with OWU, but more importantly, with the Delaware community. Delaware in the summer months is a completely different experience than what we as students experience while at school.

Classes seem more interesting because there’s less pressure, and the weather offers opportunities to explore new places. With the trees in full bloom and the hot summer sun, campus practically transforms into a cocoon of summer fun with classes. From cookouts to mini blow-up pool parties, OWU has much to give students who choose to spend the summer on campus.

Those students who do stay for summer session form a small community with a tight bond and sense of understanding. They’re here to do work and attempt to take advantage of the summertime fun.

The course selection offered is what makes summer session interesting. Last summer I took the food course and the wine course and learned things that extended my knowledge both in the kitchen and with a local sommelier.

With a minimal class schedule, there was just enough time to explore Delaware and its surrounding parts. The scenery at Blue Limestone Park and the fresh produce at subsistence farms made days exciting.

Last summer one of my greatest finds was the Dairy Depot which provides outdoor seating and a plethora of ice cream treats, hot dogs and other snacks to end a summer’s day. It became a local meeting spot for my fellow school-goers to relax on the benches and end the day.

If you are looking for a place to cool off check out the Delaware State beach, or even better, the pool at Mingo Park.

For just a small fee, Mingo Park offers pool recreation and is fully stocked with water slides.

If the water isn’t your thing, venture off to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Cedar Point provides a fun amusement park atmosphere with all of the top coasters to go on.

If you have the ability to take summer classes, do it. It has been one of my favorite experiences at OWU and has changed the look of the campus for me.

Yes, campus is empty, but the opportunities in Delaware and on campus are endless.

Letter to the Editor: Honors House had a difficult year, deserves campus respect

Dear Editor:

It is regrettable that the Transcript decided to publish a cartoon that is at best ambiguous in its intent and at worst insensitive and offensive to the sensibilities of the residents of one of the finest of our Wesleyan communities, the outstanding students of the Honors House.

The Honors House has had a difficult year; vandalism and acts of destruction of property impacted many of its residents in this, the house’s only second year of existence. Satire, especially of a violent nature, which is targeted at a specific residential facility, is detrimental to the spirit of community we try to foster at Wesleyan.

In short, the residents of the Honors House deserve better than the depiction afforded them in The Transcript. They deserve our recognition, praise, support and steadfast encouragement, and not incoherent and potentially misleading words and art.

I would urge The Transcript to issue a clarification and apology to the members of the Honors House.

Sincerely,
Lee Fratantuono
Associate Professor of Classics

Graduating senior offers advice to rising juniors

As an almost graduate looking back on this past year, I recall all of the time, hard work and energy I spent preparing for my life after college; my future career.

After applying to several graduate programs, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in mental health counseling in the fall. One thing I learned during the process is that I couldn’t get enough advice. For upcoming seniors, I want to emphasize that it is never too early to begin exploring your options for your future.

Be sure your major is something you are truly interested in, and explore career options incorporating the skills and subject area involved in your major.

As I began planning my future, I spoke with several OWU professors, peers and alumni. Each and every recommendation was helpful—everyone takes a separate path, and it is both interesting and reassuring to realize all of these options exist out in “the real world.”

While this sounds obvious, don’t forget to investigate the opportunities OWU has to offer. Working one-on-one with a professor through directed readings, independent studies, internships, apprenticeships and more can serve to build your resume and provide you with more information and experience than you may think possible.

When exploring your options, be sure to take note of the requirements needed. Some programs require standardized testing, internships, apprenticeships and other experience in the field of interest. Plan ahead for these events, and be sure to prepare adequately to make the most of your time. Make the most of the summer before your senior year.

I also recommend taking advantage of the many resources offered at OWU besides professors, peers and alumni. Career services, the Writing Center, the Academic Skills Center and the Quantitative Skills Center are helpful.
Lastly, I advise you not to stress. While the application process can be intimidating, there are always options. As recent college graduates, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Even if a school, internship or job does not accept you, the process of applying (and possibly interviewing) is an excellent learning opportunity.

With this being said, it is advantageous to have a back-up plan. Many of my peers and family members are planning to spend their upcoming years working for nonprofit, volunteer and government programs to gain enriching life experience while strengthening their resumes.

I wish all of you the best of luck next year, and hope my advice is helpful.

Increased technology, declining privacy

Facebook, twitter, instagram, youtube, flickr, pinterest: Our generation is filled with an overwhelming number of portals in which to share the details of our lives, our memories, our talents, our thoughts and interests, even the minute details of each day.

Sharing what used to be only experienced within close circles has become the expected. A vacation, a wedding, the birth of a family member and birthdays are not to go unpublicized, but are being exploited in order to announce our current joy and to obtain approval in the form of “likes” and comments. I wonder how constricting this social norm is, and what are the consequences of our lost privacy?

When I went to El Salvador over winter break, I dreaded uploading the enormous number of pictures I took onto Facebook. I sat in front of my computer to begin the annoying process of uploading, trying to come up with an original name for the album and tagging the individuals who accompanied me, until I thought, “Wait—why does this feel like an obligation?”

I left the computer astonished at my silliness, but after the vacation was over, I gave in and uploaded my pictures. Otherwise, no one would know it had ever happened and, therefore, my vacation would be pointless.
I say this as a joke, but the reality leaves me uneasy. It is as if special moments are swept away without being documented and shared nowadays. Why do we feel that people have to know and validate the things we experience in order for them to be real?

Experience does not belong to the individual today, but rather to the collective. (I’m sounding like a real sociology student now.) In sharing our moments, we give up our right to them as an individual and enter them into the realm of the public. Facebook even tells us in small print that whatever we post belongs to them.
I worry that, as a generation, we have stopped enjoying moments and focusing on the present because we are too busy snapping shots for later social media publishing; we are too busy tweeting about an event instead of watching it.

As an owner of an iPhone, I can tell you, it is a social disease. Constantly socializing via internet makes us antisocial in real life.

We should go retro and start buying disposable cameras, so we can hang pictures in our room instead of on the internet. We should stop choosing filters on instagram and instead learn how to develop film. We should make personal phone calls instead of status updates, and write letters instead of emails. Going too far?

It is true, social media can be convenient, especially in circumstances of long distance, but I challenge you to deactivate Facebook for at least a week and remember what it was like to only know someone’s personal life from gossip, or preferably, if they tell you themselves.

Remember what it was like to experience something special and have it be your own. I challenge you to fight for your right for a private experience.

Beehive buzzes with faculty, students at OWL literary magazine reading

Beehive Books buzzed with literature on Thursday when students shared their works that will be added to this year’s Ohio Wesleyan Literary Magazine, the OWL.

Among the students participating in the readings at Beehive were senior Diane Bizzarro, junior Alex Crump, sophomore Gus Wood and Bryant Dill, ’11. A majority of the OWL staff was in attendance, along with OWU faculty members and interested students.

Senior Maggie Sullivan, co-editor of the OWL, said she was glad with how the event turned out and believed it provided a great introduction to the newest edition of the OWL.

“I was really happy with how the reading turned out and the work that we were able to highlight at the event,” she said. “I definitely felt that the works that were read really helped give a great overview into the other amazing works that awaited our audience and readers throughout the rest of the magazine.”

Senior Mary Slebodnik, co-editor of the OWL, said this year’s magazine is the best quality she has seen in the past three years she has served as editor.

“The quality of this year’s magazine reveals (the students’) effort and commitment,” she said.

“I think student magazines sometimes turn into coffee table books–students and parents only read the works by students they know personally, but this year’s OWL is different. These works are interesting and entertaining whether you know the author or not. It’s definitely something I’ll pick up a year from now and read for my own enjoyment.”

The 83rd edition of the OWL contains literary works of 13 students and artwork of three students.

The preface of the OWL describes its eclectic endeavor to “reflect the variety and uniqueness of the student voices on our campus” and to introduce the genre of literary journalism in the magazine for the first time.

Junior Chelsea Dipman contributed two of her paintings to the magazine, and said she is glad to see her hard work pay off both in the OWL and in events to come.

“My work this semester has focused largely on the perception of female beauty,” she said.

“I choose my friends as my subject matter because the snapshots of them are timeless in a way 
 that’s the beauty of painting, you can create something that might outlive you. I also have a show coming up this summer with three friends in Edgar called ‘Women by Women’ and we’re really excited about it.”

Slebodnik said new recruiting techniques might have influenced the improved quality of this year’s magazine.
“I think our campus has had good student writing all along, we just weren’t finding it,” she said. “Students don’t often respond to campus-wide calls for submissions. We still did campus-wide advertisements this year, but we also started personally inviting students who we knew, without a doubt, were good writers. Those personal invitations were really effective in convincing students to submit.”

Slebodnik also said the large staff helped a lot in planning the magazine layout and planning the event, but also made it more difficult to choose which literary works and artwork to publish.

“These works of art and literature are truly the best OWU has to offer 
 (the magazine) was definitely a labor of love,” she said.

Free copies of the OWL can be found in the library, the English department and the Hamilton-Williams Student Involvement Office.

Minaj turns heads with “Roman Reloaded”

Nicki Minaj is by no means a conventional rapper.

Being a woman in the rap industry is, on its own, an anomaly, and having enough success to perform at this year’s Grammy Awards with an elaborate stage worthy of Lady Gaga’s attention is even rarer.

But Minaj has done this—and so much more—in her young career.

Her debut “Pink Friday,” along with notable features on Young Money’s “Bed Rock,” Trey Songz’s “Bottoms Up” and Kanye West’s “Monster,” propelled her to commercial success in the past two years.

She returned earlier this month with her sophomore LP, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.”

This follow-up does play like a sort of sequel to its predecessor, as its title suggests—the two are similar, but each stands firmly on its own.

The record starts out incredibly strong—the first six tracks are an onslaught of Minaj’s best rapping.

“Roman Holiday” reintroduces Roman Zolanski, Minaj’s depraved alter ego. First unearthed on “Friday,” Roman is angry, erratic and uninhibited—and perpetually repressed by his mother, Martha.

Minaj goes back and forth between the two, Martha imploring her son to take a “short vacation” in the choruses and Roman rebelling in each verse.

These multiple personalities are what make Minaj so original. In an industry where rappers with copious amounts of braggadocio and little personal depth are the norm, Minaj breaks new ground by revealing the complex layers of her psyche one by one.

It’s honest, and honesty among conceit is always refreshing.

Minaj’s peculiar voice has also become one of her trademarks. Her inflections, especially on “Holiday,” are odd and somewhat unsettling, but fit perfectly with the ethereal synths and dark tribal percussion.

“Roman Reloaded,” another early bright spot, is a quintessential display of Minaj’s rapping prowess. Her rhymes and flow are clever, consistent and unwavering—she goes three solid verses before a particularly excellent guest spot from Lil Wayne ends the track.

The record then takes a turn into some of the most danceable pop songs to date. The beats on “Pound the Alarm” and “Automatic” are so infectious it’s impossible not to move to them.

Minaj’s rapping isn’t nearly as prominent on these middle tracks, but it’s still there and just as strong as it was in the beginning.

The transition between these two contrasting sections of the record is remarkable. “Right By My Side” and “Sex In The Lounge” are a perfect middle ground between the intensity of the first six tracks and the upbeat pop sound of the next five.

Once “Marilyn Monroe” comes up, however, the record definitely hits its low point. That track and the three that follow are largely nondescript, and just aren’t as catching as those before them. The production is bland and cliché—it feels as if these songs have been made before, just with slight variations (and they probably have).

This sound doesn’t feel natural coming from Minaj in comparison with the rest of the album. “Marilyn Monroe” especially contradicts her personality—the pairing of an artist as unique as Minaj with lyrics comparing her to the trite image of Monroe just doesn’t seem right.

But following “Gun Shot,” the record picks right back up. The wonderfully odd production on “Stupid Hoe” is perfectly conducive to Minaj’s plethora of inflections and quick-witted rhymes.

“Roman Reloaded” is a lengthy album, but its great diversity is well worth its apparent prolixity. It shows Minaj is unwilling to settle on just one sound, and with how distinct she is, she shouldn’t have to.

Women’s lacrosse suffers a loss after an early lead to Kenyon

The OWU women’s lacrosse team was defeated by Kenyon by the score of 10-6, last Wednesday.
Sophomore Cate Bailey started the Bishops off strong with a goal and an assist. However, Kenyon rebutted to take the win over OWU.

Junior Molly Curry scored only 11 seconds into the game. Following Curry’s example, Bailey saw junior Annie Swanson for a goal before converting a free-position shot for a 3-0 Ohio Wesleyan lead.

Bailey said she thought OWU came out on fire and with their few quick goals.

“We scored the first goal of the game with 11 seconds into the first half and that got us pretty excited,” she said.

Kenyon put points on the board with a pair of goals 37 seconds apart, then scored at the 20:08 mark to even the game at 3-3. A few minutes after the Kenyon Ladies scored, they tacked on three more goals making the score 6-3 by half time.

Kenyon remained strong into the second half, scoring three more goals, bringing the score to 9-3 halfway through the third period.

Bailey said when Kenyon came back in the end of the first half and beginning of the second half, she thought the team began to get a little discouraged.

Curry put the Bishops back into the game and onto the scoreboard 16 seconds after Kenyon’s last goal.
Freshman Eilee Foley and junior Meredith Wholley both scored goals within the last few minutes in the game, bringing the Bishops as close as they would come to coming back against Kenyon.

“We all work really well together as a team on and off the field,” said Bailey. “We play best when we all work together and help feed the ball on offense or make a pass to someone instead of running the ball down the field on our own.”

Curry said she thought the defense played very well throughout the game.

“We came together and caused some great turnovers,” she said. “Unfortunately, we had difficulty settling the ball on attack and did not play as composed as we normally do.”

Senior and goalkeeper Lauren Figy ended with 8 saves for the Bishops.

Curry said she is looking forward to playing Kenyon again in the post-season if the team makes it to the conference tournament.

“We won against Oberlin on Sunday so hopefully we will be able to keep this momentum on Friday when we play Denison,” she said.

Bailey said the last two games of the season are at home. She said Senior Night falling on Friday’s game against Denison should encourage a good turnout.

She said they play Mount St. Vincent on Sunday and hope to end their season with a win.

Bailey said in order to win the next few games they need to make sure they stay focused throughout the entire game and avoid getting discouraged if they get down by a few goals like they have done in the past.

The Bishops will face Denison at Selby Stadium Friday night at 7 p.m.

Bishop Champion Games: Event unites special needs population and student athletes

The special needs participants run through a tunnel of OWU student athletes to receive their awards on the podium.

Ohio Wesleyan student athletes came together to support special needs athletes in the annual Bishop Champion Games on April 15.

The Bishop Champion Games is an event designed by the Ohio Wesleyan University Athletic Council (OWAC) for special needs athletes. It provides an opportunity for individuals with disabilities to compete.

Around 30 athletes froma ll over Ohio participated in the games.

Some were as young as eight years old.

All participants received a competition t-shirt, and there was an awards ceremony at the conclusion of the Games that honored the top three athletes in each event.

In addition, 100 percent of the proceeds from the Games went toward this year’s funding, and for future events.

According to the event website, the games consisted of several different events in which the athletes could choose to participate, including standing broad jump, long jump, softball/football throw and various running events.

Student athletes committed a great deal of time volunteering. More than 50 student athletes turned out to support the competitors and provide general help.

Sophomore Emily Stewart said she volunteered because it was a great and satisfying experience.

“Working with the special needs population is a really rewarding experience,” said Stewart. “This is what I want to do after I graduate, so participating in an event like this is a lot of fun for me.”

Stewart said that seeing the bright smiles spread across the competitors’ faces when they won a game made the day fun for her.

“It’s really nice to see the athletes be successful and see how much joy it brings them,” Stewart said.
“It’s also great to see the whole OWU athletic community come together for this cause.”

Sophomore Jenna Ortega agreed with Stewart and added that the Games are a good way for the student athletes to be involved in the community.

“Seeing the OWU athletes and the Special Olympics athletes come together as a whole is probably my favorite part,” Ortega said. “The Bishop Champion Games are also a really good opportunity for the OWU athletes to be involved in the community.”

The most popular event seemed to be the 800 meter walk in which the OWU football team assisted the competitors by pairing up with each other. Some became friends with their walking partners and a few exchanged hugs at the end of the event.

Sophomore Daylin Stevens said she thought the participation of the football players showed a high level of respect and care for the competitors.

“I really liked watching the football players walk the laps in the 800 meter walk,” Stevens said. “It just showed how much everyone really cared.”

Another favorite part of the Games for many of the student athletes was seeing the interactions among the athletes, who cheered each other on in every event.

Freshman Kylea Davis said that she was pleasantly surprised by the number of athletes she saw cheering at the games.

“My favorite part of the games would have to be seeing the athletes be able to succeed and support one another,” Davis said. “They are so energetic and happy.”