It’s election week. This year’s United Student Government (USG) election is a little different from the past. Looking at the ballot, the majority of picks are notably female-identifying students, minus Conservatory of the Performing Arts (COPA) Senator candidate Matthew
Spaccadia.

This will be the first time since the 2007-2008 academic year that USG will have an elected female president, regardless of who wins the ballot this election. We specify “elected” president because during the 2009-2010 academic year, Sidnie Stevens, who was originally sworn-in as the vice president, took over the position after the resignation of then-USG President Ryan Deasy.

Point Park students are notably more female-identifying than not, with 59.6 percent of the student body falling into that category, according to the university factbook. This raises the question of why, with a quickly growing female population, did it take a decade for another woman president?

And it’s not just USG. While The Globe has had more recent female editors-in-chief. Both our editor-in-chief and editor-elect positions are filled by women.

Why is this significant? Despite participating in groups at usually the same rate as men, women may tend to feel under-qualified for positions, while men may tend to overestimate their abilities and take more risks when working toward leadership positions.

The United States’ lower house of government is only 19.4 percent women, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, updated in January of this year. This leaves us in 100th place on the union’s list. Saudi Arabia ranks higher.

While we acknowledge that great strides have been made toward gender equality, even just this past year, there are still miles to go before  society truly evens the scale. More women across the country have been running in elections than ever before. The wave has hit Point Park and we think it’s long overdue.

This is what makes the USG election so exciting. We at The Globe wish you the best of luck, ladies.

And Matthew Spaccadia. The Globe does not endorse candidates.