Student Government

By Stephen Pastis

Students interested in experiencing administrative politics and representing their fellow students at the University of South Carolina should check out Student Government. As an organization, SG provides opportunities for students to organize events and initiatives to improve student life on campus.

Consisting of the executive o cers, the president’s cabinet, a senate, freshman council, a constitutional council, an elections commission, a communications team, three lobbying agencies, and the members of university committees, the governing body manages a number of programs and initiatives that have real-world application.

The executive o cers — the president, vice president, treasurer and speaker of the student senate — are elected by the student body each spring semester along with the main legislative body of Student Government: the student senate.

The senate is made up of 50 senators and 10 committees, with the number of senators per college based on that college’s student population. The student senate passes legislation covering non-academic issues ranging from student organization funding to university policies and many things in between and is led by the speaker of the student senate.

The student body president serves as the main representative of students to university administration and supervises the executive cabinet, which consists of over a dozen students focused on various issues a ecting the university. The student body vice president oversees SG’s programs and initiatives on a day-to-day basis. The student body treasurer manages the Student Government budget and allocation of funds to student organizations, assisted by a team of comptrollers who serve as liaisons to the more than 500 student organizations on campus.

Freshman Council is an entry-level opportunity for rst-year students to represent their class through various committees focused on enacting change and improvements on campus. Freshman Council is one of the main ways for new students to immediately get involved on campus.

Jerome Scott, assistant director for Student Government leadership, said he recommends incoming freshman and current students to check out SG because there’s a variety of positions to suit many experiences and goals, and SG provides outlets for everyone’s voices to be heard.

“My biggest piece of advice that I would say was honestly just to put yourself out there,” Scott said. “I know that’s hard for a lot of students joining something new, no matter what type of group it is.”

Other involvement opportunities in Student Government include the constitutional council, which is the judicial branch of the governing body and maintains the rules and procedures of Student Government, and one of the three lobbying groups that make up SG’s government relations area: one for meeting with members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation, one focused on lobbying the S.C. General Assembly, and one that works with the Columbia City Council to advance university and student interests.

Outside of getting directly involved with Student Government in a leadership position, students can see the e ect of SG’s e orts all over campus. Students can donate

32

@UofSCSG @uofscsg @UofSCSG

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY STEVEN TAPIA-MACIAS / DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT LIFE

unused meal plan swipes to other food-insecure students using the Swipe Out Hunger program, and they can also give gently used business clothing to the Carolina Closet for other students to rent out and return as needed for interviews or job fairs. Stigma Free USC focuses on advocating for mental health care and raising awareness of common mental health issues. The airport shuttle program provides free transportation to and from the local Columbia airport before and a er breaks. And if a student has an idea for a way to improve campus that SG isn’t already working on, SG x YOU is a program encouraging students to submit their ideas, with the best idea receiving funding and support in order to make it happen.

Scott said he’s seen students make major changes to campus during his time, like creating a new green space out of an old basketball court by Woodrow Apartments or establishing a peer mentorship program.

Students can take a more active role in student life at USC by getting involved in one of Student Government’s initiatives or programs, submitting suggestions online at sc.edu/sg, or attending regular student senate meetings on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the Senate Chambers on the third oor of Russell House.

34