National-Louis University Student Senate
The National-Louis University Student Senate is the central governance organization for the National-Louis University student body. It encompasses all NLU campuses nation-wide and is the principle advocate for the interests of the student body as a whole to the University President, Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and staff. The Senate is a central forum for communication within the student community.
Student Senate also encourages and supports student organizations, initiatives and activities and provides an outlet for leadership development among students.
2010-2011 Student Senate Elections
Thank you for your interest in the 2010-2011 Student Senate. This information packet and application should give you all the information about the election process and the Student Senate. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact me at maria.meintanis@nl.edu or the Student Affairs Office at (312)261-3568.
Powers/Responsibilities of the Senate:
- Represent the student body in University governance and pursue the adoption of policies that are beneficial to the student body
- Provide a forum for constructive dialogue and decision-making that is inclusive of all students
- Elect Officers of the Student Senate from among the elected Senators
Membership:
1 undergraduate and 1 graduate representative from each campus (Chicago, Elgin, Lisle, North Shore, Wheeling, and Tampa), 1 undergraduate and one graduate representative from online/field programs, and 1 graduate representatives from Wisconsin Campus (Wisconsin has no undergrad programs), for a total of 15 senator positions available.
Elections:
Election of all Senators will be in the Spring Quarter prior to the term when they take office. Those newly elected Senators would elect President, Vice-President and Secretary from among themselves prior to their training retreat in August. If there are open seats, the Student Senate would be responsible for holding elections in the fall to fill them.
All elections will be run online. Students will only vote for the representative(s) from their home campus. If a campus has one student running for Senator uncontested, an election will not be held, and the student will be elected to the position by acclimation
To be eligible to run for Student Senate:
A. A candidate must be continuously enrolled in courses for credit at National-Louis University through the duration of the term of office.
a. Undergraduate candidates must be enrolled for at least six (6) credit hours Fall 2010, Winter 2011, and Spring 2011.
b. Graduate candidates must be enrolled for at least three (3) credit hours Fall 2010, Winter 2011, and Spring 2011.
B. A candidate must remain in academic good standing through the duration of the term of office.
a. Undergraduate and Graduate senators must have and maintain a GPA above 2.5
C. A candidate may not be a full-time university employee
D. Each candidate must submit the attached application including short answer questions that assess interest and intent of pursuit of a Senate seat
Duties of Student Senators:
• Attend all Senate meetings in person or via teleconference
• Attend campus events as a representative of the student senate.
• Act as a liaison between their campus students and administration
• Serve on at least one standing committee as assigned by the President. Committee memberships may require daytime availability in person or via teleconference.
• Distribute publicity and other Student Senate information to their campus.
Meetings:
Meetings will be held on the third Monday of each month, from September – June, on a rotating basis throughout the Chicago land campuses, with teleconference accommodations always made for both out-of-state students and Chicago-area students unable to travel to further campuses. Senators are responsible for attending all meetings. In the event that a Senator must miss a meeting, it is their responsibility to notify the Senate President in Advance
In addition, an Orientation and Training Retreat will be held annually in August on one of the Chicago land campuses. NLU will cover travel expenses for Senators from the out-of-state campuses to attend in person.
Compensation:
All Senators receive a $250 student account credit, paid during the Spring Quarter of their term of office. Senators will be required to sign a letter detailing the terms and conditions of their service with the Office of Student Life and the Office of Financial Aid in order to receive compensation.
Dates & Deadlines
- The attached application form is due: Friday, June 25, 2010
- Needed Online Elections will be held: June 28-July 2, 2010
For more information, contact: maria.meintanis@nl.edu
