For years, Kennesaw State’s Student Government Association has spoken on behalf of the student population. Despite holding responsibility as the voice of students, its power is limited when it comes to having a say in how the university operates. SGA should be granted increased decision-making power on campus in order to better represent student needs.
From campaigns to monthly meetings with KSU President Dr. Pamela Whitten, the members of this organization listen and discuss student needs and concerns to the KSU faculty.
Student government members work hard to be a presence on campus by hosting events and communicating with administration — their hard work should be reflected with increased power on campus.
The SGA mission statement states that government members work to “represent the students, serve as a middle man between students and KSU faculty members, enhance student success, encourage campus engagement and advocate on behalf of the students per KSU guidelines and policies.”
It is time that SGA has bargaining power among administration and Whitten herself.
Although current SGA President Samuel Brand and Vice President Tariq Bradford agreed that the organization should have significant pull in regards to university decisions affecting students, both also agreed that its influence was somewhat limited in reality.
“I think we have a good amount of influence behind the scenes,” Bradford said. “We do have power, but it’s shared [among] faculty, Senate and students.”
The student government is meant to have similarities with the U.S. government — it has a Constitution set in place, Senate members representing different departments and campaigns for change.
Unfortunately, there are limits to a student-run government.
“We have our power designated by the president of the university,” Brand said. “When we write resolutions or pass legislation, we can’t enact it by just writing that resolution. It’s more of a recommendation to the president. [We’re saying,] ‘this is what the students want to happen,’ and that carries a lot of weight behind it.”
If SGA had more influence on campus, members — all who are elected by fellow students — could speak on behalf of students to administration, advocating for the needs of students who otherwise lack a voice at KSU.
Brand and Bradford added that increased student involvement can assist in pushing for more changes at KSU, stating that it is imperative that students become more aware of the SGA and its determination to help students. Even for small issues that may seem insignificant, it is impactful to all students in the long run.
“We want students to speak up,” Bradford said. “As a president, you do have a lot of things going on, you’re not gonna be able to catch everything. It’s the students’ job to speak up and say, ‘Hey, this is a problem.’ If we never let [the president] know, they won’t know.”
If students want their voices represented, theymust participate in the effort to elect and speak to SGA members. Involvement in the organization empowers the student body and therefore allows for the needs of students regarding fees, academic needs, and ideas for improvement to be heard.
SGA has worked very hard with Whitten to bring change to KSU, and students are strongly encouraged to get more involved in their school’s changes. Not only will student involvement improve the college community, but the changes made can also create better opportunities for future KSU students.
