Volume CXXXIII, Number 3 September 21, 2001 f

SEB strives to empower students
JESSICA ZOLT-GILBURNE
Staff Writer

This fall, while the rest of the Bowdoin campus has been adjusting to the strains of being back in school, the Student Executive Board (SEB) has been preparing for another year of student government.

The Student Executive Board (SEB). (Kate Lackemann, Bowdoin Orient)

The SEB is one of two branches of Bowdoin's student government and consists of nine students. According to the Bowdoin website, the Student Executive Board is "charged with handling policy issues of the student body as well as issues that require fast action."

As the SEB heads into the new year, its biggest priority, in conjunction with the rest of the student government, is reaching the student body.

The head of the SEB, Meghan MacNeil '03 explained, "[Our] biggest goal is to make student government into a resource for students to get what they want done."

In order to achieve this goal, Meghan emphasized that the SEB is in the process of implementing some reforms to help the student body become more connected with the student government. She cited last year's passage of Student Matters as a particular force to empower students' participation in government (Student Matters is a program that allows students to propose a bill in front of the Student Congress).

Although the overarching theme for student government may be finding a way to better reach the students, a large part of their work involves specific initiatives.

In order to firm up their plans for this year's student government, the student government will be taking its annual retreat to Breckenridge estate next weekend. Megan Faughnan '02, the head of Student Congress summed up the purposes of the retreat as a way to get people acquainted with each other and with how student government works in addition to setting goals for the year.
While no firm priorities have been set, some initiatives from last year will likely continue to hold a place on the agenda, especially since most of the projects that the SEB undertakes become long term projects.

MacNeil explained, "Student Government issues take a long time to work out; it's a matter of working a long time to see things happen."

One SEB priority is to look into the feasibility of getting Bowdoin on a "One-Card" system. SEB member Jason Hafler '04 explained that this system would allow Bowdoin students to use a single ID card for meals, laundry, copying, and possibly even local businesses.

Although they work on specific projects, members of the SEB stressed that the main goal of the SEB and the Student Congress was to be there for the students and the school.

SEB member Tejus Ajmera '04 said, "The Administration comes to us and asks for our opinion [about issues concerning the student body]."

He cited the example of last week's crisis when Dean of Student Affairs Craig Bradley and Dean for Academic Affairs Craig McEwen came to the Student Government and asked what should be done to bring the community together in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. Student Government members led the candlelight vigil held Thursday night.

SEB member Lenz Balan '04 also stressed that " the SEB wants to establish a good relationship with the student body," and that a priority of the SEB is to " make sure the student body knows [we are] doing stuff [for them]."

In addition to trying to become more accessible to students and the administration, the SEB and the Congress are working on collaborating to create a more cohesive student government.

Balan said, " Meghan [MacNeil] really wants to break down the barrier [between Student Congress and the SEB]… last year they reconstructed the constitution to give the Student Congress more [of a] role."

Hafler added that though he had "definitely heard sentiment" that the SEB was too elitist and not collaborative enough with the Student Congress, all the current members "now just want to make Bowdoin a better place." He said "we are all student government; we are all equals."