Some say that having a female running mate is mere tokenism, but the Undergraduate Student Government presidential candidates say they are just looking for another point of view.

"I find it interesting that they choose women for their vice president," said Heidi Klebingot, Womyn's Concerns co-director. It seems as if the presidential candidates are using women running mates as a token to all females, she added.

But presidential candidates Rob Kampia and Jim Ryerson agreed their vice presidential decision was based on much more than a person's gender.

Kampia said he was looking for a running mate who is not involved in the marijuana issue but has an interest in women's issues.

"I can never know what a woman knows," Kampia said, adding that he and his running mate Beth Schneck have been friends for a long time.

Ryerson said he chose his running mate Candice Anderson because they agree on USG issues. Women have a lot of issues that need to be addressed, and Anderson would be able to understand them, he said.

"Candice just fit the bill," Ryerson said.

Anderson said a woman could definitely do the job of USG president, but a lack of female leaders has become a national trend.

Klebingot agreed, saying, "It is a reflection of a larger society. Women don't have a strong voice in politics."

The USG environment doesn't discourage women from running -- the lack of women running this year is circumstantial, Anderson said.

USG presidential candidate Rich Schaffer and running mate Chris Groton agreed women would do well at the polls, and denied it is a male-female contest, but rather who wants the job.

Bill DuRant (junior-English) also agreed that the person's gender doesn't matter as much as the desire to do the job.

"If a person will do the work, then it doesn't matter what sex they are," DuRant said. He transferred here last semester from a Commonwealth Campus where the student government president was female, he said.

But Schneck said women are not encouraged to get involved in leadership positions. She also faults the USG environment.

"USG now is a pretty patriarchal organization," Schneck said. She said she wants to motivate other women to get involved with their student government.

Kelly Lewis (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said women should have a place in the top USG positions.

"I don't really keep up with the USG antics, but I do see the need to have more women in higher positions," she said.

John Stewart, political science instructor, said he doesn't see any reason why a woman could not be USG president, because the precedent has been set in the past with a female USG president and female USG vice presidents.

The USG presidential race doesn't reflect a national trend, because in other state legislatures the seats are divided between men and women, Stewart said.

"Pennsylvania is one of the worst states as far as getting women into legislature goes," he said, adding that in the state House of Representatives and Senate, only 10 percent of the seats are held by women.