The Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) Undergraduate Senate includes only 15 elected members, excluding class officers. This means that less than a quarter of a percent of the undergraduate population of approximately 6500 is part of an elected government that has budgetary discretion over $250,000 in general fees. These 15 at-large undergraduate students are expected to represent the entire undergraduate population. An increase in the size of student government could allow more willing and viable candidates to serve and allow for increased specialization.

Our peer institutions feature more undergraduate representation. At Harvard, the Undergraduate Council consists of 35 elected members, more than double the ASSU Undergraduate Senate’s size. It includes a president and vice-president of the undergraduate body, while our executive team represents both the graduate and undergraduate populations. Princeton has a representation similar to Harvard’s, with a smaller student population and 24 elected positions split between Executive Officers, Senators and U-Councilors. At Yale, excluding the Freshman Class Council (similar to the Frosh Council here at Stanford), there are 42 elected positions, including those on the Executive Board, the Yale College Council and the Yale Student Activity Committee.

Increased opportunities to join student government are in high demand here on the Farm. There are currently 60 undergraduates petitioning to be on the ballot for the Undergraduate Senate election, but only 15 will win the privilege to serve the undergraduate student population next year. Were the Undergraduate Senate larger, the work could be distributed between members and, in theory, more could be accomplished. Further, many of the candidates who lose the ASSU Senate elections are viable vote-getters with popular support. In 2007, 26 votes separated the 15th and 16th most popular candidates for the Undergraduate Senate, with the 15th candidate being the last selected to the Senate. In the same election, the 15th and 30th candidates were separated by less than 200 votes.

In addition, seven pairs are petitioning to be a part of the 2008 Executive Slate election. If a new position of Undergraduate Executive existed, some of these candidates would run for this instead. This change would allow the currently existing Executive position to focus more on joint undergraduate and graduate initiatives, like the Airport Shuttle and faculty diversity, to better serve both populations.

Adding members to the Undergraduate Senate and creating an Executive team for undergraduates are not the only changes the ASSU should be considering. One common complaint about the ASSU is that students feel disconnected with and misrepresented by the Undergraduate Senate. Our peer institutions structure their undergraduate representative bodies differently to address this problem. Harvard’s body elects members from each house or district of campus. Princeton has two representative bodies, the Senate and the U-Council. The Senate has two members elected from each of the sophomore, junior and senior classes, while the U-council is a 10-member at-large body much like our Undergraduate Senate.

These models are not perfect, but they should be considered, as they would increase responsiveness. If each Senator had a smaller constituency (one class or one dorm, for example), the Senator would be able to respond to concerns more easily, and students would feel more connected to at least one representative on the Senate.

The number of students petitioning to be part of the upcoming election is an indication that many people are excited about student government. As a student body, we should encourage more participation by increasing the size of the undergraduate governmental body to bring it more in line with those at other universities. In addition, the ASSU should look at how it is representing the student body and consider electing Senators to represent smaller constituencies.