MSU’s undergraduate student government plans to take the reins on student representation in Academic Governance.
ASMSU passed a bill last week requiring all its representatives, schedule permitting, to fill the seats reserved for undergraduate students on the University Council within Academic Governance.
Academic Governance is the policymaking body for the university composed of both students and faculty.
“We just want the representatives to get more involved,” said Denzel McCampbell, vice president for internal administration, at a previous meeting. “We want representatives to see what actually goes on.”
Prior to the bill passing, representatives seemed to feel confident in the concept, which was introduced by executive board members.
Several representatives shared positive sentiments on the general idea, but showed concern on how this might work with representatives’ respective schedules. Others just wanted clarification on what exactly the University Council does.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Emily Bank, who is in charge of appointments to the 30 undergraduate seats, said University Council is composed of faculty, administration, undergraduate students and graduate students.
She said the council is the final step before policies reach the MSU Board of Trustees.
“It is imperative that students have a voice in Academic Governance,” Bank said. “(The representatives) have so many passionate ideas that need to be heard by the administration, and this is the perfect way for them to do that.”
She added ASMSU makes up a third of the council, but students not involved in ASMSU hoping to sit on the council still will have an ability to do so through the student caucus.
Bank said the caucus is another governmental organization, similar to ASMSU, that falls under the organization’s umbrella. Currently, the caucus has the ability to fill the remaining five seats not taken by ASMSU representatives.
Premedical freshman Katelyn Brolick said although it would be nice to have students outside of ASMSU sit on the council to have more diverse opinions heard, if no new students take the empty seats, ASMSU representatives should.
“They are in (university governance) every day,” Brolick said, adding it is important to make sure the council seats are filled so undergraduate students have a voice. “It makes (the average student) more knowledgeable.”
Students still interested in sitting on council can contact Bank or the student caucus. For more information, visit asmsu.msu.edu.
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