Student governments in the United States
Encyclopedia
In the United States
, these groups are often known as student government, associated students, student senate, or less commonly a student's union. In the U.S., the phrase "student union" often refers to a "student activity center
" (also known as a "student center" or "student commons"), a building with dining halls, game rooms, lounges, student offices, and other spaces for student activities. At institutions with large graduate, medical school, and individual "college" populations, there are often student governments that serve those specific constituencies.
The first student union built at a public university in the United States was the Ohio Union (1909) at The Ohio State University. The largest students' union/center building is at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Universities that call their legislative councils "Student Assembly" include the University of Michigan
, Michigan State University
, Dartmouth College
, Cornell University
, Wesleyan Student Assembly
, the College of William and Mary
, Christopher Newport University
, and the State University of New York
(SUNY) and the Bentley University Student Government Association.
, legislative, and judicial branches. Alternatively, a parliamentary model is followed. These structures often include elements which are not found in the federal government (e.g. legislative veto
, programming branches, initiative, recall, referendum). In some cases, student governments follow a corporate model where offices reflect business roles such as Vice President of Finance, Director, etc.
Also, many universities with significant graduate
, law, and medical school programs have separate student governments for the graduate and undergraduate student bodies. Similarly, multiple undergraduate student governments sometimes form to address specific facets of university decision-making. At the University of Texas, for example, students are served by three equal and independent student governance organizations: the Student Government represents students generally, but focuses on undergraduate student life matters; the Senate of College Councils represents undergraduate and graduate students in academic affairs; and the Graduate Student Assembly represents graduate students in both academic and student affairs. While some student governments incorporate undergraduates and graduates together, at the University of Oklahoma
, for example, the legislature is bicameral: The Graduate Student Senate and the Undergraduate Student Congress (house). The other branches represent all students. For instance, a graduate student was elected UOSA President (student body president) for the 2010-2011 academic school year and the majority of the student court is traditionally law students.
, may be recognized by the state legislature. Their structure, purpose and responsibilities are usually established in a constitution
ratified by the student body. Some states, such as California and Florida, specifically provide for "student body organizations" in their public institutions by statute. (e.g. Cal Education Code § 76060 (Community Colleges); Cal Education Code § 89300 (Universities)).
Student governments have historically been considered auxiliaries of the university to which they belong. Since ultimate responsibility over the direction of a university is usually vested in a Chancellor
or President
appointed by the Board, some conflicts may arise between Student Government and the university administration, especially in the area of fiscal matters. In addition to a student government, many universities also establish governments for faculty (e.g. Faculty Senate) and staff (e.g. Staff Assembly). In such cases, there often exist links and dependencies between these bodies. Many colleges/universities also allow the student governments to control the student activities (student life) funds generated by the fees students pay each quarter/semester. This usually establishes a strong power for the governing body of students because control over money is power and strong influence.
Student government budgets range from as high as $80 million (the University of California at Los Angeles) to less than a few thousand dollars. Large public residential universities tend to enjoy the largest operational budgets, while commuter-based public colleges and private colleges tend to have the smallest budgets. More than 71 percent of American "SG" officers are compensated through salaries, stipends, scholarships, and tuition waivers, according to the SG Salary Survey. The American Student Government Association
, the professional association for collegiate student governments, maintains an annually updated database of student government information including budgets, number of members, salaries, corporate structure and number of recognized clubs.
Most American student governments are "official, on-campus organizations" recognized by their institutions. But particularly in California, Minnesota, and Oregon, the "Associated Students, Inc." are non-profit corporations that operate independently of the institution. They derive some of their funding through the sale of services such as "discount cards" that students can use at local establishments.
Average voter turnout in all 4,700 student governments nationwide is in the range of 2 to 4 percent, according to the ASGA SG database. This number is negatively skewed by poor participation overall in SG at the more than 2,000 American community colleges which have larger commuter and non-traditional populations and therefore have less emphasis on traditional student services and programs like student government. State universities and colleges tend to have a 10-15 percent voter turnout, while private colleges often have much higher totals, sometimes into 40 percent or higher, according to ASGA. Online voting appears to increase turnout by about 4% on average. Keeping the polls open for more than a day has little or no effect on turnout.
Most student government leaders serve one-year terms, but there are isolated examples of multi-year officers. This cyclical nature of student government officers often prevents them from attaining real influence on college campuses. By the time student leaders learn their roles, their terms of office are nearing completion.
’s student government is called the University of Oklahoma Student Association (UOSA), first established in 1969. The student activity fee accumulated is divided into various amounts to be disbursed by a committee made up of the student president, the chair of the undergraduate student congress, the chair of the graduate student senate, and the vice president of student affairs. The student government is currently given just over $600,000 from this committee to allocate to student organizations, pay staff assistants, bills on student government property, and other debts.
-The Executive Branch is composed of the President and Vice President along with their cabinet of various departments filled with directors, coordinators, and officers. The President and Vice President are elected together on a ticket during the spring general elections. President nominates his or her cabinet and other executive officials to the legislature to be confirmed through the process of advise and consent. The members of the Executive Branch act as the advocates for students by meeting with administration, promoting resolutions passed by the legislature, and ensuring that all laws of the UOSA are faithfully executed.
-The Legislative Branch is composed of two houses: the Undergraduate Student Congress and the Graduate Student Senate. The Representatives of the Undergraduate Student Congress and Senators of the Graduate Student Senate are elected according to their academic district and college. Both houses elect internally their own leadership with a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary, which make the executive decisions for their respective houses like appointing committee membership or committee leadership. The legislative branch also considers legislation on a wide variety of topics concerning students at OU. In addition, the legislature considers resolutions concerning issues as diverse as gender neutral housing, smoking bans, safety concerns, sidewalks, parking, and recreational facilities. This branch considers these issues through the use of various committees. One of the most important legislative committees is the UOSA Budget Committee, which is a joint committee between the Graduate Senate and Undergraduate Congress. Together this committee allocates the student activity fee in the form of an appropriations bill.
-The Judicial Branch is composed of one high court and lower courts. The high court is the UOSA Student Superior Court. The court operates as a Court of Appeal that basically acts as our Supreme Court. This Court hears cases that affect the UOSA constitution, UOSA Statutes, Student Organization constitutions, UOSA General Counsel Opinions, election fraud, or any other appeal from a lower court. The UOSA currently has one lower the UOSA Student Parking Appeals Court. This court reviews appeals made over various parking citations.
-The Programming Branch is vested in the UOSA Campus Activities Council (CAC). The Campus Activities Council is led by a Chair, whom is elected in a campus wide election. As the Programming Branch, it puts on many events on campus for the entire student body like Howdy Week, Big Red Rally, Homecoming, University Sing, Dad’s Day and Family Weekend, Winter Welcome Week, Dance Marathon, College Bowl, Mom’s Day and Parent’s Weekend, and Sooner Scandals. The Campus Activities Council also has a Concert Series, Film Series, and a Speaker’s Bureau that brings many enlightening speakers, films, and bands for the student body to enjoy. Originally, CAC was the programming arm of the UOSA under the Executive Branch. In 2002, the student body voted and passed a constitutional amendment to make the Campus Activities Council its own branch.
The student government also has an independent student legal office called the UOSA General Counsel. The UOSA General Counsel, the chief legal officer for UOSA, and their associates acts as attorney general for the student government as well as public defender. Students must at minimum be second year law students to qualify to be the general counsel or one its associates. The UOSA General provides legal advice, defends students regarding academic misconduct or grade appeals, approves new student organization, and represents the UOSA on legal matters.
Student Government is the governing body for the students who attend the university, representing the UF's 50,000+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. It is one of the largest Student Governments within the United States
. The student government currently operates on a yearly $14.1 million dollar budget. The motto is "Building the Pride in Every Gator."
It was officially established in 1909 and consists of an executive, judicial, and unicameral legislative branch. The executive branch consists of a Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, Student Body Treasurer, 9 agencies, and 41 cabinets. The Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, and Student Body Treasurer are elected in annual elections held in the spring.
The legislative branch is composed of 100 senators, who serve one-year terms. 50 senate seats are elected each spring semester and the remaining 50 are elected each fall semester. The senators elect a Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore twice a year—once in the fall, and once in the spring—to lead the Student Senate.
's Student Assembly comprises one half of the ASMSU undergraduate student government, along with the Academic Assembly. At MSU, the Student Assembly has control over student-life affairs, and controls three seats in the University Academic Governance System, as well as 96.5% of the nearly $1.3 million ASMSU budget
. The number of representatives per college varies on the population of the college, like the United States House of Representatives
.
The ASMSU Student Assembly has five officers and forty-five staff members, with three of those being executive staff. The Chair, Vice-Chairperson of Internal Affairs, Vice-Chairperson of External Affairs, Vice-Chairperson of Student Funding, and Vice-Chairperson of Student Programming are elected each April by the newly-elected representatives. The Assembly usually - but not always - votes its own members to leadership positions. The staff members are hired by a Human Resources
hiring committee
. They include the Director and Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs, the Director of Community Affairs, the Director of Legal Services, and the Director of Student Defenders. Three of these staff members, the Director and Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs and the Director of Community Affairs, make up the E-Staff, a lobbying group that works closely with the ASMSU Academic Assembly Director of Education Policy to lobby the Michigan State Legislature on behalf of the almost 40,000 undergraduate students of Michigan State University. As of May 2006, the ASMSU Student Assembly is in its 43nd session.
, please see the article on ASMSU
's central student government. It is composed of the Assembly, the Steering Committee, and the Central Student Judiciary.
The Assembly represents both undergraduate and graduate students, where the number of representatives per college varies on the population of the college. The College of Literature, Science and Arts (LS&A) has almost half of the seats on the assembly (19), since it is by far the university's largest college. Following that is the Rackham Graduate School (7), Engineering (6), Business (3), as well as several schools with single-student representation.
MSA is governed by a president and vice-president who are popularly elected by the student body at-large. Each college at the University of Michigan is given a representative number of seats (based on enrollment figures). Each representative on the Assembly was voted on by popular vote of their college or school. Elections for representatives are highly competitive.
The executive board positions include the President, Vice President, Student General Counsel, Treasurer, Chief of Staff and Chief Programming Officer. The latter four are appointed by both the President and Vice President.
The 25 committees and commissions of MSA accomplish much of the work on the Assembly. These range from the External Relations Committee, to the Peace and Justice Commission, to the Budget Priorities Committee, to the Voice Your Vote Commission. The Assembly runs many successful programs, including Airbus (an inexpensive airport shuttle service); an Off-campus housing website, where students rate landlords and properties; Advice Online, a website with statistical information on every class and professor on campus, and is solely responsible for the University's non-partisan student voter registration and Get Out the Vote activities. The MSA Web site is msa.umich.edu.
, and the Commonwealth of Virginia
.
government. The executive is headed by a President
and Vice President
, who run together on a ticket and are directly elected by all students each March. The executive branch also contains many non-elected officials, including a staff led by the Chief of Staff, a communications office, and many executive departments, such as the Department of Student Life and the Department of Public Affairs.
The legislative branch is divided into three parts: the Senate
, the Undergraduate Council, and the Graduate Council. The Senate is the upper house; it is charged with writing legislation that distributes student activity funds, expressing the will of the student body, and organizing the internal structure of the SA. Also, it confirms the principal officers of the executive departments and independent agencies. It is made up of 16 undergraduate students (four from each class), and 6 graduate students (one from the five graduate schools, plus an at-large seat). The Undergraduate Council consists of officers from each undergraduate class: a President, Vice President for Advocacy, Vice President for Social Affairs, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Graduate Council consists of officers from each graduate school. Only the Senate can pass binding legislation; however, the Councils may veto constitutional amendments.
The judicial branch is the Review Board, which resolves disputes between all bodies. It functions much like the Supreme Court of the United States
, in that it is a panel of justices deciding cases. There are six associate justices and one Chairman, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate every year.
Finally, there are independent agencies, which serve both branches: the Elections Commission, led by a Chairman and charged with overseeing the successful implementation of elections every semester and the First Year Council, which orients freshmen to the SA. There are also various independent class councils such as the 2008 Class Council, which consist of students who want to help Class Officers
plan events; these councils are not officially a part of the SA.
The leadership of both the legislative and executive branches of the Student Assembly are members of the Joint Facilitation Committee, which is composed of the President, Vice President, and Chief of Staff on the Executive side, and the Senate Chair, Secretary, and a member of the Senate Executive Committee on the Senate side. This committee provides overall direction for the Student Assembly and controls property jointly owned by both branches, such as the SA's offices and website.
As of the now, the Assembly is in its 318th session (the numbering represents the number of years since the founding of the College), or its 95nd year (the organization itself being founded in 1915).
Student governance has existed since 1908 at Stetson University in many forms. Currently, the Stetson University Student Government Association (SGA) is the representative body for all undergraduate students enrolled at Stetson University. The Association is divided into two branches: Legislative and Executive. The Association has direct control over $100,000 in student fee monies, which go to 100+ student organizations and has oversight of $500,000 in student fee monies, which go to other University programming.
The Legislative is a unicameral branch composed of a Student Senate. The Senate challenges, creates, and clarifies policies affecting Stetson Students. The Senate is chaired by the SGA Vice-President, who acts as the Senate President. Senators are elected from Residence Halls and from the commuter population. Also, each campus organization may appoint a Senator. This results in an average Senate of 100 members each year. The Senate has six committees which consider legislation brought before the Senate: Academic Affairs, Budget and Finance, Campus Life, Policy Reform, Residential Living, and Values and Ethics. The Chairmen of the committees and the Senate parliamentarian are appointed by the Senate President. The President Pro Temp is elected by the Senate.
The Executive is headed by the SGA President who, jointly with the Vice President, is elected in an annual, campus-wide election. The President is responsible for the general operations of the Association. He/She serves as the Student Body President, and is the official spokesperson for the Association and the Student Body. The President serves as a member of several boards (at the pleasure of the University), and appoints students to other University committees and boards. He/She is responsible for implementing the resolutions passed by the Senate. He/She appoints the three Secretaries: Communication, Finance, Student Involvement.
The President may veto legislation from the Senate; however, a veto may be overturned via a 2/3 vote of the Senate.
The elections for President and VP are governed by a special committee which consists of Senators. A majority of votes cast is required to win the election.
Stetson's SGA is a founding member of the Academy of Florida Independent Colleges and Universities. The Academy seeks to better higher education student governance in the state of Florida.
. The SSCCC is funded, in part, by moneys collected pursuant to a law that permits the establishment of a "student representation fee".
The SSCCC Constitution provides that the SSCCC will "serve as the voice of the students in matters of statewide concern and before the Board of Governors, Consultation Council and all statewide boards, committees, and ad hoc groups". The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges has recognized the SSCCC as "the representative of community college-associated student organizations before the Board of Governors and the Chancellor's Office".
The name "California Community Colleges" is the property of the State of California. That name cannot be used by an organization without the permission of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. By recognizing the SSCCC as "the representative of community college-associated student organizations before the Board of Governors and the Chancellor's Office", the Board has tacitly approved the SSCCC's use of the name "California Community Colleges".
Each community college student body association, and each "organization composed entirely of students attending the colleges of" a community college district, and each "student political organization that is affiliated with the official youth division of any political party that is on the ballot of the State of California" is entitled to have "one voting delegate at a general assembly" of the SSCCC. These delegates, by the operation of California Corporations Code Section 18015(b), constitute the membership of the SSCCC. Most of the student body associations that belong to the SSCCC are organized as "unincorporated associations". Several of the student body associations are organized as corporations, including Associated Students of Grossmont College, Inc., Associated Students of Barstow College, Associated Students of Sierra College, and Associated Students College of Marin.
The SSCCC divides the state up into regions for purposes of representation. There are currently 10 regions, with Region I in the very north of the state and Region X in the very south of the state. The SSCCC Constitution grants each individual region the ability to form their own regionally controlled governing councils and regional officers to facilitate the business of the organization within each respective region. The regions usually meet on a monthly basis.
All of the delegates and other local college student government representatives gather statewide to meet in General Assembly twice each year, once in the Fall semester and once in the Spring semester. The General Assembly meetings usually are held in alternating locations between the north and the south of the state. These General Assembly meetings contain issue and policy breakout sessions and discussions, keynote speakers and panels from policy leaders and state legislators, and culminate on the final day for resolution debate and voting. Prior to the General Assembly and throughout the General Assembly itself, students can submit resolutions for consideration by the delegates. On the final day of the General Assembly meeting, the final packet of proposed resolutions are debated on the floor and put to a vote for adoption. Any student in attendance can participate in debate of the resolutions, however only the recognized delegates may cast votes. Annual elections for statewide office are held each year at the Spring General Assembly.
The Student Senate Council is the statewide governing body of the SSCCC and is charged with implementing the resolutions adopted at the General Assemblies and conducting the business of the organization in between General Assembly sessions. The Student Senate Council has 30 members. In order to provide equal representation of the regions at the statewide level, each region elects two Regional Senators who must be enrolled at a college within the region that they are elected. These Regional Senators comprise a total of 20 members on the Student Senate Council. The other 10 members are At-Large Senators and are elected by popular vote of the delegates at the Spring General Assembly (the 10 highest vote getters are elected). Any community college student may run for an At-Large Senator seat regardless of region. The practice of electing At-Large Senators has since been discontinued from the passage of F 2010 18.02 Resolution, which turns the At-Large positions, to third regional senators. The Student Senate Council meets monthly, usually in Sacramento, for rigorous two-day policy meetings.
Each year the Student Senate Council holds its annual organizational meeting in July. The five statewide Executive Officers are selected from amongst the 30 Council Members at this organizational meeting. The Executive Officers are a President, a Vice President, a Secretary,a Treasurer and a Communications Officer. Together, these five Executive Officers form the Executive Committee of the SSCCC.
Much of the work of the SSCCC is conducted through its committee structure. The Student Senate maintains standing, ad hoc, and operational committees as well as other task forces and work groups as deemed necessary. Members and chairs of the committees are Student Senate Council members, however any interested students are encouraged to participate in the meetings.
For more information about the SSCCC, please visit the organization's official website at http://www.studentsenateccc.org.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, these groups are often known as student government, associated students, student senate, or less commonly a student's union. In the U.S., the phrase "student union" often refers to a "student activity center
Student activity center
A student activity center is a type of building found on university campuses. In the United States, such a building is more often called a student union, student commons, or student center...
" (also known as a "student center" or "student commons"), a building with dining halls, game rooms, lounges, student offices, and other spaces for student activities. At institutions with large graduate, medical school, and individual "college" populations, there are often student governments that serve those specific constituencies.
The first student union built at a public university in the United States was the Ohio Union (1909) at The Ohio State University. The largest students' union/center building is at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Universities that call their legislative councils "Student Assembly" include the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Wesleyan Student Assembly
Wesleyan Student Assembly
The Wesleyan Student Assembly is a body of 38 students elected annually to represent Wesleyan University’s undergraduate student body. Members serve as student advocates in all areas of the university, including matters related to student life, academics, campus facilities and university finances...
, the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
, Christopher Newport University
Christopher Newport University
Christopher Newport University, or CNU, is a public liberal arts university located in Newport News, Virginia, United States. CNU is the youngest comprehensive university in the Commonwealth of Virginia...
, and the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
(SUNY) and the Bentley University Student Government Association.
Officers
- President (chief executive officer)
- Vice President (sometimes also serves as chair of the senate)
- Treasurer
- Secretary (sometimes combined with treasurer to form the position of Treasurer/Secretary)
- Speaker (and sometimes Deputy Speaker)
- Senator (sometimes called Representative)
- Parliamentarian
- Sergeant-at-Arms
High School Officers
In US high schools, officers typically include:- Class Advisor (a teacher from the school)
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Sergeant-at-Arms
Structures
Many student governments are structured similarly to the United States Government, consisting of distinct executiveExecutive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, legislative, and judicial branches. Alternatively, a parliamentary model is followed. These structures often include elements which are not found in the federal government (e.g. legislative veto
Legislative veto
-History:Starting in the 1930s, the concurrent resolution was put to a new use—serving as the instrument to terminate powers delegated tothe Chief Executive or to disapprove particular exercises of power by him or his agents...
, programming branches, initiative, recall, referendum). In some cases, student governments follow a corporate model where offices reflect business roles such as Vice President of Finance, Director, etc.
Also, many universities with significant graduate
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
, law, and medical school programs have separate student governments for the graduate and undergraduate student bodies. Similarly, multiple undergraduate student governments sometimes form to address specific facets of university decision-making. At the University of Texas, for example, students are served by three equal and independent student governance organizations: the Student Government represents students generally, but focuses on undergraduate student life matters; the Senate of College Councils represents undergraduate and graduate students in academic affairs; and the Graduate Student Assembly represents graduate students in both academic and student affairs. While some student governments incorporate undergraduates and graduates together, at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, for example, the legislature is bicameral: The Graduate Student Senate and the Undergraduate Student Congress (house). The other branches represent all students. For instance, a graduate student was elected UOSA President (student body president) for the 2010-2011 academic school year and the majority of the student court is traditionally law students.
Responsibilities
Within their capacity as representatives of the student body, student governments may fulfill a range of responsibilities, such as:- Representing the interests and concerns of the student body and serving on college-wide committees made up of students, faculty, administrators, and staff members
- Disbursing mandatory fees for student activities to clubs, organizations, and campus offices
- Sponsoring campus-wide programs (e.g. Homecoming, concerts, parades, speakers, entertainment, discount cards, food pantries, book swaps, etc.)
- Chartering and regulating student organizations
Relationship to the Institution
Most universities and colleges (both public and private) in the United States are governed by a Board of Trustees or Regents. Student governments tend to be chartered by the Board but, in the case of public universities operated by a StateU.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, may be recognized by the state legislature. Their structure, purpose and responsibilities are usually established in a constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
ratified by the student body. Some states, such as California and Florida, specifically provide for "student body organizations" in their public institutions by statute. (e.g. Cal Education Code § 76060 (Community Colleges); Cal Education Code § 89300 (Universities)).
Student governments have historically been considered auxiliaries of the university to which they belong. Since ultimate responsibility over the direction of a university is usually vested in a Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
or President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
appointed by the Board, some conflicts may arise between Student Government and the university administration, especially in the area of fiscal matters. In addition to a student government, many universities also establish governments for faculty (e.g. Faculty Senate) and staff (e.g. Staff Assembly). In such cases, there often exist links and dependencies between these bodies. Many colleges/universities also allow the student governments to control the student activities (student life) funds generated by the fees students pay each quarter/semester. This usually establishes a strong power for the governing body of students because control over money is power and strong influence.
Student government budgets range from as high as $80 million (the University of California at Los Angeles) to less than a few thousand dollars. Large public residential universities tend to enjoy the largest operational budgets, while commuter-based public colleges and private colleges tend to have the smallest budgets. More than 71 percent of American "SG" officers are compensated through salaries, stipends, scholarships, and tuition waivers, according to the SG Salary Survey. The American Student Government Association
American Student Government Association
The American Student Government Association was founded in 2001 as America's first professional association serving and supporting collegiate Student Governments and Student Government Associations. ASGA was founded by Oxendine Publishing, Inc., which since 1983 has published magazines, books, and...
, the professional association for collegiate student governments, maintains an annually updated database of student government information including budgets, number of members, salaries, corporate structure and number of recognized clubs.
Most American student governments are "official, on-campus organizations" recognized by their institutions. But particularly in California, Minnesota, and Oregon, the "Associated Students, Inc." are non-profit corporations that operate independently of the institution. They derive some of their funding through the sale of services such as "discount cards" that students can use at local establishments.
Average voter turnout in all 4,700 student governments nationwide is in the range of 2 to 4 percent, according to the ASGA SG database. This number is negatively skewed by poor participation overall in SG at the more than 2,000 American community colleges which have larger commuter and non-traditional populations and therefore have less emphasis on traditional student services and programs like student government. State universities and colleges tend to have a 10-15 percent voter turnout, while private colleges often have much higher totals, sometimes into 40 percent or higher, according to ASGA. Online voting appears to increase turnout by about 4% on average. Keeping the polls open for more than a day has little or no effect on turnout.
Most student government leaders serve one-year terms, but there are isolated examples of multi-year officers. This cyclical nature of student government officers often prevents them from attaining real influence on college campuses. By the time student leaders learn their roles, their terms of office are nearing completion.
University of Oklahoma
University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
’s student government is called the University of Oklahoma Student Association (UOSA), first established in 1969. The student activity fee accumulated is divided into various amounts to be disbursed by a committee made up of the student president, the chair of the undergraduate student congress, the chair of the graduate student senate, and the vice president of student affairs. The student government is currently given just over $600,000 from this committee to allocate to student organizations, pay staff assistants, bills on student government property, and other debts.
Structure
The UOSA is divided into four equal governing branches: the executive, legislative, judicial, and programming.-The Executive Branch is composed of the President and Vice President along with their cabinet of various departments filled with directors, coordinators, and officers. The President and Vice President are elected together on a ticket during the spring general elections. President nominates his or her cabinet and other executive officials to the legislature to be confirmed through the process of advise and consent. The members of the Executive Branch act as the advocates for students by meeting with administration, promoting resolutions passed by the legislature, and ensuring that all laws of the UOSA are faithfully executed.
-The Legislative Branch is composed of two houses: the Undergraduate Student Congress and the Graduate Student Senate. The Representatives of the Undergraduate Student Congress and Senators of the Graduate Student Senate are elected according to their academic district and college. Both houses elect internally their own leadership with a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary, which make the executive decisions for their respective houses like appointing committee membership or committee leadership. The legislative branch also considers legislation on a wide variety of topics concerning students at OU. In addition, the legislature considers resolutions concerning issues as diverse as gender neutral housing, smoking bans, safety concerns, sidewalks, parking, and recreational facilities. This branch considers these issues through the use of various committees. One of the most important legislative committees is the UOSA Budget Committee, which is a joint committee between the Graduate Senate and Undergraduate Congress. Together this committee allocates the student activity fee in the form of an appropriations bill.
-The Judicial Branch is composed of one high court and lower courts. The high court is the UOSA Student Superior Court. The court operates as a Court of Appeal that basically acts as our Supreme Court. This Court hears cases that affect the UOSA constitution, UOSA Statutes, Student Organization constitutions, UOSA General Counsel Opinions, election fraud, or any other appeal from a lower court. The UOSA currently has one lower the UOSA Student Parking Appeals Court. This court reviews appeals made over various parking citations.
-The Programming Branch is vested in the UOSA Campus Activities Council (CAC). The Campus Activities Council is led by a Chair, whom is elected in a campus wide election. As the Programming Branch, it puts on many events on campus for the entire student body like Howdy Week, Big Red Rally, Homecoming, University Sing, Dad’s Day and Family Weekend, Winter Welcome Week, Dance Marathon, College Bowl, Mom’s Day and Parent’s Weekend, and Sooner Scandals. The Campus Activities Council also has a Concert Series, Film Series, and a Speaker’s Bureau that brings many enlightening speakers, films, and bands for the student body to enjoy. Originally, CAC was the programming arm of the UOSA under the Executive Branch. In 2002, the student body voted and passed a constitutional amendment to make the Campus Activities Council its own branch.
The student government also has an independent student legal office called the UOSA General Counsel. The UOSA General Counsel, the chief legal officer for UOSA, and their associates acts as attorney general for the student government as well as public defender. Students must at minimum be second year law students to qualify to be the general counsel or one its associates. The UOSA General provides legal advice, defends students regarding academic misconduct or grade appeals, approves new student organization, and represents the UOSA on legal matters.
University of Florida
The University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
Student Government is the governing body for the students who attend the university, representing the UF's 50,000+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. It is one of the largest Student Governments within the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The student government currently operates on a yearly $14.1 million dollar budget. The motto is "Building the Pride in Every Gator."
It was officially established in 1909 and consists of an executive, judicial, and unicameral legislative branch. The executive branch consists of a Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, Student Body Treasurer, 9 agencies, and 41 cabinets. The Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, and Student Body Treasurer are elected in annual elections held in the spring.
The legislative branch is composed of 100 senators, who serve one-year terms. 50 senate seats are elected each spring semester and the remaining 50 are elected each fall semester. The senators elect a Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore twice a year—once in the fall, and once in the spring—to lead the Student Senate.
Michigan State University
Michigan StateMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
's Student Assembly comprises one half of the ASMSU undergraduate student government, along with the Academic Assembly. At MSU, the Student Assembly has control over student-life affairs, and controls three seats in the University Academic Governance System, as well as 96.5% of the nearly $1.3 million ASMSU budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
. The number of representatives per college varies on the population of the college, like the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
The ASMSU Student Assembly has five officers and forty-five staff members, with three of those being executive staff. The Chair, Vice-Chairperson of Internal Affairs, Vice-Chairperson of External Affairs, Vice-Chairperson of Student Funding, and Vice-Chairperson of Student Programming are elected each April by the newly-elected representatives. The Assembly usually - but not always - votes its own members to leadership positions. The staff members are hired by a Human Resources
Human resources
Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
hiring committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
. They include the Director and Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs, the Director of Community Affairs, the Director of Legal Services, and the Director of Student Defenders. Three of these staff members, the Director and Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs and the Director of Community Affairs, make up the E-Staff, a lobbying group that works closely with the ASMSU Academic Assembly Director of Education Policy to lobby the Michigan State Legislature on behalf of the almost 40,000 undergraduate students of Michigan State University. As of May 2006, the ASMSU Student Assembly is in its 43nd session.
Structure
Below is the basic structure for the ASMSU Student Assembly. For the entire organizational flowchartFlowchart
A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents an algorithm or process, showing the steps as boxes of various kinds, and their order by connecting these with arrows. This diagrammatic representation can give a step-by-step solution to a given problem. Process operations are represented in these...
, please see the article on ASMSU
| Student Assembly 47 elected seats 18 appointed seats |
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| Vice Chair Vice president A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president... for Internal Affairs Parliamentarian (consultant) A parliamentarian is an expert on parliamentary procedure who advises organizations and deliberative assemblies. This sense of the term "parliamentarian" is distinct from the usage of the same term to mean a member of Parliament.... |
Vice Chair Vice president A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president... for External Affairs |
Vice Chair Vice president A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president... for Programming |
Vice Chair Vice president A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president... for Funding Funding Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions... |
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| Freshman Class Council Freshman A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a... Senior Class Council |
Legislative Affairs Lobbying Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or... Community Affairs East Lansing, Michigan East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from... |
Programming Board | Funding Board Funding Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions... |
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| Legal Services Legal aid Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.A number of... |
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| Yearbook Yearbook A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks... |
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University of Michigan
The Michigan Student Assembly is the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's central student government. It is composed of the Assembly, the Steering Committee, and the Central Student Judiciary.
The Assembly represents both undergraduate and graduate students, where the number of representatives per college varies on the population of the college. The College of Literature, Science and Arts (LS&A) has almost half of the seats on the assembly (19), since it is by far the university's largest college. Following that is the Rackham Graduate School (7), Engineering (6), Business (3), as well as several schools with single-student representation.
MSA is governed by a president and vice-president who are popularly elected by the student body at-large. Each college at the University of Michigan is given a representative number of seats (based on enrollment figures). Each representative on the Assembly was voted on by popular vote of their college or school. Elections for representatives are highly competitive.
The executive board positions include the President, Vice President, Student General Counsel, Treasurer, Chief of Staff and Chief Programming Officer. The latter four are appointed by both the President and Vice President.
The 25 committees and commissions of MSA accomplish much of the work on the Assembly. These range from the External Relations Committee, to the Peace and Justice Commission, to the Budget Priorities Committee, to the Voice Your Vote Commission. The Assembly runs many successful programs, including Airbus (an inexpensive airport shuttle service); an Off-campus housing website, where students rate landlords and properties; Advice Online, a website with statistical information on every class and professor on campus, and is solely responsible for the University's non-partisan student voter registration and Get Out the Vote activities. The MSA Web site is msa.umich.edu.
College of William and Mary
The Student Assembly of the College of William and Mary (SA) is the official student government of William and Mary. It is designed to represent all students at the college, both undergraduate and graduate. At William and Mary, the SA has control of over $500,000 in student activities fees, over $100,000 in reserve funding, and is the primary source of student representation to the college administration, the City of WilliamsburgWilliamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, and the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Structure
The SA is divided into three branches, executive, legislative, and judicial, much like the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government. The executive is headed by a President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
, who run together on a ticket and are directly elected by all students each March. The executive branch also contains many non-elected officials, including a staff led by the Chief of Staff, a communications office, and many executive departments, such as the Department of Student Life and the Department of Public Affairs.
The legislative branch is divided into three parts: the Senate
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
, the Undergraduate Council, and the Graduate Council. The Senate is the upper house; it is charged with writing legislation that distributes student activity funds, expressing the will of the student body, and organizing the internal structure of the SA. Also, it confirms the principal officers of the executive departments and independent agencies. It is made up of 16 undergraduate students (four from each class), and 6 graduate students (one from the five graduate schools, plus an at-large seat). The Undergraduate Council consists of officers from each undergraduate class: a President, Vice President for Advocacy, Vice President for Social Affairs, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Graduate Council consists of officers from each graduate school. Only the Senate can pass binding legislation; however, the Councils may veto constitutional amendments.
The judicial branch is the Review Board, which resolves disputes between all bodies. It functions much like the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, in that it is a panel of justices deciding cases. There are six associate justices and one Chairman, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate every year.
Finally, there are independent agencies, which serve both branches: the Elections Commission, led by a Chairman and charged with overseeing the successful implementation of elections every semester and the First Year Council, which orients freshmen to the SA. There are also various independent class councils such as the 2008 Class Council, which consist of students who want to help Class Officers
Class Officers
At educational institutions above Primary education, each grade level or year of study is a class, referenced by the year of graduation, i.e., "Class of 2011". The official activities of these groups are generally organized and controlled by Class Officers, who are elected from and by the members...
plan events; these councils are not officially a part of the SA.
The leadership of both the legislative and executive branches of the Student Assembly are members of the Joint Facilitation Committee, which is composed of the President, Vice President, and Chief of Staff on the Executive side, and the Senate Chair, Secretary, and a member of the Senate Executive Committee on the Senate side. This committee provides overall direction for the Student Assembly and controls property jointly owned by both branches, such as the SA's offices and website.
As of the now, the Assembly is in its 318th session (the numbering represents the number of years since the founding of the College), or its 95nd year (the organization itself being founded in 1915).
Stetson University
- website
Student governance has existed since 1908 at Stetson University in many forms. Currently, the Stetson University Student Government Association (SGA) is the representative body for all undergraduate students enrolled at Stetson University. The Association is divided into two branches: Legislative and Executive. The Association has direct control over $100,000 in student fee monies, which go to 100+ student organizations and has oversight of $500,000 in student fee monies, which go to other University programming.
The Legislative is a unicameral branch composed of a Student Senate. The Senate challenges, creates, and clarifies policies affecting Stetson Students. The Senate is chaired by the SGA Vice-President, who acts as the Senate President. Senators are elected from Residence Halls and from the commuter population. Also, each campus organization may appoint a Senator. This results in an average Senate of 100 members each year. The Senate has six committees which consider legislation brought before the Senate: Academic Affairs, Budget and Finance, Campus Life, Policy Reform, Residential Living, and Values and Ethics. The Chairmen of the committees and the Senate parliamentarian are appointed by the Senate President. The President Pro Temp is elected by the Senate.
The Executive is headed by the SGA President who, jointly with the Vice President, is elected in an annual, campus-wide election. The President is responsible for the general operations of the Association. He/She serves as the Student Body President, and is the official spokesperson for the Association and the Student Body. The President serves as a member of several boards (at the pleasure of the University), and appoints students to other University committees and boards. He/She is responsible for implementing the resolutions passed by the Senate. He/She appoints the three Secretaries: Communication, Finance, Student Involvement.
The President may veto legislation from the Senate; however, a veto may be overturned via a 2/3 vote of the Senate.
The elections for President and VP are governed by a special committee which consists of Senators. A majority of votes cast is required to win the election.
Stetson's SGA is a founding member of the Academy of Florida Independent Colleges and Universities. The Academy seeks to better higher education student governance in the state of Florida.
2010 Restructuring of the Stetson SGA
Stetson SGA is in the process of an overhaul of election rules following the 2009-2010 election season, which was unsuccessful and poorly run. The Dean of Students stepped in to disband the elections committee while setting up a process for the creation of new rules over the summer. During the transition to the new system of elected officers, some interactions with Stetson SGA may be lost. For more information, please visit their website.Student Senate for California Community Colleges
The Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) is a "nonprofit association". Its membership includes community college "student body associations" and its meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown ActBrown Act
The Ralph M. Brown Act, was an act of the California State Legislature, authored by Assemblymember Ralph M. Brown and passed in 1953, that guaranteed the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies....
. The SSCCC is funded, in part, by moneys collected pursuant to a law that permits the establishment of a "student representation fee".
The SSCCC Constitution provides that the SSCCC will "serve as the voice of the students in matters of statewide concern and before the Board of Governors, Consultation Council and all statewide boards, committees, and ad hoc groups". The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges has recognized the SSCCC as "the representative of community college-associated student organizations before the Board of Governors and the Chancellor's Office".
The name "California Community Colleges" is the property of the State of California. That name cannot be used by an organization without the permission of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. By recognizing the SSCCC as "the representative of community college-associated student organizations before the Board of Governors and the Chancellor's Office", the Board has tacitly approved the SSCCC's use of the name "California Community Colleges".
Membership
Each community college student body association, and each "organization composed entirely of students attending the colleges of" a community college district, and each "student political organization that is affiliated with the official youth division of any political party that is on the ballot of the State of California" is entitled to have "one voting delegate at a general assembly" of the SSCCC. These delegates, by the operation of California Corporations Code Section 18015(b), constitute the membership of the SSCCC. Most of the student body associations that belong to the SSCCC are organized as "unincorporated associations". Several of the student body associations are organized as corporations, including Associated Students of Grossmont College, Inc., Associated Students of Barstow College, Associated Students of Sierra College, and Associated Students College of Marin.
Regions
The SSCCC divides the state up into regions for purposes of representation. There are currently 10 regions, with Region I in the very north of the state and Region X in the very south of the state. The SSCCC Constitution grants each individual region the ability to form their own regionally controlled governing councils and regional officers to facilitate the business of the organization within each respective region. The regions usually meet on a monthly basis.
General Assembly
All of the delegates and other local college student government representatives gather statewide to meet in General Assembly twice each year, once in the Fall semester and once in the Spring semester. The General Assembly meetings usually are held in alternating locations between the north and the south of the state. These General Assembly meetings contain issue and policy breakout sessions and discussions, keynote speakers and panels from policy leaders and state legislators, and culminate on the final day for resolution debate and voting. Prior to the General Assembly and throughout the General Assembly itself, students can submit resolutions for consideration by the delegates. On the final day of the General Assembly meeting, the final packet of proposed resolutions are debated on the floor and put to a vote for adoption. Any student in attendance can participate in debate of the resolutions, however only the recognized delegates may cast votes. Annual elections for statewide office are held each year at the Spring General Assembly.
Student Senate Council
The Student Senate Council is the statewide governing body of the SSCCC and is charged with implementing the resolutions adopted at the General Assemblies and conducting the business of the organization in between General Assembly sessions. The Student Senate Council has 30 members. In order to provide equal representation of the regions at the statewide level, each region elects two Regional Senators who must be enrolled at a college within the region that they are elected. These Regional Senators comprise a total of 20 members on the Student Senate Council. The other 10 members are At-Large Senators and are elected by popular vote of the delegates at the Spring General Assembly (the 10 highest vote getters are elected). Any community college student may run for an At-Large Senator seat regardless of region. The practice of electing At-Large Senators has since been discontinued from the passage of F 2010 18.02 Resolution, which turns the At-Large positions, to third regional senators. The Student Senate Council meets monthly, usually in Sacramento, for rigorous two-day policy meetings.
Each year the Student Senate Council holds its annual organizational meeting in July. The five statewide Executive Officers are selected from amongst the 30 Council Members at this organizational meeting. The Executive Officers are a President, a Vice President, a Secretary,a Treasurer and a Communications Officer. Together, these five Executive Officers form the Executive Committee of the SSCCC.
Much of the work of the SSCCC is conducted through its committee structure. The Student Senate maintains standing, ad hoc, and operational committees as well as other task forces and work groups as deemed necessary. Members and chairs of the committees are Student Senate Council members, however any interested students are encouraged to participate in the meetings.
For more information about the SSCCC, please visit the organization's official website at http://www.studentsenateccc.org.