Sewanee: The University of the South

1. Review the open positions (listed below) and decide what you want to run for.
2. Attend one of the two mandatory informal informational meetings on Wednesday April 11th (at noon upstairs in McClurg or at 9 PM in Blackman Auditorium).
3. Submit the Online Election Candidate Application by Thursday April 19th at 5 pm
4. SPO the requisite number of constituent signatures (details below and at the application linked above) to Spike Hosch, Elections Committee Chair, by Thursday April 19th at 5 pm
5. Campaign!
6. Voting will be online via cstudent email and Google Docs on Sunday through Tuesday April 22nd-24th.
7. Results will be announced by Thursday April 26th at 5 pm.

Questions or Concerns? Contact Spike Hosch, Elections Committee Chair, in person or at og@sewanee.edu

The recently approved Student Government Constitution may be viewed online if you have further questions about the new structure of Student Government at Sewanee.

N.B. While the Elections Committee strongly recommends that you focus your efforts and only run for one position, you may run for two positions if you wish. You must submit the Online Election Candidate Application twice (once for each position) and submit two lists of constituent signatures. Students may sign both lists, but only if they are constituents of both elected positions. If you are elected to both positions, you will have 12 hours after the results are announced to notify the Elections Committee which position you accept. One may only be either the Student Body President or Gownsmen Presidident; and either on the Honor Council or the Disciplinary Committee.

Student Body President [One rising senior, 3.0 GPA min, in good standing with the Dean, requires 70 signatures]

• Serves as Speaker of Senate and presents Senate legislation to the administration & faculty
• Serves as official student liaison to the administration
• May not hold any other office in student government
• Communicates all student government & administration activity to the student body; appoints Director of Communications to assist with this objective.
• Questions? Contact Carrie Ryan at ryanch0@sewanee.edu

Order of Gownsmen President [Any current member of the Order of Gownsmen, requires 50 signatures]

• Leads the Order of Gownsmen
• Serves on the Senate Advisory Board
• Chairs the Student Government Elections Committee
• Questions? Contact Spike Hosch at hoschaa0@sewanee.edu

Senator [Five from each class, 2.5 GPA min, in good standing with the Dean, 1 year term, requires 35 signatures]

• As class representatives, Senators represent their classes and legislate on policy
• Have the opportunity to serve on a University & Faculty Committee. The details of the committee appointments are still being worked out with the College Faculty and University Administration, but these positions are usually for two years and include:
  • Admission and Merit Scholarships Committee
    • CHARGE:  to administer faculty policy in the admission of students and in the granting of merit scholarships;  to make recommendations to the faculty for modifications of policy governing admissions;  with the Merit Scholarship Panel, to serve as the selection committee for merit-based scholarships;  and to act on student applications not delegated to the Dean of Admission for administrative action.
    • Note:  this is a "heavy work" committee that customarily meets three Wednesday afternoons per month
  • Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee
    • CHARGE:  to initiate or to consider proposals for modifications of curriculum requirements;  to make recommendations to the Faculty in such matters;  responsibility for the academic life of the college in areas not covered by any other committee.
    • Note: this is a "heavy work" committee that customarily meets for quite a few hours at "crunch times"
  • Student Life Committee
    • CHARGE:  to advise and consult with the Dean of Students Office on issues of student life, and to consider the interaction between curricular and non-curricular aspects of our community life.
  • Library / Information Technology Services Committee
    • CHARGE: an advisory committee to the University Librarian. It monitors the operations of the library on behalf of the faculty and students, and makes recommendations to the University Librarian and to the administration and faculty of the University.  Advises the Associate Provost for Information Technology Services on all matters concerning the use of computers in the various academic programs of the University.
  • University Lectures Committee
    • CHARGE: invite distinguished speakers to lecture in Sewanee.
  • Performing Arts Committee
    • CHARGE: advise the Provost and the Chair on programming for the University's professional performing arts series.
  • Sustainability Steering Committee
    • CHARGE:  to advise the Provost and Vice Chancellor on the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Environmental Education and Sustainable Living, Addendum to the 2004 Strategic Plan and the steps suggested by the Presidents' Climate Commitment.
  • University Advisory Committee on Athletics
    • CHARGE:  advise the Vice Chancellor with respect to such matters as the general effectiveness of our athletic program and its personnel; advise the Vice Chancellor, the Dean of Admission and the Athletic Director on strategies for recruiting well-prepared student athletes and their integration into the student body; receive and review team grade averages received by athletes, monitor their retention/graduation rates, and ascertain that they do not significantly deviate from the college average; recognize any team that has outstanding grades.
• Student Senators may not serve on the Honor Council, on the Discipline Committee, as an officer of the Interfraternity and Intersorority Councils, as a member of the Residential Life Head Staff, as the President of the Order of Gownsmen, nor as a Student Trustee.
• Questions? Contact Bentley Cook at cookbs0@sewanee.edu

Honor Council [one senior, three juniors elected to two year terms, two sophomores, requires 35 signatures]

• Elected body which upholds the Honor Code, one of Sewanee's oldest traditions
• Investigates potential Honor Code violations and hears cases
• Questions? Contact Meg Gardner at gardnme0@sewanee.edu

Disciplinary Committee [one senior, three juniors elected to two year terms, and two sophomores, requires 35 signatures]

• Elected body which advises deans on enforcement of Student Life regulations
• Similar to Honor Council, but for non-Honor Code violations
• Questions? Contact David Shelton at sheltdc0@sewanee.edu

Student Trustee [Rising junior elected to a two-year term, requires 35 signatures]

• Class representative to the the University's Board of Trustees
• Serves on the Senate Advisory Board
• Serves on the University's Strategic Planning Committee
• Questions? Contact Elliot Fisher at fisheec0@sewanee.edu or Carrier Ryan at ryanch0@sewanee.edu