Student Governance and Campus Administration

  One year ago University of Florida student Andrew Meyer had his now infamous run in with campus police during a town hall forum given by former presidential candidate John Kerry. Meyer’s microphone was cut during a question and answer session by student government event organizers after he asked Mr. Kerry about his involvement with Skull and Bones (a secret society at Yale, which his opponent George W. was also supposedly involved in). Now UF is making changes to the way they handle speakers and question and answer sessions on campus. More from the University of Florida newspaper,

  Applicants to the University of Illinois will be able to choose multiple races on their admissions applications by 2009, hopefully eliminating confusion and internal conflict that biracial or multiracial students may experience. 4/16/07  Read More from the University of Illinios

  Students at American University are drafting a student's Bill of Rights in an effort to fill a void in their campus's handbook: while the handbook explains what students can't do, nothing explains what they can do.  Included in the preliminary draft of the student's Bill of Rights are: “the right to a safe learning environment, the right to guaranteed services, the right of freedom of information, and the right to quality of education.” 2/22/07

  A website dedicated to students' rights, which was started by students at Penn State University, will become a full-fledged student group in the fall. The group hopes that by becoming a student group, they can be more effective in changing policy they believe infringes on students' rights. 5/2/07  Read More from Penn State University

  Some black student groups at Boston University are planning to lobby their school’s admissions board in favor of a black recruitment weekend. The groups, who met at the Black Student Union, are concerned about low African American representation at the school. Representatives also discussed expanding their participation in the Annual Multicultural Weekend, which they believe does not have enough black representation. 3/8/07 

On many college campuses, fees are increasingly being used to cover costs traditionally covered by tuition – leading student advocates to question whether some student fees are a hidden tuition hike.  The Oregon Student Association worked last year to get the Oregon University System to undertake a comprehensive review of student fee policy, and the committee, which includes students, is now beginning its work.

  Each fall parents and students confront the issue of underage drinking on college campuses. Many college leaders, particularly in Massachusetts, are promoting the Amethyst Initiative, an effort to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18. Supporters argue that current laws do not effectively inhibit underage students from drinking.  So far, the initiative has gained 130 signatures from college presidents and chancellors. The signees do not all necessarily “support the lowering of the drinking age from 21 to 18,” says Salem State College president Patricia Maguire Meservey.  Rat