Tag: sga

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News Stories In Focus

SGA President: Katharine Lebrecque

With the new changes brought to SGA this fall, positions entail different responsibilities. Senior, Katharine Labrecque, serves as this year’s president, heading up the newly organized student government.

Labrecque has been involved in student government since her freshman year in high school. She served as secretary for four years and continued that role her first and sophomore year at Houghton for the class of 2015. Last year, she served as a senator for the political science department. This year she begins a different role, as president.

“There are a lot more responsibilities. It’s hard because I am overseeing the different officers, making sure they are carrying out their roles while also being supportive,” said Labrecque regarding the transition, “I like having a clear goal in mind and to write notes. But I do carry that into this role, I still take notes. And just being organized… that has been a strength.”

Her role is to oversee all of the executive council and to represent the student body: their needs and their voice. One of her biggest objectives is to make herself available to receive feedback from students.

“Whether that is from personal interaction with students in my classes or on the soccer team, a suggestion box, or just having people come in the office,” said Labrecque, “I think [my role is] just about the students and I don’t think that I am any more important than they are, but I am a way that they can get their voice heard to faculty, staff and to people who are in charge of the college.”

Through the reorganization of the cabinets, there are less members total. Without senators, the power of SGA is much more concentrated. Due to having a fewer amount of representatives, Labrecque has encouraged members to seek student input.

“It’s a whole new system set up and we are working on our constitution and bylaws and making sure that they align with the college policies,” said Labrecque, “A huge focus now is on the non-traditional students, in Buffalo, and what role we can have there.”

As a dual Political Science and International Development major, Labrecque’s interests of studies converge in her role. Although not knowing where she will end up, she knows how she has been called to act. Her involvement with SGA at Houghton is in line with her goals to prepare for the future.

“I definitely feel like God has put on my heart that I need to be a voice for people who are not heard,” said Labrecque, “And I feel that whatever it is, whether it is politics, which I am interested in, or for government agencies, specifically in development or public policy, that I can really advocate the people and make it about the people.”

Currently, Labrecque is lending her voice to Houghton students. Yet, beyond the population of Houghton, Labrecque is concerned with justice and advocacy on a broader scale.

“I feel like our politics, in the US, are very much separate, there is a lack of unity,” said Labrecque, “It has been frustrating to see that people are suffering because we can’t get along and we can’t make trade-offs.”

Labrecque’s passion to serve has allowed her to take on many roles. As president, Labrecque launches SGA into a new year structured by new organization. Perhaps students will respond to her vision of a refurbished SGA, sharing her passion for the voice of the individual, and creating the necessary dialog between the two.

“This is new for me. I want to make SGA something that is not a governing body, but a resource. It can be a way that we can communicate with students and let them know about the things that are going on in the world and on campus, just make it transparent.” said Labrecque, “I think there have been a lot of negative connotations attached to SGA and I want to rid that. I want to make it a place that people associate with this comfortable body of student leaders who are desired and work for the rest of the campus.”

Different ways to connect with Labrecque and other member of SGA include: looking for SGA members around campus, emailing SGA at sga@houghton.edu, sending a comment or sharing feedback through intra-campus mail marked SGA, scheduling a coffee date with the president, or visiting the office in the basement of the Campus Center and leaving a prayer request.

 

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News

SGA Restructures as Council

 

The Houghton Student Government Association (SGA) has eliminated senator positions in an effort to build a more efficient representative system. This new Council supplants the Senate. It comes as a reaction to the low enrollment that Houghton has seen over the past few years and decreased participation in the SGA.

Senior, Wynn Horton, executive officer of committees, explains, “Two years ago the Senate and Cabinet of the SGA were the two separate bodies that made up the SGA. This meant each class had 3 representatives, there were 8 general representatives, and then the additional Cabinet members. Last year, we attempted to more accurately represent the ‘representative districts’ on campus by adjusting to a system of dorm and academic department reps.

“After spending most of last year with numerous vacancies and poor efficiency in the Senate structure, they voted to attempt another restructuring – this time much smaller and more consolidated than before. This idea would eliminate the separate Senate and Cabinet structures and create an Executive Council comprised of six generally elected executive officers, four class-elected representatives, a vice president, and a president.”

AnthonyBurdo_SGAThe intent of this restructuring is to increase competition for positions by reducing the supply to match demand. A smaller council will be able to work more effectively because it will not have as much of a need for structural decorum. Members will be able to more easily work out solutions to class issues as well as make decisions on club funding and committees.

While eliminating the senatorial positions, the SGA has created several new and focused positions for the Council. This group oversees all classes through their respective class presidents as well as by direct means. As it stands, it consists of 12 positions: general president and vice President, one president for each class, as well as executive officers of finance, committees, spiritual life, communications, non-traditional students, and student life. Each class president oversees a class cabinet that works to help individual years and puts on class-wide events. The Council also oversees five council committees and 13 committees led by the SGA and the college.

Horton described the role of the SGA in coming years, “As the college grows and determines what form it shall take in the world of higher education, the student government must be prepared to assist in these changes as best they can. It was generally thought to be in the best interest to condense the empty positions and strengthen what remained. Structures will, as the college will, change with time. We can only hope that for now, we have made the decisions that will be the best for not only this student body, but for many to come.”

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News

SGA Proposes Major Structural Changes

After years of running on its current two-party system, the Student Government Association (SGA) voted Wednesday night to eliminate its Senate positions and will be passing the motion onto the student body for approval.

sgaSerious conversations about changes in structure began after SGA expanded its senate from 19 to 24 members at the end of the 2012-2013 academic year. The expansion, which was intended to draw in students from previously unrepresented or underrepresented disciplines on campus, resulted instead in a large number of empty seats. “I think that was a time for us to watch and see how student government went,” said Greg Bish, director of student programs. “I think that was the beginning of this conversation about what student government is effective in doing right now. That conversation has initiated coming up with options.”

With input from Bish as well as Robert Pool, vice president for student life, SGA originally worked with three potential models for next year’s government structure. The first option was a resumption of the current model with a senate reduced to 12 members, while the second under consideration called for a model with no cabinet or Senate. Rather, cabinet and senate work would be accomplished by committees populated by class cabinet members.

A third model, the model currently under consideration by SGA, involved an elimination of the student senate and the instatement of one class representative per graduating class. Under the second model, the cabinet would also be altered from six positions to eight, removing the speaker of the Senate; bringing in an executive officer of student life, an officer of committees, and an officer representing nontraditional students; and replacing the chaplain position with an executive officer of spiritual life. Class cabinets will have their senator positions removed and are encouraged to downsize further.

“My role is asking them ask the good questions,” explained Bish, “but it’s their role to figure out how to restructure.” He added, “The CCCU [Council for Christian Colleges and Universities] has a Listserv and there are people that are constantly asking these questions. They ask what everybody is doing at their schools. We’re not the only ones going through this.”

According to Bish, important questions revolve around the current purpose of student government on the Houghton campus. “Last year, the perception of the role of the student government was that it was to protect the students from the administration, and that is a very old model versus partnering together to put student input into the student experience, which is the organic model that students want.”

Pool made comparisons with SGA’s previous performance. “Last year, I would say there was quite a bit more dialogue and proposals for change and legislation,” he said. “This year it seems to, for whatever reason, not have been as active. It ebbs and flows.”

One recent issue involving student dialogue concerned an SGA-drafted resolution addressing the vandalism of the Shades of Black exhibit, which was intended to serve as a condemnation of the action on behalf of Houghton students. The organization voted to withhold the document from distribution amongst the student body, opting instead to share the statement with President Mullen and her staff, Bish, Pool, and Dean Mills Woolsey so as to refrain from “inciting further conflict” over the issue.

SGA President Ben Hardy explained the implications of the vote, saying, “I think it’s indicative of the system we have right now not being functional because senators don’t feel that they speak for the student body enough to tell the student body what they said, and that’s a really big problem. That alone is indication that something needs to change, whether it’s the membership or the structure.”

“To be honest, it perplexes me why they would create a resolution and not share it with the student body,” added Pool. “We try to model Christ in many ways to minimize conflict, but sometimes the greatest strides and growth happen with conflict, with civil conflict, with civil discourse, and creating a resolution is civil discourse.”

As part of an effort to uphold transparency and include civil discourse via student input, SGA held a meeting Wednesday night for members to vote on the new government structure for next year from the two approved options. However, non-member student presence was minimal. “I don’t think students take advantage of the things which are there which allow transparency,” said Hardy. “Senate meetings are open—anyone can come to Senate, anyone can talk at Senate. However, because [we have] an inefficient system, people don’t really feel like it’s necessarily worth their time.”

Final voting on the new system resulted in 19 in support of the new structure with two against. Non-member students will be able to vote in an online poll, choosing to approve or reject the new structure, starting from Friday afternoon to Wednesday before campus closing time.

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Stories In Focus

The Changing Face of Student Government

The senators troop into the weekly SGA meeting in small groups at a time, chattering and taking their time to find their seats. It’s 10 in the evening but, besides a few yawns here and there, the group doesn’t appear to be tired. Soon the meeting begins with role, read by Andiana Siddell, vice-president of the body. Each senator responds with a “present” to their name as the conversation dies to a low murmur.

SGA_all we do is doughnutsThis body looks different than it did a year ago, and that’s all due to new changes in the SGA’s constitution. Last year, sensing that an inadequate number of constituencies were being represented, SGA adjusted its constitution in regards to its representation. Now, instead of only requiring a member to be a representative of a class and no more, the constitution stipulates that “Active Membership of the Senate shall be composed of three members elected by each class, one member elected by each on-campus student residence, one member elected by the varsity athletes, and one member elected by each academic area.” The main goal, after all, is to get more groups on campus represented.

The result of the changes? According to Hardy, “It’s a mixed bag right now. I think it’s given us a Senate that has a little more diversity than it has had in the past, but at the same time it’s harder to fill all of those seats.” Indeed, getting people to fill the empty seats has been a task that SGA has been undertaking all year but, for some reason or another, students have been less than keen to take on the positions.

Hardy attributes these difficulties to both low enrollment and overworked students, but he also mentions something else. Students, he says, remain largely ignorant of what SGA does, though, he adds sarcastically, “Apparently, people know that we do Donut Day.” Jokes aside, Hardy fears “about what is it that we’re actually doing that gives value to students.” Said Hardy, “I think more than changing the structure, this is leading to a new conversation about what student government should actually be doing.”

The question of student government’s relevancy is a significant one for other reasons, particularly just as Houghton is expanding into nontraditional educational areas such as online education programs through its partnership with Indiana Wesleyan University and two-year degree programs to begin next year in Buffalo. The inclusion of these programs should introduce a new population of students, ones not located on campus, and with it becomes a problem of representing these students in student government.

Partly because of these new changes, according to Greg Bish, director of student programs, “What students need today is not what was needed in the past.” Bish has been encouraging the current cabinet to examine “progressive models” of student government on other campuses to begin modernizing student government at Houghton. A key question to ask, said Bish, in the coming weeks and months to come is “As we consider the number of residential students in addition to online, graduate, and two-year degree students, with the addition of the social media and technology of today, what is the appropriate amount of student leadership?”

Hardy echoed Bish’s sentiments and added that, since the current model was formed “in the late 80s or in the 90s”, it’s about time for an update. For now, though, with the election cycle for the next senate and cabinet well underway, it appears as if an update is still a long ways away

 

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Arts

Houghton Pops Orchestra Ushers in Third Year

Courtesy of Jon Hardy
Courtesy of Jon Hardy

The Houghton Pops Orchestra (HPO), birthed in 2011, was the dream of organist Robert Martin (class of ’13). The model of a popular-music orchestra was new at Houghton and finding the right spot for such an ensemble required unflappable determination on the part of the founders and was a matter of some discussion in the CFA and the SGA, who regulate student clubs. The first concert, “Heart of the Highlands,” was a kind of a trial run which the orchestra managed to pull off with little time and almost no money. Most of the funding for sheet music, venue and recording fees, not to mention the signature bagpipes, was paid out of pocket by orchestra members, Robert Martin himself, and a few generous supporters. Fortunately for the future of HPO the concert was a smashing success.

“I am obsessed with Celtic music,” said Martin, “I thought it would be a great place to start with a new orchestra, seeing as it is music that is generally liked by and accessible to a wide variety of people.”  That motto, “likable and accessible” are the watchwords of HPO. Current HPO conductor Nathaniel Efthimiou (Music, ‘14), commenting on his plans for the ensemble says, “…[I] hope that HPO can be a place where anybody can come and have a good time making music together. Music is one of those things that can bridge the walls we set up with each other and I think HPO can help in building up our Houghton community, in the breaking down of those barriers.”

Music majors make up a large portion of the performers in HPO, but their ranks are swelled by students from numerous other departments: Communication, Computer Science, Education, English, Philosophy, Physics, Theology, just to name a few. Attendance at the concerts has also been diverse drawing large numbers of community members and faculty and staff in addition to students.  Music brings Houghton students from all over campus to strive for excellence together in a way not otherwise experienced.

Part of this goal is accomplished by the music itself. Repertoire is chosen by the conductor based on a theme he has in mind, such as Celtic music for Robert Martin or John Williams film music for Kevin Dibble (BMus ’11 and MMus ’13), and what sheet music can be purchased with the club’s funds. Within this framework, however, is the willingness to take on pieces or cut out pieces based on the makeup of the orchestra and the ability of the members. Enjoyable, recognizable and catchy music for both the listener and the performer goes a long way toward an enjoyable rehearsal and concert.

With the first concert of the year several months away on November 22nd, the orchestra members and their conductor have a long road ahead of them. If the past is any indication however, it promises to be one filled with insanity and laughter, friendship, struggles and triumph, Purple and Gold and bagpipes.

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Opinions

Restructuring Senate: The Answer for SGA?

“The last thing Senate needs is to worry more about Senate.”

This sentiment was recently expressed to a Star staff member, telling a student’s frustration with the latest amendment effort springing from the Student Government Association.

This amendment, alluded to by the said student, is a push by SGA toward “re-structuring Senate” in hopes of more accurately representing the Houghton student body within SGA itself. It would appear that a side hope of SGA regarding the possible structural overhaul would be an increase in student body interest in their representative body.

Currently, there are three senators per class, and eight senators-at-large. There are no other pre-requisites besides being a member of their class, and/or interest in being a senator. As a result, the general population of the Student Senate may be dominated by students from a certain demographic, such as a political science major.

The proposed changes would transform this Senate into an assembly composed of three senators for each class, a senator from each residence hall or area, one senator from varsity athletics, and a senator representing each academic category (of which categories there are seven). As of yet, SGA has not reached a consensus on how many senators would comprise the final group—the only word so far, is between 6-8. This brings the final potential total of senators between 24-26, since each senator may only represent one category.

That the Senate currently struggles with representing the student body at large is not a question the Star staff debates. Restructuring the student’s representative body in a way that better reflects the student body is a noble, worthy aim. Accurate representation is always something to be appreciated, and one that has obvious merits. Rather, our question has to do with the apparent hopes SGA has cast upon this proposed change: hopes that by increasing the accuracy of their representation, they will increase their relevance to the student body.

During a recent Senate meeting, a question was asked that sums up the heart of what is at stake. The student’s question asked what exactly has brought on the need for this proposed amendment. The answer given by SGA Vice President Ben Hardy was that “there is a massive disconnect between other students and the students in this room about what the Student Government does. Sometimes it’s just a joke, but sometimes it seems serious when people ask what we do besides Donut Day. Hopefully a [forum] will give us a better sampling.”

As noble as a more accurate representation is, increased relevance to the student body does not necessarily follow from this proposed change. The last thing Senate needs to become more relevant to the current student body of Houghton College is to look inside, and change itself. Too much introspection on the part of Senate, and too much inward, SGA-focused work is exactly why Houghton students seem tired of giving attention to SGA, as indicated by comments such as the one given by the student above.

The Student Government would do well to expand outside itself, if it wishes to be known for more than its donuts. It well-enacts this outward focus in notable, appreciated areas such as the regular blood drives, and the various service days and projects it undertakes. Through these efforts of uniting the student body with community members, SGA performs valuable, visible work. It is through these visible, external projects that the Student Government forms a face and identity by which it may be known to students, and known for its impact.

Student Government’s current quest for greater relevance and a more visible face is better pursued by a continuation of their external activities and community projects on a larger scale than by another focus on inward dynamics.