OPINION: What we've learned from student governments across the state


jake-hendricks-headshot

Student Government Association President Jake Hendricks.

Since my sophomore year, I’ve been a part of Central Michigan University Student Government Association delegations to United Student Government Conferences, with the 14 other public four-year institutions across the state of Michigan. These conferences are an opportunity to network, collaborate, and come together on common issues like higher education funding, mental health awareness, and sustainability. 

Each semester, a university volunteers to host the United Student Governments Conference. The conference on Nov. 9 was hosted by Saginaw Valley State University, and the CMU Student Government Association sent seven delegates on behalf of our university. 

In the fall of 2018, Central Michigan University hosted our first-ever United Student Governments Conference, reinforcing our commitment to collaborating with other student governments from across the state of Michigan. This conference was an opportunity for our members to learn about what other organizations are doing well, and how we could incorporate strategies to lobby for new ideas and initiatives that have worked on their campuses. 

These conferences allow for student governments to host breakout sessions about issues that are important to students on our collective college campuses. During the conference at SVSU, SGA Vice President Lyndi Rose co-chaired sessions on Title IX and free menstrual hygiene product initiatives. Membership Director Brett Houle chaired a breakout session on diversity and inclusion. Additionally, I chaired an open legislative breakout session. 

During legislative breakout sessions, delegates from each university were able to propose legislation to be considered during the conference. Legislation was proposed on topics including Title IX, recycling, food waste reduction, higher education funding, mental health awareness, affordable course materials and more. Legislative sessions were an invaluable tool for our student governments to come together on common issues that face all of us as college students in the state of Michigan. 

Throughout my student career, these conferences have been an influential part of how I see our responsibility as a student government to advocate on behalf of CMU students. The advocacy we partake in truly has an impact on our campus. The projects and initiatives that student governments across the state are undertaking, result in meaningful improvements in the lives of students. 

Student governments across the state of Michigan must work together with our peers to find solutions to issues that affect us all. When we meet and exchange ideas, barriers are lifted, strategies are learned and we build valuable connections to students who seek meaningful change. Together we can make a lasting difference in the lives of students. 

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