SG Leaders Get Constituents' Feedback
Student Government Board officials at the University of Pittsburgh create "The Student Leaders Forum" to find out what students want
By Elise Lyne

     At the University of Pittsburgh, students now can openly voice their concerns at "The Student Leaders Forum," a new idea the SG Board developed to reach constituents and find out their thoughts on the school’s happenings.
     "I had originally wanted to plan a monthly forum that would invite all the student presidents of organizations to discuss hot issues, and invite administrators, and together create a plan of action," says Joan Snyder, president of the 2000 Student Government Board. "Dr. Jack Daniel, our vice provost of academic affairs, had the same idea, only on a smaller scale, and together we came up with the idea of having everyone meet together."
     The first forum, held in January at the William Pitt Union, was "Enhancing Student Life Outside the Classroom." "These forums have been so successful, and we have had well over 150 students in attendance at each," Snyder says. "One of the biggest issues in organizations is communication, and although there are a lot of similar concerns, without communicating with one another, nothing gets done."
     Before the first forum, Snyder and others on the SG Board surveyed students to find out common issues. "We had a general idea of what was going to be discussed," Snyder says. The assemblies were originally for campus leaders, but due to widespread interest, anyone can attend.
     After the first forum, the SG Board constructed a proposal and along with administrators, developed a plan of action and set up programs. Some of the ideas included a 24-hour food venue and a web site listing current events (www.events.pitt.edu). In addition, football ticket prices are now $20 for students, and the fifth floor of the union was made into an activities center.
     Snyder says the popularity of the forums is a phenomenon. "I honestly don’t know why this has been so successful," she says. "I think it may be a combination of things, from the bad rap the university got after students protested at the stadium being demolished last year, to the fact that respect for students is growing around the country." Snyder says after talking to leaders across the nation and attending conferences, she really notices an improvement in the student-administrator relationship.
     Future forum topics include bringing in alumni from the Pittsburgh area to show the impact of Pitt grads in the business community, as well as a discussion on how to get people more involved on campus. "We have departments asking for representatives that never solicited anyone before (as a result of the forums)," Snyder says.
     "One of the most amazing things to come out of this whole thing is the networking between leaders," Snyder says. "That, and the amount of brainstorming and problem-solving being done."
     Snyder has one major tip for anyone interested in starting a forum at their school. "For any other university that would like to do this, I recommend first teaming up with a student-friendly administrator."

To find out more information, contact Snyder.

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