Student body president

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A Student Body President is usually the highest ranking officer of a student council or student government organization in a middle school, high school, college, or university. Student Body Presidents typically serve one school year in most schools, but some may serve more than one term on the college/university level. Student body presidents, and usually sometimes along with their running mate, the Student Body Vice President, are generally elected via one of three methods:

  • By a general election of the student body at-large
  • By the student council, usually out of its own membership.
  • By the general student body, in elections held after the Student Council has been selected.

Though revered as one of the best positions to get, student presidents often get bombarded with stress from multi-tasking classwork with pressures from the position. It is understood that it takes a great leader to handle the responsibility of the duties. Serving as President can enable a student to gain strong interpersonal skills, leadership skills, social skills, and management skills. Employers look highly at an applicant who has served in this capacity.

A Student Body President is different from a Class President. Class presidents only represent a specific class (grade) of students, while the body president is the highest ranking student in the school. Class presidents are common in middle and high schools, and virtually non-existent at the college/university level.

Contents

[edit] Duties and powers

[edit] Duties

These usually include working with students to resolve problems, informing school administration of ideas emanating from the student body, and managing the student council in the capacity of Chief Executive Officer.

In this role they may make appointments to student positions or boards, and may represent the university to other associations or bodies.

Though supported by other officer positions (i.e. Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, etc), a student president is expected to gain and grow in knowledge of parliamentary procedure, and in some cases, Robert's Rules of Order.

[edit] Powers

Some schools vary in the powers for the president of their students, but many grant veto power to the individual over any act passed by the student council. Some student council constitutions and bylaws assign any "unlisted" powers to the President.

[edit] Successor

Usually in a democratic student government, such as the ones mostly seen in American colleges and universities, the Student Body Vice President succeeds to the Office of the Student Body President if the incumbent is unable to discharge his/her duties permanently, resigns, or is impeached by a student congress or senate. Similar to that of the United States Government.

[edit] List of student body presidents

[edit] Sources

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve_Carson
  2. ^ Degregorio, W.A. (2004) The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. Barnes & Noble Books. p 583.
  3. ^ Degregorio, W.A. (2004) The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. Barnes & Noble Books. p 636.
  4. ^ U.S. Senator Sam Brownback - Biography

[edit] See also


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