The presidential appointment process is one of the most important duties of our student body government. The amount of positions, the bodies and committees associated to these positions, and the sequence of events that determine the time frame for approvals, present a meticulous yet fair means to appointing qualified leaders who will put forth a commendable effort this year.
The Presidential Appointed Committees are going to great lengths to maintain standards of fairness, objectivity and meritocracy; we have a very thorough process which involves filling out a written application, scheduling an oral interview with the Appointment Review Committee which is comprised of members from both student party slates, and finally a question-and-answer session hosted by the council and attended by the potential appointee. Council has the final vote for approval of the appointee.
I am happy to say that the bipartisan ARC committee has unanimously approved all summer appointments, and all voting members of Council have unanimously approved them as well. Currently there are 21 applications, already forwarded and pending to be scheduled for an interview due to the ARC committee’s schedule. All immediate appointments that had retreats in the early summer have already been approved by council. I have also consulted current and previous leadership of committees to get a better understanding of the committees tasks and what they look for in a new member to ensure a qualified candidate. I feel that students should take pride in the diligence that the student government puts forth for each appointee.
I also take pride in the fact that many second-year students and transfer students have been given the opportunity to get involved and engaged on campus through the appointments. Serving on such committees is a great responsibility as well as a learning experience, and I am proud that this council has approved qualified candidates who are enthusiastic.
By doing so, the diversity in participants, their backgrounds, age, and experiences, herald a positive beginning for this year’s affairs. In fact, my involvement in student affairs began when I was appointed to the Student Fee Advisory Committee my second year. By my third year, I became the chair and learned to become a leader. That experience helped my familiarity with the way committees function on campus and what to look for in applicants. Having served on SFAC helped me determine what to look for when I forwarded someone for SFAC. Since I was given that opportunity, I stringently believe that applicants should be equally considered for similar opportunities this year.
I also believe that in this fair process, talented leaders will emerge and take hold of the future of this campus.
The process has admittedly been slower, but as a result, we have a fantastically diverse set of appointees, representing all aspects of campus life, from dozens of student groups and countless majors. The council members who have put the time and effort into our process, from all “slates,” should be commended for their diligence; not upbraided for being too methodical. If anyone has a concern or questions about our proceedings we invite you to come to a USAC meeting and participate in the process with us. We’d love to have you.