SGA at Bethel
Enhance your leadership, communication and civic skills through participation in the Student Government Association.
Modeled after the U.S. federal government, the Student Government Association (SGA) divides power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Student government functions independently of the college administration, though it often collaborates with the college administration and various departments to enhance the student experience.
The Student Government Association’s three branches comprise 16 elected and nine appointed offices. This allows for individual initiative on issues directly affecting students. The executive branch comprises the student body president and vice-president, along with several appointed positions such as Chief of Staff and Secretary of Public Relations. The president is responsible for all appointments approved by the legislative branch. The judicial branch comprises a Chief Justice and a few associate Justices responsible for ensuring fairness and equality throughout the Student Government and its respective charters. The judicial branch is also responsible for running fair and unbiased elections. The legislative branch comprises a Senate with three senators from each class, two commuter senators, and three At-Large senators. General elections for freshman senators and any unfilled senate seats are held during the first few months of the school year. Elections are also held in April for the following year. During this election, the student body will elect a President and Vice President and vote on senators for their respective cohorts or classes. All full-time students may vote, and all full-time students who have adequately circulated a petition of candidacy and maintained a 2.0 GPA may run for office. The student body president fills appointed positions with the consent of the Senate within the legislative branch. Appointments are generally made in May but may be made as needed throughout the year. Regular meetings are held twice a month.
Meeting minutes are available from the SGA secretary.
For more information, see the official SGA website.