Women dominate NU’s student government

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, women rule — literally.

Megan Collins, a senior business administration major, leads UNL as the president of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska. Along side her is fellow female Amanda Crook, a senior political science major and ASUN external vice president.

Brian Coburn, a senior biochemistry major and ASUN internal vice president completes the executive trio.

When Collins decided to run for president last year, it never crossed her mind that she would be a woman competing against two males for the position.

"I think when Megan started to look at making a team it was not so much about gender," Crook said. "It's more about who you are and what experiences you bring to the table and how you're capable of making decisions; those factors weigh much more heavily."

If being female had any disadvantages, they weren't apparent — after all the trio's party, CONNECT, won.

"Knowing that we're all capable individuals I think spoke more to voters, students, than any other part of our gender did," Crook said.

Leading up to the win, both Collins and Crook were heavily involved in ASUN and other organizations on campus.

Collins is a member of Chi Omega, and Crook is a member of Alpha Phi. The two are also members of UNL's Honors Program.

Both have chosen career fields dominated by males. In the business administration major at UNL, males outnumber females two to one. In political science there are 1.5 times more men than women.

However, few gender barriers have stood between Collins' and Crook's goals.

"For me, it's always been, ‘You can do whatever you want,'" Collins said. "No barriers have existed. I've always had more options than just a secretary, teacher or nurse."

Crook said she rarely feels outnumbered but has noticed the lack of female teachers.

"The best teachers I've had in the political science department have been men and not because men are better teachers by any means," she said. "There's just less availability of female teachers."

On the flip side, females dominate the ASUN executive office.

"We constantly gave Brian a hard time about being the only male," Collins said.

In fact the executive trio has an inside joke regarding the imbalance: 66 percent.

"Megan and Amanda always bring up 66 percent; it's those two versus me," Coburn said.

"But we realize that society is sort of dealing with this issue of women rising in power and how that has historically come about. You look at colleges around the nation; there are more women being enrolled than men. At the same time, you see the top positions that take years and years to get into. Those are still being held by men."

Being in top positions has its challenges for Collins and Crook. Negative connotations surround driven women, they said.

"When a woman asserts herself to get things done, there's a negative connotation," Collins said. "She's pushy, headstrong, no longer acting ‘like a lady' and one word I can't say in the DN."

"I suppose Amanda and I, in our positions in ASUN, are no exception to this. Throughout the campaign and this year, there have been times where, as soon as I try to get something that not everyone is in agreement about done, then I'm aggressive, stepping outside my role or coldhearted. I can't help but think that if a man in my position tried to do the same thing, there would be a far more limited amount of push back and greater acceptance."

Crook also acknowledges this challenge and tries to avoid it.

"I know how I avoid it, too. With humor," Crook said. "If I state my opinion, you know, you have that innate sense like, ‘Oh, that could come off as being bitchy.' Excuse my language. But I lighten it up. Maybe that's a tactic I use."

Coburn said he often sees his partners face criticism for making decisions and being assertive.

"It's sad to have to deal with stereotypes, but they're a reality," Coburn said. "I feel like they could be overcome. I realize that it's a struggle for people like Megan and Amanda, who are doing amazing things, to have to answer questions like that, to have to deal with those stereotypes daily."

Another issue raised by Collins includes her experiences on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. As ASUN president, she sits on the board and offers her opinion but does not get an official vote.

She said oftentimes the board is referred to as "gentlemen."

"It's difficult to have earned a place at that table only to then be forgotten or not recognized as different, a female," She said. "It's difficult and disheartening.

"In no way am I a feminist, but that sort of disregard for a female sitting at the table is exactly where our problem is. I think we need to call attention and recognize women who are at ‘the table' in order to build other women up so they, too, can feel empowered to seek out a similar position."

In the future, both Collins and Crook expect to face obstacles.

"Stereotypes will always exist, but to continue combating them, women should keep working to achieve the things they most desire — families, motherhood, positions in the government or Fortune 500 companies," Collins said. "Women no longer acting limited in their possibilities is the surest way I can think of to make a female's unrestricted potential an even more accepted reality."

In the meantime, both women will continue to push toward their goals while representing the students at UNL in ASUN.

"What's great about being ASUN president and a female is that I get to provide that perspective and have a pretty direct pipeline to university officials should a red flag need to be raised with something going on that negatively or unequally impacts women," Collins said.