Not so happy women’s history month at EU

As women’s history month finishes on March 31, it is important to highlight the various women on campus for their consistent contribution to the advancement of Elmhurst University through their work in administration, student organizations, and the classroom. 

At The Leader, our editorial board and the majority of our staff are women who work tirelessly writing, creating graphics, editing, and leading to bring this newspaper to you biweekly. 

Acknowledging the legwork women continually put forward for the betterment of EU is the first step in appreciating the hard work that is oftentimes diminished by male counterparts who are awarded the credit. 

Seeing women in roles of leadership is crucial for inspiring the young women on this campus to work to be heard and seen in male-dominated board rooms, class discussions, and meetings throughout EU. 

However, in recent months The Leader noticed a pattern negatively impacting women in higher education — the departure of over 25 women, all in various faculty and administrative positions at EU, in the span of five years. Some of these women are leaving EU less than three years into their position. 

The high number causes concern, because why are women leaving EU at such large rates over the past five years? 

A lack of women in administrative positions, during a time when many universities are moving to have women enter presidential and dean positions, is a negative hit to EU’s mission to increase and enhance diversity. 

On President Troy VanAken’s cabinet, only two women currently sit — Molly Niespo, executive assistant to the president, and Julie Suderman, vice president for business and finance. On a cabinet of eight, these two women only make up a quarter of his cabinet. 

For a campus that prides itself on diversity, actions must speak louder than words. EU cannot pretend to be a beacon of diversity when the top administrative positions lack such qualities. The women at EU must have people like them in positions of power, making decisions, in order to be considered a truly diverse campus. 

In the past, EU has held a women’s luncheon during the month of March to celebrate women on campus. This year there was silence on any programming, until March 13 and March 27, in the Get Involved newsletter, promoting a T-shirt giveaway and a women’s history month paint-by-number kit during the last week of the month. 

Is this how we choose to celebrate women, with t-shirts and paint-by-numbers? While these options are better than nothing, they do not educate or celebrate women as a campus community, only those who check the newsletter are going to be aware of these two events. 

EU promotes diversity and excels in certain aspects, but the lack of women is a blindspot. With the highest enrollment on campus, women should see more of themselves in positions of leadership, not vacant spots that were once filled by women or spots replaced by men.