Lack of Involvement in Student Senate

Underrepresentation in UNH Student Senate - Jake DeSchuiteneer
 

            Student senate has seen minimal student involvement this year, with 88 senatorial spots unfilled.  Several residence halls are underrepresented in student government, some having no representation at all.  Senate members are looking to find ways to promote increased student involvement.

            Of the 117 available spots in Student Senate, 29 are currently occupied, only 24 percent. Williamson, Stoke, SERC A, Mills, Hunter, Jessie Doe, Gibbs, Hetzel, and Christensen are all unrepresented in senate.  The Gables apartments have filled only 2 of their 10 available senate spots.

            “We’re dealing with issues that pertain directly to student life,” said Peter Geyer, Public Relations Manager on Student Senate. “With only a certain amount of people representing the students, the people that can affect change look at it and go… ‘Who cares?’” 

            Geyer disagrees with the theory that the problem is cultural, and that people simply don’t care.  “People do care.” he said, “We’re trying to explore where the disconnect is.  It is an issue of that people just don’t know about what we do.”

            Geyer, specifically, has been put in charge of the job of reaching out to students.  He hopes that through a multi-faceted approach, more students will become interested in involving themselves.  Approaches being considered include advertisements in The New Hampshire and posters around campus. 

According to Geyer, a strong Internet presence is among the best ways to expand involvement. “We’ve really increased our social media outreach between Facebook and Twiter,” he said.

Ashley Kysor is Hall Director in Mills hall, one of the several unrepresented on-campus housing buildings.  She says that the problem goes beyond students’ lack of knowledge regarding senate’s purpose.  “I think the reason a lot of halls are underrepresented has to do with the time commitments to the organization” Kysor said.

Mills had a representative in senate last semester, who was “active in attending Senate meetings,” said Kysor.  However, due to the organization’s strenuous time constraints, the student was forced to leave senate.  Thus far this semester, no one has filled the hall’s senate spots.

Many residence halls have fallen victim to similar problems with involvement.  However, some have found ways to get their residents involved.  The Upper Quad has managed to fill all 5 of their senate seats this semester.

“As the advisor for Hall Council there is a huge emphasis on representation in Senate,” said Samantha Wheeler, Assistant Hall Director in the Upper Quad.  “We have also had RA’s involved in senate which may have encouraged residents’ participation,” she said. 

According to Wheeler, the best recruitment tool for the Upper Quad has been word of mouth.  “…one person goes to senate, really likes it, tells all their friends about it and then some of their friends join…” she noted.

Although some residence halls have had success, the problem extends beyond on-campus involvement.  Forty-five empty spots in senate are those that should be occupied by commuters.  Of the 47 spots available to commuters, only 2 are currently taken.

Despite the current issues within senate, Geyer remains optimistic about the potential for the future.  “I think everyone should be joining to voice their opinions,” he said “If we had a sizable force, we could advocate more change.”