Active members of the SGA work directly with administrators and are even granted broad power to change policy on this campus through a legally binding trustee document known as the Wellman Document. Other than power to make substantive change to campus, active members are also responsible for the two million dollars in the Student Activities Trust Fund (SATF). The SATF is allocated by the SGA to a
ll Registered Student Organizations and Agencies through the Ways and Means Committee. Being an active member of the SGA is a great experience for any UMass student. Other than making a killer resume, the SGA drives students to act as leaders in the UMass community. Active members of the SGA do more than play politics – we represent our peers to make UMass even better. The greatest part about the SGA is that students don’t just work on policy initiatives and campus campaigns; we design, run, and implement policy initiatives and campus campaigns. Active members also gain real live experience working directly with administrators and learn how to change an establishment from within. Most importantly, the quality of the student experience is enhanced when their needs are made a priority, therefore the SGA works to ensure that student representation is at the forefront of decision makers’ agenda and are devoted to putting Students First. Structure
The Student Government Association is structured like the United States Government, with three branches of government. Each branch has main responsibilities, but they often work together to better student life. The Senate is mainly in charge of the $2 million Student Activities Trust Fund (SATF), which is allocated to all UMass RSO’s and SGA Agencies like student Bridges and the Student Legal Services Office. The Executive’s major focus is representing the general student body and work directly with the Administration on campus policy initiatives. The Executive is also in charge of approving new RSO’s and signing off on any RSO account transfers. The Judiciary acts as the Supreme Court of the SGA. It is great experience for students, but is also a great resource for holding SGA officers accountable. SGA election for Senate and House Councils take place in the fall and for President, Student Trustee and Area Government in the spring.
