STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
2004-2005 Strategic Plan
Mission Statement:
The Student Government Association shall strive to enhance the excellence of student life
by providing quality service and promoting the general welfare of the student body. The
SGA shall identify student concerns and ensure active representation of these interests on
the Board of Trustees and within the university.
Vision Statement:
To be a model Student Government by striving for excellence in our efforts to reach
unparalleled heights of achievement to more effectively and competently serve the
students of Embry-Riddle.
SWOT Analysis:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Strengths: Teamwork, Communication, Respected by administration
Weaknesses: Weak transition process, Lack of assessment tools, Voter turnout
Opportunities: Bookstore, Yearbook, Major initiatives
Threats: Internal strife, Apathy, Complacency
Values
Each member of the Student Government Association will be expected to maintain the
highest standards of character and embrace the following values:
Accountability
Integrity
Commitment
Mutual Respect
Honesty
Compassion
Goals and Objectives:
The Student Government Association is structured in such a way that efforts are
categorized to individual branches and divisions, which should work in
harmony. What follows is an inventory of goals and objectives specific to the
Executive Board and each branch – The Student Representative Board, The
Student Finance Board and The Student Court.
Executive Board
The Executive Board consists of the President, Vice President, Treasurer and
Chief Justice. The purpose of the Executive Board is to ensure that the overall
mission and vision of the Student Government is achieved within the parameters
outlined in the governing documents. The Executive Board is responsible for
setting the major goals and objectives as well as providing guidance and
leadership.
Teamwork:
Establish a positive climate – In order to be as effective as possible, it is essential
to adopt a policy of developing a positive climate. This can be done by
having open-door policies and holding incentives to further develop a
productive team characterized by solidarity and cohesion.
Recognition – Rather than waiting until the end of the year to recognize
outstanding effort and excellence, ongoing awards will be given
throughout the semester on a monthly basis. These awards will be given
to those who exemplify the ideal representative and to those who have
gone above and beyond their responsibilities.
Communication:
Executive Cabinet – Two director positions have been established to aid the
Executive Board. The primary objective of the Director of External
Affairs is to maintain healthy relationships and open
dialogue/communication with publics external to the immediate EmbryRiddle community such as ASGA and other Student Governments. The
primary function of the Director of Internal Affairs is to facilitate
communication within Student Government, between its branches and
divisions, and to disseminate information to the student body in an overall
attempt to better relations with various SGA publics.
Website development – The Director of External Affairs will develop and
maintain a functional website to suit the needs of SGA. The website will
include meeting times, locations and minutes as well as a section devoted
to alumni. Officer position descriptions, pictures and personal biographies
will be included. The site should be interactive, fun and provide a reason
to be visited – services such as SafeRide will be accessible and also,
students will be able to submit budget requests, parking ticket appeals and
banners to be printed.
Bi-weekly newsletter – The Director of Internal Affairs will chair the
Communications Committee that will produce content and material for
this publication. The purpose is to include pertinent information from
each branch and division so as to summarize progress and allow for quick
reference for both SGA personnel and students at large.
Weekly meetings – The Executive Board meetings will include all Executives as
well as Division Chairs, Directors and professional office staff. The start
of each meeting will include a brief update from each area represented.
General business will then be conducted. If necessary, an executive
session will be entered.
University Directory – In keeping with tradition, the Vice President will work
directly with College Directory Publishing, Inc. to coordinate the
publication of a campus directory to include department, faculty, staff and
student information. The directory will be distributed to all members of
the campus community.
Blackboard Community – The Director of Internal Affairs will exploit the services
of Blackboard and coordinate the establishment of Blackboard
communities for each branch and division. Communities will allow for
discussion boards, ease of communication, group emails and access to
documents. The SGA will also have access to post campus-wide
announcements.
Goals and objectives:
Strengthening the student voice – A strong student voice is derived from trust and
respect from the university administration. If the administration
approaches the students prior to making a decision, student leadership can
offer input and affect the outcome of the decision. This is much easier
than fighting a decision after it is made. A strong student voice is not
tangible but is truly important.
SafeRide Overhaul – As the premier service that Student Government offers the
student body, it is essential to assess this program and continually address
concerns as well as find more effect means of administering SafeRide.
The implementation of hand-held devices capable of reading Eagle Cards
will enable the SGA to better track usage and eliminate abuse. Also, local
establishments frequented by students will be solicited for support and
sponsorship. The goal is to reduce the burden on the operational budget.
Guaranteed or fixed tuition – Under these plans, the university makes a pledge to
the student and his/her family that annual tuition increases will not
increase more than the Consumer Price Index for that year. The CPI
averages to be about three percent annually. Fixed/guaranteed tuition
plans allow for certainty in financing an education, and in fact, many state
legislators are mandating that public schools adopt this policy. The SGA
feels that Embry-Riddle should adopt this policy.
ICUF Student Alliance – As the Chair of the ICUF Student Alliance, the EmbryRiddle SGA should ensure further strengthening of The Alliance by
enhancing communication, clarifying purpose and establishing a
permanent residence for the organization so as to ensure longevity once
current leadership has moved on. The ASGA will be pursued to help with
this endeavor.
Task Force One – In response to the overwhelming interest first-year students
have expressed in Student Government, Task Force One was established
last year. It is designed to introduce these students to SGA and expose
them to leadership opportunities across campus. The SGA President shall
continue to develop and cultivate this group.
Yearbook Opportunity – The yearbook was dissolved last year due to poor
performance in terms of leadership, business practices and finances.
Because a historical publication is important, the SGA will reinstitute the
yearbook. Functions such as marketing, finance, production and
distribution will be outsourced, and The Avion will be responsible for
content.
University capital expansion – As a growing campus, it is essential that the SGA
has input in the planning and construction of new facilities as well as the
renovation of existing facilities. The SGA President will represent the
students’ interests on the Wellness Center Committee and Student Union
Committee. The idea of implementing a Student Union Fee will be
explored. Also, an effort will be made to educate the campus community
and Board of Trustees as to the definition of a true Student Union.
Bookstore Opportunity – Many public and private university bookstores are
owned and managed by Student Governments. Considering the high costs
of books and school paraphernalia, the SGA will conduct a feasibility
study and explore the idea of vying for the ERAU Bookstore contract that
will become available in May 2006. The intent is to deliver lower costs to
the student by reducing profit margins but to also diversify SGA revenue
streams so as to provide more flexibility with respect to finances.
President’s Roundtable – With so many controversial matters at Embry-Riddle,
the SGA President will assemble a group of respected leaders from across
campus to include resident directors, select club/organization presidents
and other key individuals. The Roundtable will discuss sensitive issues
and determine the student stance and response.
Prescott SGA Collaboration – Considering the nature of Embry-Riddle, the
Daytona Beach Student Government Association should work
collaboratively with the Prescott SGA and pool resources on universitylevel matters. This year, the DB SGA will work to establish
communication and dialogue with Prescott counterparts. The Executive
Board will travel to Prescott in the spring semester to further cooperate
with each other. Also, the DB SGA will offer guidance in restructuring
the Prescott SGA to better reflect the needs of their campus.
Assessment and accountability:
Office hour compliance – Executives, Representatives, Finance Board members
and Associate Justices will be expected to maintain office hours as
prescribed by the bylaws so as to allow for consistent access by the
students.
Evaluation tools – It is absolutely vital to assess progress towards achieving the
mission, vision and goals and objectives. Project statements and timelines
will be used to clarify purposes and encourage advancement. Benchmarks
will be set, and on a monthly basis, the Executive Board will review and
discuss status with respect to the strategic plan.
Planning – Developing the strategy to move the organization forward is of
paramount importance. This is not a one-time occurrence, but rather, an
ongoing process by which SGA will continually adapt the plan to
accommodate changes as directed by student input, obstacles or even
failure. The SGA will entertain the thought of requiring future Executive
Boards to undergo the strategic planning process.
Year-in-review – To create a historical document of achievements, obstacles and
failures, the SGA will annually author a review of the previous year.
Student Representative Board
The Student Representative Board is one of the governing decision making bodies
of the SGA. The purpose of each individual Representative is to serve all of the
students of Embry-Riddle while simultaneously voicing the particular concerns of
the students enrolled in their respective college. The SRB conducts weekly open
meetings in which issues are discussed and voted upon. In addition, each
Representative has the opportunity to serve on university-level committees as a
voice for the students.
Visibility
Public Meetings – The intent is to hold public meetings in order to establish a
presence and better understanding of what the Student Representative
Board does and how they work for the student at large. This is done by
bringing the weekly board meeting to the students in a forum that lends
itself to public view such as the cafeteria, which also provides the
opportunity to solicit feedback.
Polo Shirts – Simply put, the polo shirt is a tool that promotes identity and
recognition. Representatives wear their shirts on the days of meetings
allowing students to identify their campus leaders.
Name badges and plates – Another succinct method of identification and
formality is providing name badges and plates to be used during meetings
in order to bring a sense of unified organizational presence. The name
badges can also be worn with polo shirts to further distinguish
Representatives.
Effective communication – In recognizing the need to contribute to the pool of
meaning, several opportunities and mediums are employed. For example,
The Avion Newspaper, WERU radio station, signs, posters and electronic
banners in the lobby of the Student Center.
Committees
Flight Line Satisfaction Committee – The Student Government Association
acknowledges that the Embry-Riddle Flight Line provides quality
technical training that is to compliment the academic curriculum. The
Committee will solicit feedback and empower students to identify
concerns and work towards resolution of issues with Flight Line
management.
Communications Committee – Because of the extensive structure of the Student
Government Association, it is vital to ensure that information readily
flows from all branches, divisions and affiliates. The Communications
Committee will include a representative from each of these areas and will
be chaired by the Director of Internal Affairs. The purpose is to facilitate
communication such that an individual clearly and completely
comprehends the current status of the entire organization.
Constitution Committee – First and foremost, it is imperative to continually ensure
that the governing documents are updated and reviewed so they are
consistent with the needs presented by operations and strategies.
Congruity and consistency in all documents is of paramount importance.
The purpose is not to intentionally alter documents to make the regulations
or processes more suitable to a specific situation, but rather, to ensure that
the documents reflect the current operational and strategic needs of the
Student Government Association.
Progress Committee – The Progress Committee welcomes the concerns of
students and works towards visible solutions that can be readily seen by
the student who initiated the concern. This committee continually seeks to
enhance the student experience at Embry-Riddle by taking on initiatives
and resolving issues. Targeted initiatives include bringing a CPR class to
campus, improving laundry room facilities, expanding Eagle Card usage
to off campus retailers and restaurants, and many others.
Legal Eagle Ad-hoc Committee – Legal issues can often cause stressors in the
students’ lives that are either unexpected or difficult to handle. For these
reasons, the Student Representative Board will convene an Ad-hoc
committee to find local legal representation for the students. Legal Eagle
will provide the student with a lawyer who can give free consultations,
review contracts, and advise on legal matters.
Environmental Awareness Committee – Educating, recycling, and initiating are
the best descriptors for this committee as its focus is multi-purpose and
much more than creating and monitoring a recycling program on campus.
Committee members will analyze the disposable products used on campus,
educate students how and what to recycle, and initiate programs to ensure
that the university community conserves for the future.
University Level Committees – Because SGA has established itself a credible and
respected source, the university has invited student leaders to serve on
university-level committees to offer input and guidance. These
committees include Parking and Traffic Services, Refunds, Food Services,
Arts and Letters, and NCAA planning. The SGA will take advantage of
the opportunity to serve on these committees and offer student input.
Representation
Academic Degree Forums – Representatives and the faculty members of their
college and degree program will hold academic degree forums – a
gathering of students and faculty of a particular degree program – where
issues will be discussed. These programs are vital in terms of acquiring
concerns from the students about the growth and development of their
program and also their classroom experience. Each Representative has the
freedom to adapt the forum to best fit the students they represent. The
growth and development of faculty-student interaction is key.
Student Finance Board
The Student Finance Board is responsible for the appropriate management and
distribution of the entirety of revenue generated by the SGA Fee. It consists of six
duly elected members and is chaired by the SGA Treasurer, who votes only in
case of a tie. Each semester, the Finance Board reviews and approves division
budgets as well as club/organization budgets. In addition, the SFB entertains
special and general requests from clubs/organizations and also from within
Student Government.
Financial Stewardship
Appropriate Usage of Funds – The Finance Board will ensure that all funds are
used in an appropriate manner that best serves the interests of the
University and student body at large. Impact on school image and benefit
to the students will be considered when evaluating requests.
Fair and Equitable Evaluation – Emphasis will be placed on maintaining the
highest degree of impartiality in assessing club/organization budgets.
Club/Organization Presentations – Each club/organization wishing to submit a
budget request will be afforded the opportunity to present before the
Finance Board. The presentation will be limited to five minutes, and
should include a detailed justification and use of funds. After all initial
requests are heard, the Finance Board will then fairly and justly allocate
the available funds for clubs/organizations.
Division Budgets – Recognizing that the SGA Divisions are invaluable in terms of
offering services to the student body, the Finance Board will, within
reason, approve budgets as presented and in addition, support all
reasonable expansion requests of the Divisions, particularly capital
investments.
Accountability
Budgeting Guidelines Review Committee – The Student Government Association
acknowledges that a sound budgeting process is of paramount importance,
and will establish a Budgeting Guidelines Review Committee to review
the current budgeting process, identify needed areas of improvement, and
make suggestions as to how to move forward. The committee will include
the Executives and Division Chairs, as well as representatives from the
Court, SRB and SFB. In addition, the committee will be responsible for
drafting the new document.
Availability – Members of the Finance Board will be expected to be available to
discuss reasoning and to justify decisions to concerned parties and
individuals. In addition, if an interested student should inquire, members
will have a comprehensive understanding of the SGA budgeting process in
order to speak knowledgeably on the subject.
Student Court
The Student Court is the Judicial Branch of the Student Government Association.
The Court is comprised of seven appointed Associate Justices, and is chaired by the Chief
Justice, who is appointed by the President to serve a two-year term. The Student Court
presides over cases arising from university code violations, parking ticket appeals and
student mediation. In addition, the Student Court is the hearing body for SGA cases and
is also responsible for rendering interpretations of the SGA governing documents.
Visibility
Availability – The Student Court is a passive body of the Student Government
Association, meaning the Associate Justices cannot act as watchdogs or
seek out cases to enter a judgment upon. Therefore, the student body must
seek out the Student Court. In order to do so, the Student Court must be
visible and accessible to the student.
Advertisement – Standard visibility practices are in place including flyers,
banners, and word of mouth. The utilization of SGA polos also helps
students associate faces to Justices, increasing awareness on a weekly
basis. The student court has also branched out to other forms of media
with advertisements displayed electronically in highly visible studenttraversed areas.
Projects – The Student Court has also undertaken several projects to help the
students and University be aware of our presence and scope. These
projects are in place to increase awareness of the Student Court’s purpose
and mission as well as to educate the student body.
Education
Orientation Video – Parking is a large source of student frustration, and the major
cause of confusion and troubles is the lack of education and understanding
of the rules and regulations. The Student Court will produce a video that
explains the parking rules and regulations in a fun and easy manner.
Associate Justices will discuss and devise an incentive for students who
participate in the viewing.
Warning Placards – Occasionally rules are broken, either by lack of knowledge
or by willful intent. The Student Court strives to help students uphold the
rules and regulations, namely parking violations, which cost repeat
offenders over a hundred dollars or more a year. The Student Court will
institute a program to spot violations of the parking rules and regulations
and place a warning notice on those vehicles. The notice will not be a
ticket, and alerts students that they are in violation. By doing this, the
Student Court hopes to achieve improved comprehension of parking rules
and regulations, increased awareness of the Student Court and its mission,
and decreased amounts of money paid by students for citations.
Parking & Traffic School – The Student Court aims to aid students who uphold
the rules and regulations and to constructively discipline those students
who do not. Current deterrents to repeat offenses include escalation fines
for the third and fourth tickets (an additional $25 and $50 charge to the
ticket amount), and suspension of parking privileges. The Student Court
will institute a prevention program for scofflaw students in which
offenders are sent to take a remedial parking course similar to Traffic
School. Attendees will learn the parking Do’s and Don’ts as well as the
most popular parking misconceptions.
Student Court Expansion
Expansion – The judicial system is only limited by the scope of influence it
possesses. Currently the Student Court primarily adjudicates cases of
parking and traffic violations and university regulation violations, but has
the capability to mediate disputes between students and organizations. The
Associate Justices will work to establish a network of Student Courts to
provide a fairer, more complete judicial system for students, by students.
Organization – The new system will consist of five circuit courts and one
appellate body. The five circuit courts will represent five areas of student
life and adjudicate cases arising from the five spectrums. The areas of
proposed inclusion are:
University – Violations of University rules and regulations
Residence Life – Violations of Housing policy
Academic – Breaches of Academic policy and integrity
Student Life – Disputes among students and organizations
Parking & Traffic – Violations of the parking rules and regulations
The appellate body, or the Supreme Court, exists to review the rulings of
the circuit courts when new information is presented not available in the
initial hearing, or when inconsistencies in the judicial process are found to
have been present that may have hindered a fair and just decision.
Purpose – The purpose of the expansion is to instill in students a greater sense of
school spirit by allowing students the opportunity to sit on the adjudicating
panels and review the conduct of their peers. In doing so, each student has
confidence that each ERAU graduate has a degree that symbolizes not
only completion of an academic program but one that stands for integrity
and moral fortitude.