Dear 1Ls & 2Ls: Run to be a 2011-12 student senator (what's that?), run to be the two-year representative on the University Senate (what's that?), or run to be both! Submit your candidate statement(s) for one or both positions by __ at __ pm; voting will occur during the week of April __ online. Questions? Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , subject line = elections.
What's it like being a CLS Student Senator?Starting next year, Student Senate membership consists of 40 or 41 students.The positions elected each spring are as follows:
The positions elected each fall are as follows:
The Student Senate formally represents student interests to the law school faculty and administration. Our goals include promoting the social and general welfare of Columbia Law School students and fostering community with the larger university population and neighborhood. Serving on the Student Senate is a wonderful way to become involved in student life and take an active role in shaping your time at Columbia. It's an opportunity to have input on everything from housing and IT to curriculum changes and grading policy. Inter alia, we allocate the budget among student organizations, plans school-wide social events, and pass resolutions (here the last three years'). Current Senators are listed here; feel free to email them with questions. Responsibilities and Time CommitmentYou can expect to spend on average anywhere from 1-4 hours per week on Student Senate activities and in meetings. The full Senate meets roughly every two weeks. Senators must also serve on at least two of the following student committees (detailed descriptions):
In the 2009-10 academic year, there were six full-Senate meetings in the fall semester and seven in the spring. In the 2008-9 academic year, there were eight full-Senate meetings in the fall semester and seven in the spring (materials, agendas, minutes). In the 2007-8 academic year, there were eight full-Senate meetings in the fall semester and six in the spring (materials, agendas, minutes). |
What's it like being the University Senator?Columbia is one of only a few universities that directly include students as full members of its governing body. The University Senate is Columbia’s legislative body, representing all members of the University community. The Senate considers such University-wide issues as its budget, educational programming, academic freedom and tenure, research, libraries, information technology, and Columbia’s external relations. All 1Ls and 2Ls are eligible and encouraged to run. The University Senator serves a two-year term beginning in May (unless the incumbent is a 2L), and also serves as a Law School Student Senator. Additional information about the University Senate is available at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/senate/. |
How to runSubmit a candidate statement for the position you are seeking, as described below. If you are running for both positions, submit two candidate statements, one for each position. CONTENTS OF A CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Anything you want, subject to these constraints:
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR CANDIDATE STATEMENT:
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