Guests at the seventh annual Biola Ruby Award Luncheon celebrate the award recipients: dean of humanities and social sciences Cassandra Van Zandt, psychology major Esther Perumalla, Biola alumna Carole MacIntyre and donor Suzanne Crowell. | Tomber Su/THE CHIMES

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Biola hosted a day of events on March 26 to honor women on Biola’s campus and acknowledge accomplishments of specific women connected to Biola. Wednesday morning began with a special chapel featuring Katelyn Beaty, managing editor of Christianity Today and co-founder of Her.meneutics, which was followed by a luncheon on Metzger Lawn hosting the seventh annual Ruby Awards, previously known as the Ruby Slippers, ceremony.

THE AWARDS

A new addition to this year’s Ruby Women events were breakout sessions with various speakers and a film, said Hilary Larkins, interim manager of university events. These breakout sessions will act as a launching point for a full conference sponsored by Ruby Women as part of next year’s events, Larkins said. The film, “Miss Representation,” discusses the media’s failure to adequately represent women in influential positions.

The Ruby Awards acknowledge specific characteristics exemplified by the recipients, Larkins said. This year’s four recipients include dean of humanities Cassandra Van Zandt, psychology major Esther Perumalla, Biola alumna Carole MacIntyre and Biola donor Suzanne Crowell.

It is important for Biola to host these kind of events to celebrate women in its community because it makes this community unique, Larkins said.

“We celebrate Women’s History Month because women are important and there are specific women that we want to acknowledge for all the work that they do,” Larkins said.

Biola will continue to celebrate women’s history until the end of the month with a donation drive for Generation Her, an organization founded by Biola alumna Dianna Smiley, Larkins said. The organization’s goal is to empower and equip teenage mothers through support and education. The drive will be open for the entire Biola community to participate, and collection boxes for various baby products will be available around campus, according to Biola’s event website.

To determine a theme for events and a specific aspect to celebrate during women’s history month, a committee of women representing various areas of campus is formed and gives input to event services planning, Larkins said. 

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AT BIOLA

Although Biola celebrates women through the Ruby Women events, women do hold less leadership positions than men on campus, according to Biola Human Resources records. The balance of women in leadership among higher education institutions is still a prevalent issue, according to “Gender Trends in Senior-Level Leadership,” an article written by Karen Longman, Azusa Pacific University professor of higher education.

“Because Christian colleges and universities are viewed by some as extensions of the church, such theological assumptions of subordination become ‘a part of the institutional culture and lead to policies and practices that limit women’s professional growth and contributions,’” according to Longman.

While some positions are overwhelmingly fulfilled by women rather than men, this is not the case for leadership roles. Out of the 254 faculty positions, only 89 are held by women, according to Human Resources records. However of the 338 administrative assistant positions at Biola, 268 of them are held by women, according to Human Resources records.