Student Governance and Campus Administration

On Sept. 16 the student led Coalition Against the Recreation and Wellness Center (CARWC) marched on their San Francisco State University campus in protest of a new facility.  The proposed recreation center would  increase student fees. CARWC also claims that the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) used an illegal process to decide to build the facility, ignoring a required referendum of the student body. They base their claims on two provisions in the California State University Student Fee Policy and the Miscellaneous Course Fee Delegation of Authority. "The problem is not j

After a summer of controversy, President B. Joseph White of the University of Illinois officially resigned his post on Sept. 23 following an admissions scandal that involved giving special privileges to students with political connections. The resignation announcement was made last Wednesday when White faced the press corps to apologize for past wrongdoings while also defending his reputation.  The controversy surrounding White’s departure stemmed from the formalized admissions process of the University which gave admission to less qualified applicants with political ties over more qua

After an admissions scandal that drew nation-wide scorn and attention at the University of Illinois, a group of student and faculty leaders are calling for the replacement of President B. Joseph White and Chancellor Richard Herman. The group made their statement before the faculty and student senate’s meeting where senators voted 98-55 to encourage an “orderly transition to new leadership.” Though the recommendation forces no action, it signals a lack of faith in the current administration. In May, the Chicago Tribune reported a scandal in which the university admitted politically well-conn

Chants of “Whose university? Our university!” broke up a Board of Regents meeting Wednesday as dozens of University of California students, alumni, faculty, and staff protested $300 million in budget cuts and a 32 percent tuition hike.  University police arrested fourteen of the 100 protesters on charges of civil disobedience. The protestors presented themselves at the Regents meeting that morning on UCSF’s Mission Bay campus, where UC President Mark Yudof proposed his plan to account for a $753 million budget shortfall. UC Santa Cruz student David Patida, yelled, “You’re incompeten

Student Government President Ryan Smith announced the kickoff of a group of programs that will partner with the Provost's "War on Attrition" in an effort to use campus involvement to bolster student retention. The TallyCats program is one of SG's efforts, which awards points to students for attending campus events. SG also launched the Ipod Incentive program, which awards Ipods to student groups that attend their events. “We’re leading the country in this kind of program,” said Ann Haney, chairwoman of the Student Affairs Committee. SG also organized a program for incoming freshman ca

More than 50 students at UC Berkeley demonstrated in Sproul Plaza last Thursday in support of the upcoming 9/24 UC faculty walk-out protesting faculty pay cuts. Berkeley's Graduate Student Organizing Committee has written a letter of support, the undergraduate Associated Students of the University of California is voting on a bill next week to support the walkout and the state-wide University of California Student Association is likely to support the faculty as well. The faculty pay-cuts come in the form of forced furlough days that cannot be taken on teaching days, thus effectively cutting

MSU's student government (ASMSU) is working this fall to grapple with potential multimillion dollar cuts to the Michigan higher education budget and to revise MSU's Academic Freedom Report, which outlines students' rights. ASMSU has been meeting with MSU administrators to urge them to both include students in decisions about how to implement the cuts and to avoid cutting what they see as critical academic programs.  The student government Director of University Budgets Nick Quigley will analyze proposed cuts to the university budget, and his findings will guide ASMSU's advocacy. 

Howard University students rallied in front of the administration building this past Friday to voice their anger over a disorganized Financial Aid office, censorship of the student newspaper and unfair labor practices. Student leaders were able to meet with the Office of the Provost and have a follow up meeting scheduled for this week. Students had mixed feelings about the likely effectiveness of the protest. Sophomore Jecika Merzius complained that even though her financial aid forms were submitted on time, they were only approved this past Thursday. Her late financial aid left her unable