On Feb. 3, Student Government (SG) held an event that focused on revising its Constitution to make its operations more efficient and responsive to the needs of the student body. The event was held at Linda McMahon Commons at 5:30 p.m. and lasted an hour.
Anna Macaulay, Executive Vice President of SG, shared her thoughts on the event and stressed key topics that were discussed, including the role of the Chief Justice, the potential of implementing a point system and the process of constitutional review.
The Constitution is only open to revisions every two years. As the next review period approaches, Macaulay talked about the opportunity to make changes that would improve the functions of the SG. During this meeting, Macaulay noted that the “junior class was very invested.”
One of the major areas under review is the role of the Chief Justice within SG. The responsibility of the Chief Justice is to step in when a member of the SG fails to perform their duties or meet standards.
“The role of the Chief Justice is very important as it will make sure that the Student Government is run smoothly,” Macaulay said.
One idea that’s being discussed is a point system to get members more involved. If someone misses a meeting or doesn’t do their job, they could lose points or “stars.” Macaulay explained that the point system would encourage members to take their responsibilities more seriously and make sure they’re attending meetings and staying active.
“We want to make a system that encourages everyone to participate and ensures all members are helping make Student Government better,” Macaulay said. “A point system could help make sure everyone stays accountable.”
Source: Tracy Deer-Mirek, Sacred Heart University
While the main focus of the event is changes to the Constitution, Macaulay reminded students that SG is always open to hearing from them.
“For students that aren’t in Student Government, the biggest thing that gets brought up is about dining. Student Government is open to the public and they strongly encourage students to voice their opinions to Student Government so there could be change,” Macaulay said.
Macaulay also stressed the importance of student involvement in making sure SG does its job. She encouraged students to bring their ideas and concerns forward so they can help make positive changes on campus.
“Student Government is a way for students to get more and more involved and we would love to see more of the student body, and we are always looking for more feedback on ways that they can make the campus better,” said freshman Treasurer Nathan Ruggiero.
“I felt very informed and I thought everything that was talked about was very educational and it made me really want to get more involved not just with Student Government, but on campus as well,” said freshman Logan Orland, who attended the event.
According to the university website, the role of Student Government is to “serve as the representative voice of the SHU student body to the faculty and administration.”
The next Senate event is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 17. The Senate meets every week, giving students the opportunity to discuss the issues at hand and shape the structure of SG.
Visit SG on Instagram, @shustudentgov, for info on events and how to get involved.
