The role of Student Government at Houghton may sometimes seem unclear. What do we do? What is our purpose on campus? How does Student Government impact you?
These are questions that I have been in the process of asking at the beginning of this year, and the end of last year.
There is some history behind these questions. In the past few years Houghton SGA has been through a period of transition. Four years ago, Houghton Student Government was in a senate format, with many representatives from dorms, classes, and clubs. The first year I started serving on SGA the system had been adjusted to a cabinet system (with an Executive Cabinet overseeing all SGA activity, responsibility, and the class cabinet system).
These changes were well thought out. Yet, adjusting from one system to another has been a process of adjustments, and questioning the identity and role of SGA on campus. There have been a few years of low participation and tough questions about SGA’s purpose and function.
Finally, I think that SGA is poised to realize it’s potential in the cabinet system. Every class has a full or nearly full cabinet. The Executive Cabinet is full, and the freshman elections have been brimming with enthusiasm, participation, and leadership qualities.
It has taken a few years for this system to run smoothly. 
And now SGA is at the point to ask, what is the role of SGA on Houghton’s campus? We’ve mastered the basic duties of our members, although there is always improvements to make. These duties include: overseeing clubs, providing committee representation, cultivating spiritual life initiatives, representing the student body, and putting on SGA specific events.
Yet defining SGA as what we do has the danger of falling into a list of items to accomplish. So SGA’s purpose and existence must be defined above what we do.
SGA’s role on campus is to serve the student body. This is what I am seeking to embrace with my second term as president of the SGA. This is what SGA is seeking to embrace. We want to serve you, the students, in a number of ways. We want to be a source of information through the speakers we bring into our weekly meetings, and the events that we host. We want to give you the resources to form clubs. We want to look for ways for you to share your unique concerns on campus (through a committee, serving on a class cabinet, joining a club, etc.) And we want a relationship with the student body. Come into our office, start conversations, do homework on our couches. Tell us about your experiences as a student, your good ideas for the campus, or your suggestions for us. Give us feedback, let us know how we can be more effective in our governmental ministry to you. And at the very least, let us feed you donuts.