For students looking to promote greater development and change at Penn, there are six different branches of student government with which to get involved.
While each organization focuses on a different aspect of student life, they work together in an effort to enhance the overall undergraduate experience.
• UA: The Undergraduate Assembly is the most visible and vocal body of Penn's student government.
Led by College senior Jason Levy, the UA aims to represent student voices to the administration.
Over the past year, the UA accomplished a number of initiatives, including a successful lobbying of University administrators to change the grading policy for study abroad programs so that grades earned abroad are not counted towards one's cumulative GPA. In order for the policy shift to be implemented, it needs faculty approval.
In addition to its successes, however, the UA has experienced continued criticism concerning a lack of accountability to its constituents throughout the past year.
• SPEC: Another highly active branch of student government is the Social Planning and Events Committee.
SPEC develops, organizes and programs campus-wide social and cultural activities for the University community. Comprised of 10 sub-committees, SPEC's programming ranges in size and scope, from crafts fairs to sneak previews of newly released movies to big-name speakers.
Some of SPEC's most recent accomplishments include bringing Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, for a lecture last fall and organizing the Spring Fling Concert featuring Busta Rhymes.
• NEC: The Nominations and Elections Committee is one of Penn's most influential student government organizations.
Headed by College senior Melissa La Vigne, the NEC runs UA and class board elections, educates the student body about Penn's undergraduate student government and nominates student leaders to various committees within the University Council, the supreme decision-making body of the entire University.
• SCUE: The Student Committee on Undergraduate Education is the oldest existing branch of student government at Penn.
SCUE works to enhance and expand curricular opportunities and the overall quality of Penn's undergraduate education.
• SAC: The Student Activities Council is the branch of student government that oversees over half a million dollars in University funds.
With Wharton senior Simon Bland as its chairman, SAC seeks to recognize, supervise and fund undergraduate activities at Penn.
• Class Boards: Each of Penn's four undergraduate classes elects representatives and officers to serve on their respective class boards.
The Class Boards' main responsibility is to carry on longstanding Penn traditions and develop programming that promotes class and University-wide unity.
UA and Class Board representatives are selected through an elections process. In October, the Class of 2007 will elect its class board officers and representatives, along with eight UA members.
The NEC, SCUE and SPEC have internal nominations processes by which they select their members each semester.
To become a member of SAC, one must be a treasurer of a student group and serve as a representative for that organization at SAC meetings.
