The Oshkosh West Index - Student government gives voice to organizations

Volume 106, Issue 1

Online Features

Student government gives voice to organizations

By Alexis Wesenberg
posted September 28, 2009

As student government sets off on their first year after making the transition from student council, they are attempting to broaden student involvememts. Revising rules and strategically preparing for the upcoming events, such as homecoming, they aim to guide West students through the year's challenges.

"I think that there is a need for students to have a voice in school and a need for students to have some participation and say in what's going on," Dean of Students and head of student government Matt Zimmerman said.

To assist this need, administration and student government have put forth a new policy. The new protocol states that all clubs and activities that desire to be recognized as a club are required to supply a student representative that will attend the student government meetings held monthly in the little theatre. The meetings will be addressing current issues and concerns which represenatives will be able to discuss, question, and express their club's standing on specific and important issues.

"This was put in place so that all clubs can be centralized, so that all clubs can have easier access to fundraising, and to increase existing club participation, while making it easier for a community of students to create a club," president of student government and senior Derek Mathers explained.

Through student government, Zimmerman hopes to present more opportunities while also supplying more equality to all clubs. This allows smaller clubs to have a voice on decisions that will directly affect them.

"[The new policy is] going to give a wider variety of students more of a say of what's going on in school," Zimmerman said.

Clubs that formally obtained a large portion of funds and could promote themselves with diverting and entertaining activities will have the same amount of influence as smaller clubs who haven't been able to establish themselves among the student body. Clubs that decide not to appoint a representative will not be distinguished as a club and therefore will not be able to meet during activity periods on Fridays, acquire a picture in the yearbook, and they will not be able to be financially supported through student government.

"The goal of student government is to increase student involvement in any club or organization," Zimmerman said.

If all goes accoridngly, this new policy will make it easier for clubs to communicate more effectively with the rest of the student body and increase participation.

"This new Club Assembly program allows the students to voice their issues with the school such as policies and rules, through us, right to the administration's desk," Mathers stated. "This new establishment will make our school run much smoother and it also allows students to have a voice."

The new policy seems to be making a noticeable difference in the financial and social welfare of clubs and hopes to provide students with a louder voice as well.

"It [student government] is unique to our school, it's something that we can be proud of, and it's good that we're giving students a say," Zimmerman said.

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