Committee forming to revamp student government

Sara Dorer, director of Student Life and Conduct, is forming a student committee to restructure the student government organization after the recent disbandment of the group formerly known as Student Congress.

“We will be forming what we’re going to call a student leadership advisory committee,” Dorer said. “Their charge will be to lead the efforts of reviewing and restructuring our campus leadership organization.”

Dorer plans to hire a committee of six students plus one member of Campus Activities.  The goal is to have a diverse committee that will represent the student body.  Any student is eligible to apply for a position, and the former executive board members will have to apply as well to be part of the team.

“We are looking to compensate those positions similar to the way we would have done leaders in Student Congress, but everyone will be equal,” Dorer said. “There won’t be a hierarchy.”

Immediately following the disbandment announcement, there were plans that the remaining former executive board members—former President Chaka White, former Parliamentarian Ross L. Pike, and former Public Relations Director Vincent James—would continue the officers’ responsibilities and receive stipends. However, Dorer said that these responsibilities will be delegated to the committee instead.

“They (administrators) wanted it to be clear that Student Congress was no longer active,” said Pike.

Student Congress disbanded in the wake of the disciplinary removal of former Budget Director Anthony Provenzano and shortly after the recall of former Vice President Jeffrey Noel. After the disbandment, former Communications Director Julio Reyes resigned from any responsibilities he may have had, and Noel lost the appeal he filed to be reinstated as Vice President.