LSU Student Government’s mission statement says that it aims “to advocate tirelessly the interests of LSU students.”

But to most students—including me, until recently—what SG actually does to better the community is sometimes unclear.

The legislative branch, or Student Senate, includes elected representatives from each senior college. It’s led by an elected speaker and speaker pro tempore and by legislative staff appointed by the speaker, according to SG’s website. 

Emma Long, a mass communication and political science sophomore, joined the Senate her freshman year. 

“I chose to be a part of Student Government because I wanted to make a change on our campus and to work with like-minded individuals to better the campus,” Long said.

She said SG works in conjunction with administration, faculty and staff to see proposals from the initial stage until completion. The Senate works in legislative sessions to pass bills and advocate for students, Long said. 

Long is currently working on several projects, including one to get Adobe free for students and creating a syllabus database to allow students to see the expected workload of a specific class and use that information to decide whether they want to take the class.

These projects show how SG works towards bettering the university and making things easier for students. 

Matthew Delatte, SG’s chief of staff, also joined his freshman year. 

“I believe that joining Student Government was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made because the values and work ethic that you gain from this organization is truly insurmountable,” he said. 

Delatte said the executive branch works with administrators to further policies and initiatives that will benefit the students at the university. 

“Members of Student Government sit on several university-wide committees as student representatives, ensuring that the student body is considered in university conversations and decision-making,” he said. 

Delatte said SG works to better students’ experience through initiatives, new programs and changes in policies, and events. 

Some examples of new initiatives are the creation of an American Sign Language Program and the installation of audio accessibility devices on crosswalks off Highland Road, he said. 

SG also has groups of people who work specifically to create initiatives focusing on creating a more welcoming environment for minorities on campus. Long said the Senate has an African American and LGBTQ+ caucus that focuses on legislation aimed to promote diversity. 

“As leaders in Student Government, we represent all students at LSU. In each of our departments, there is an expectation to assess how inclusion is involved with the work delegated to them and to ensure our events are representative of all communities,” Delatte said. 

The core values of SG impact how the members of the organization present themselves to others. 

“Our core values are serving our student body and I think they have an effect on how our members carry themselves and how our members seek to affect change on campus,” Long said. 

She said that many members of SG are highly involved and that they bring a positive influence to many other organizations on campus.

While there are many positive aspects of SG, like any organization, there are problems. 

“The only downside I see to it is that some people are in it for the wrong reasons, but the majority of people are not,” Long said. 

She said the focus on campaigns, especially during election season, can create a toxic environment. This session, though, the Senate has worked to cut down on those negative aspects by implementing election reform, Long said.

Delatte said there is much SG can do better, such as improving communication to students about what SG does.

As a student at the university, I had no idea about any of the projects the SG has been working on throughout my time at LSU. This is true for many students.

“We acknowledge that these hurdles come with every student organization, but we know that as representatives of the entire student body we have a responsibility to do our best in each of these areas, and we have really been trying,” Delatte said. 

He said SG has implemented student feedback in events, met with student leaders and worked to assist university organizations with their events and ideas. 

After learning about the initiatives and ideas that SG is working on, I feel content knowing that members of SG are trying to better the university and make my and all students’ experiences at LSU better. 

Kate Beske is a journalism sophomore from Destrehan.