The “student voice” on a college campus is so important in shaping the landscape, curriculum, and overall atmosphere of an institution. Many students are looking to have their voices heard around campus to incorporate their thoughts and ideas into everyday campus life and policies. Playing a role in decision-making and advocating for oneself are the most crucial ways for students to participate. Here are a few ideas on how you can get involved in making change on campus.
1. Run for a Senator position on the Student Senate – The Student Senate is the main governing body for students on campus. There are many Senator seats up for grabs each year including class senators, resident and commuter senators, and senators at large. Student Senate plays a key role in voicing student concerns on important campus issues like food service, parking, and curriculum development. Many times, the administration will look to the Student Senate for feedback on policies and new initiatives. For more information on available positions, feel free to email sga@worcester.edu for more information. Students interested in participating with Student Senate can email sga@worcester.edu.
2. Serve on Governance Committees – There are several committees on campus that develop campus policies that students can get involved with. These committees are called Governance Committees and as the name signifies, they essentially “govern” all aspects of campus life, from academics to support services. Each year, the Student Government Association (SGA) President is asked to fill those seats with student representatives. These students are appointed to Governance Committees for one year and provide important feedback and student opinions on issues that are tackled in these committees. There are approximately 17 committees that include student representatives. Some meet monthly while some meet on an as-needed basis. A few of the more consistently held committees include the Curriculum Committee, Academic Policies Committee, Student Affairs Committee, and the overarching and final say of all committees: The All University Committee. There are also committees that focus on particular areas like diversity, equity, and inclusion issues such as the Campus Climate Committee, Bias Incident Response Team, and the LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee. Seniors may be interested in serving on the Academic Ceremonies Committee so they may have a say in their commencement ceremony. These are just a few of the committees that hold seats for student representatives. For a complete list and dates and times that these committees meet, please email sga@worcester.edu.
3. Attend forums, meetings, focus groups, etc. – Throughout the year, there will be many opportunities for students to share their feedback on particular issues in addition to serving on committees. For less of a time commitment, participate in one-time meetings, focus groups, or public forums offered by the university. Many times, the administration would like feedback from the general student body on issues such as campus climate, safety, or hiring of new faculty, staff, or administrators. Don’t pass up the opportunity to share your thoughts in these public forums. Keep an eye on your email for important announcements regarding these types of events.
4. Participate in surveys – Students receive several requests a year to participate in campus surveys, student research surveys, and other surveys that provide important feedback to those facilitating the survey. Take advantage of these opportunities as well. A lot of times, surveys can be completed on your own time, when you have a free moment. Also, to encourage student responses, many surveyors offer an incentive to students, such as free WSU swag, gift cards, or even extra credit in a class. Who doesn’t want an incentive to share their opinion?! Survey requests are another great reason to keep checking your WSU email.
5. Talk to faculty and administrators – Take a step out of your comfort zone and share your opinions and feedback with faculty and administrators across campus. This could be done in a class, during faculty office hours, via email, at tabling events across campus, or by simply making an appointment with a staff member on campus to meet about an issue. Sharing your perspective on issues can open the eyes of faculty and administrators and improve lots of things for students in and out of the classroom. We also like to know when we are doing a good job, so please make sure to share positive feedback as well so that we know we are providing positive experiences for students.
For more information on ways you can get involved in decision-making on campus, please feel free to email studentinvolvement@worcester.edu. Good luck to all of you making change at WSU!
