Men Reclaim Top Student Leaders at Texas A&M

After months of being reminded of their oppression, Aggie men have decided to do something this campaign season. While the top student leaders are selected over the course of the semester, 2017-2018 student body president, senior class president, and Corps Commander have now all been selected. Likewise, the Yell Leader positions have remained a stronghold for male student representation through another successful campaign season.

“We are seeing a strong showing within our top student leadership positions, but it’s good to see that men are still performing strongly in other roles on campus,” said Richard Hoffman, director of Elect Him, an organization that encourages men to use their so-called “privilege” to run for positions of authority. “As these top student leaders move forward in selecting their teams, we are excited to see many of our future candidates start to be selected.”

When asked about the role that gender plays in a person’s qualifications to run for elected positions, Hoffman clarified that some roles were just made for men. “While we were all created equal, we were made for different purposes. I would never expect a woman to do my job, but I think they offer some incredible skills that we can definitely use as part of our team.” The website for Elect Him justifies their success in electing male student leaders by citing that men make up a majority of campus—51% exactly—and should have more say in who represents their interests.

Sophomore university studies major Lance Jones confirmed that he does not vote based on gender. “To me, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or woman—I just want student leaders to be relatable. I see a bit of myself in the candidates this year; none of them seem to be bossy or pretentious.” Later in the interview, Lance indicated that he feels that student leaders should be confident and determined, erring away from candidates who may be seen as too caring or soft.

When asked for a comment on the election results, Texas A&M Marketing reported that they are disappointed and described the result as a “missed PR opportunity” for International Women’s Day coming up on March 8th.