The Student Leadership Advisory Council met with students Thursday to announce the decisions made based on feedback gathered last year.
The SLAC was formed to reform the student government after Student Congress voted to disband last year following the disciplinary removal of former Budget Director Anthony Provenzano and grievance hearing of former Vice President Jeffrey Noel.
After requesting input from the student body last year, it was decided that while they would continue to call the group Student Congress, although some of the inner workings of the group will change.
Students were encouraged to attend through the offer of free ice cream and entry into an iPad raffle. Approximately 25 students were in attendance on Thursday. Entries for the raffle will continue to be offered at meetings until the drawing at the end of the semester.
“We need your voice if this is going to work,” said Sara Dorer, faculty advisor for SLAC.
Leadership roles within the group will include President, Vice President, External Affairs Director, Communications Director, and Budget Director. Each of these positions now have clearly defined responsibilities, ranging from actively seeking out student input and meeting with school administrators to managing social media.
“We’ve redefined the roles, we’re going to use them in a different way,” Dorer said.
The leadership roles will be decided by a vote of the students present at the final SLAC meeting.
“Whoever shows up at the meeting has the vote that day.” Dorer explained, “Any current student is a current voting member of Student Congress.”
An absentee ballot was suggested and is being looked into.
There are some requirements to run for a leadership role, including submission of a letter of intent, a minimum of a 2.5 GPA, good academic and social standing and availability for meetings.
“So any one of you… could be running for Student Congress President in hopefully two months or so,” Dorer said.
Also during the meeting, SLAC member Ross Pike asked for suggestions from students about potential activities or speakers that might be brought to the meetings, such as administrators or U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R – Cascade Township.
“We have been in contact with Congressman Justin Amash’s office, he is willing to come on campus,” Pike said.
Meetings are going to take place every two weeks until Student Congress is reformed. The next meeting is scheduled to take place 2 p.m. Sept. 19 in the Multi-Purpose Room on the second floor of the Student Center.
