Student Government will propose legislation in the coming weeks before the Faculty Senate to add student representation to the Faculty Senate committees that affect students.
Of the 18 Faculty Senate committees, 11 have student representation. But other committees have no students. And some of these make decisions that affect the daily lives of students — such as the Admissions, Standards and Honors committee, which changed the hours requirement for making Dean’s List and Chancellor Honor Roll.
“Our goal is to have some sort of student representation on the committees that pertain to student life,” said Michelle Gieg, SG director of legislative affairs.
Carruth McGehee, former Faculty Senate president and retired math professor, said committees with students have had good and beneficial experiences.
Charles Delzell, Faculty Senate secretary and math professor, said it “seems natural” to have students on committees that affect them.
Delzell said he thinks SG’s interest in having students on committees is probably the result of the ASH committee controversy last spring with the honor roll requirement.
With little student input, the ASH committee passed a referendum to change the requirements of the Chancellor’s Honor Roll from 12 hours to 15 hours per semester.
McGehee said she thinks SG will be successful.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if in a year or so the constitution is amended [to add students to committees],” McGehee said.
Gieg said SG will decide next week what type of representation they want to push for — voting members or non-voting members who can give their opinions.
SG will meet with the chairperson of Faculty Senate Committee on Committees on Feb. 24.
Once they meet with the chair, Gieg said she hopes SG will understand the reason there is no student representation on some of the committees. She said this will help SG decide the type of representation it wants to lobby for.