"It's unfortunate that many women of color feel they have to choose between being a woman and being a person of color."
Educational Opportunities Program
Janet Nishihara has broad exposure to Oregon State University's student, staff and faculty population. Through her positions as Academic Coordinator and Counselor for the Educational Opportunities Program and as a faculty member, she has worked with a wide range of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Her position and experience offer valuable insight into OSU's campus dynamics. "There are many places on this campus, especially in some of the traditionally male dominated fields, where women feel like they are the only one... they have to stand up for everybody and represent everyone."
Women face multiple challenges at OSU and in greater society. Nishihara asserts, "It's still a man's world at Oregon State, other universities and in higher education in general. The people who run the campus are still men. The bulk of the tenured full professors are still men. Because Oregon State is such an engineering, science, agriculture sort of school, I think this is more so than a at liberal arts college."
Nishihara's own experiences and observations on campus reveal the underlying sexism that plagues OSU. "There are guys on this campus that when I sit on a committee with them they don't even see me. I start to talk and they act like no one is talking," shares Nishihara.
The balance of power at OSU is slowly changing. Nishihara notes, "There is a real predominance of men in power; sort of the old guard, maintaining the status quo, guarding the morality of the university and directing where we go in the future. That's changing because there are more strong women on campus in positions of leadership with the power to make some changes, but it's not equitable by any means."
Many of the barriers experienced by women at OSU intersect with race, religion and gender or sexual identification. Janet Nishihara believes it is important to acknowledge these barriers and strive to support women of all types and backgrounds. Oregon State can work to improve the campus climate for women. "There is still a place for services for women of color, as in addition to whatever is out there now, because I think the needs are different. I think it's unfortunate that women of color feel they have to choose between being a woman and being a person of color, it doesn't make any sense," Nishihara explains.
Nishirhara cites the lack of awareness and truthfulness from campus leaders as a major problem. Leaders work hard to project a clean, safe and inclusive campus environment. "They don't want people to know that bad things still happen. It's not fair to the women who and study here. People could be more realistic and honest about what the climate is really like," Nishihara believes.
In order to reach the levels of honestly and realism that are necessary to support women, as well as the entire OSU population, the root of these issues must be addressed. Nishihara believes it is necessary for individuals at Oregon State University to face their own barriers, perceptions and lenses first. Says Nishihara, "There is still a lot of unconscious stuff that people do. I think people mean well and they try hard to do the right thing, but there is so much unconscious stuff that we grow up learning that they haven't had to learn to get rid. That keeps a lot of women quiet, or mad, or frustrated."
