Dear Julie,
Our senate wants to help our student association become more involved, organized and professional. Do you have any resources for us?
Wanting to Help Students
Dear W.H.S.,
Yes, we have some ideas and resources for you. The Student Senate for California Community Colleges is developing into a wonderful organization, and student participation in it provides a wonderful experience for your current student leaders and those aspiring to be leaders. You can access the website at http://www.studentsenateccc.org/ . The Student Senate has a General Assembly planned for the first weekend in May in San Diego. Your senate can recommend that students participate in the General Assembly. Officers of the Student Senate are eager to engage students across the state. The students have adopted a resolution process like the one used by the Academic Senate, and student development of resolutions is encouraged.
Your students leaders might benefit from attending your senate meetings too. The model you provide might spark interest in a more organized agenda or voting process. College committees that include the voice of the students can also provide examples to student participants about effective meetings and planning. Be sure that the student association knows that student input is valued and necessary for good decision making at your college.
Another strategy may be to include the student leaders in a meeting of your senate executive team. This could be an informal discussion over lunch or a more formal invitation to meet with you and discuss options to help the students become more effective. If the student organization has a faculty advisor, offer your invitation to lunch to that person as well.
Student organizations, like faculty organizations, are only as strong as the commitment and interest of the participants. Perhaps your senate can make a concerted effort to lead a campaign to rally student interest. If each instructor convinced only one student in each class to consider participating in student government or committees, just imagine the results..
Good luck!
March
2009