Roles and Responsibilities
This role is typically responsible for keeping official records of council meetings, including minutes and attendance.
The Secretary
The Treasurer notices the council hasn't been posting consistently on Instagram and decides to take over the account. Is this their role?
No- Social media based responsibilities should be fulfilled by the Secretary of Publicity & Social Media
Student council uses this widely recognized set of guidelines to keep meetings fair, organized, and democratic.
Robert's Rules of Order
Name two methods council can use to find out what students want or need.
Surveys
Student Council suggestion box
Town halls
Social media posts/polls
1 on 1 conversations
What does the acronym SMART stand for in goal setting
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-Oriented
This council officer acts as the chief spokesperson and runs all official meetings
The President
A faculty member is treating students unfairly and students are coming to council. What is council's role?
Listen to students, document concerns, and advocate (bring it to the department head, hub sector leader, etc.)
NOT confront the teacher directly
Before any item can be discussed or voted on at a meeting, what must happen first?
A motion must be made and seconded by another council member
A council member only consults their friend group before bringing forward an idea. What's the problem with this strategy?
This method doesn't fully represent the student body. The council must seek diverse voices (different academic programs, Undergrad & Graduate, different times students are on campus, etc.)
True or False: Once council sets their goals for the year, they should stick to them no matter what even if circumstances change.
False: Goals should be revisited and adjusted if needed. Rigid adherence to goals could waste energy or cause more relevant goals to be ignored. The changes should be intentional, rather than quietly abandoning things.
This role manages the council's budget, tracks spending, and reports on financial status at meetings
The Treasurer
The Secretary starts making decisions about an event budget because the Treasurer is absent. Is this their role?
No- Discussions about the budget should be documented but must be approved by the Treasurer
A council member has a proposal for a campus advocacy event that hasn't been discussed in a previous meeting. During which time of the agenda is the appropriate time to raise it?
New Business
What does it mean for student council to be "accessible"?
Council set a big goal in September but nothing happened by March. What likely went wrong?
Poor task delegation
No/too few action items
The goal wasn't appropriately prioritized
No deadline
When the President is absent or unable to fulfil their duties, this officer steps in to lead
The Vice President
The Secretary notices an error in the approved minutes after they've been filed. Should they quietly fix it without bringing it to the rest of the Council?
No- The correct process is to bring the errors to the next meeting, document the correction, and have the council acknowledge the amendment
Name four things that should always be included in meeting minutes
The name of the group
Date/Time/Location of meeting
Meeting attendance
Approval of past minutes/corrections
Officer reports
Motions made and by what member
Vote outcomes
Announcements
Time of adjournment
What is active listening, and how is it different from just waiting for your turn to speak?
Active listening means fully focusing on the speaker to understand them. Waiting to speak means you're preparing your response instead of absorbing the other person's.
A council sets this goal: "We want to do more events this year." How would you make it SMART?
This goal is vague and unmeasurable
Example SMART goal: We will host 3 student engagement events per semester, with a target of 50+ attendees per event, planned at least three weeks in advance
Beyond their specific role, every council member shares this core responsibility toward the student body
Being a representative/advocate for their peers
The council wants to invite a guest speaker to a campus event about entrepreneurship and career development. What are 2 roles that would be involved in planning AND what would their responsibility be?
Career Readiness Rep: Communicating with the guest speaker to organize the event
Secretary of Marketing and Outreach: Promotes the event through flyers, USG weekly, etc.
Treasurer: Confirms the budget and tracks spending
Secretary of Publicity and Social Media: Promotes the event through social media, takes pictures/videos during the event
True or False: If a council member is consistently missing meetings without notice, there is nothing the council can do about it.
False- The council has an attendance procedure outlining consequences; including removal from council for repeated absences
What is the difference between assertive and aggressive communication in a council setting?
Assertive communication means expressing your opinion clearly and respectfully while still considering others opinions and giving space for them to share ideas
Aggressive communication means pushing your view in a way that dismisses or steamrolls others.
Student Council needs assertiveness, not aggression
How would the council create a SMART goal around improving campus awareness about Student Council's events
Open for discussion!
Example: By February 1st, we will increase Instagram followers by 50 and reach an average of 200 students per post by posting Student Council events and initiatives three times per week