Swarthmore College Student Council records

Student Council was created in 1937 and has often changed in structure since then. It was originally created as a companion organization to the Women’s Student Government Association (WSGA) and the Men’s Student Government Association (MSGA), charged with governing situations and activities involving both men and women. In 1940, MSGA was replaced by the Men’s Executive Committee (MEC) which was designed to be a smaller, more useful version of the MSGA, but it too ceased to exist in 1958. WSGA survived until 1970. After 1970, Student Council became the sole non-judicial student governing body on campus. As such, Student Council was responsible for a wide range of activities, including acting as liaison for communicating student concerns to the faculty, administration, and board of managers; chartering and funding student groups and activities; appointing student representatives to college committees; and overseeing student employment and publication policies. In fall of 2014, Student Council elected to function on the working constitution of the larger, more-representative Student Government Organization for that academic year. After achieving significant success, the new constitution was ratified by the student body on April 16, 2015.

Student Government Organization has two branches: the Executive Board and the Student Senate. The Executive Board meets on a weekly basis to make efficient decisions regarding campus policy and student initiatives. The Student Senate meets on a bi-weekly basis as a part of the full SGO to review decisions made by the executive board and to offer support and ideas for SGO initiatives. The Co-Presidents head the Executive Board of eight elected SGO committee chairs: Academic Affairs, Diversity, Environmental Impact, Internal Affairs, Student Life Policy, Student Organizations, Student Outreach, and Visual and Performing Arts. Together, the Executive Board votes to pass proposals and amendments to the constitution. The Student Budget Committee Chair is an appointed member to the Executive Board and acts as a liaison between SBC and the elected chairs. The Student Senate is comprised of sixteen elected senators and an undetermined number of representational senators. This includes two senators for each class year, eight senators elected at-large, and one senator from each of the following affinity groups: Intercultural Center, Black Cultural Center, Women's Resource Center, Title IX, Interfaith, Low Income/First Generation, International, Lang Center, Music, Visual Art, Drama, Greek Life, and Student Athletic Advisory Committee. This body may propose amendments to the constitution and work with the Executive Board to initiate referenda and pass resolutions. The Executive Board committee chairs head standing committees comprised of members from Student Senate.