The President of the Student Government (Also known generically as Student Body President) is the highest ranking officer of a student government or student union association on the high school, college, or university level. Respected as one of the highest honored roles to achieve during academic studies, serving as President can enable a student to gain strong interpersonal, leadership, social, economic, and management skills. Employers may look highly upon an applicant who has served in this capacity.
A Student Govn't 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. A class president in virtually non-existent at the college/university level due to the inclusion of different classes in day-to-day aspects of higher education. A close equivalent would be a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior class representative (or senator).
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The authority and responsibility of presidents vary according to their respected institutions. Students performing in this role typically serve a ceremonial and managerial purpose, as a spokesperson of the entire student body. The president may oversee their association's efforts on student activity events and planning, school policy support from students, budget allocation, fiscal planning, recognition of developing issues pertaining to students, and communication between faculty/staff and the student body.
Duties usually include working with students to resolve problems, informing school administration of ideas emanating from the student body, and managing the student government 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. For example, the student government presidents within the University System of Georgia also serve on the state-wide Student Advisory Council of Georgia.
Though supported by other officer positions (i.e. Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, etc.), a president is expected to gain knowledge of parliamentary procedure, and in some cases, Robert's Rules of Order.
Some schools vary in the powers for the president of their student governments, 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.
The office holder typically serves one school year in most schools, but some may serve more than one term. Presidents, and sometimes along with their running mate, the Student Government Vice President, are generally elected via one of three methods:
Usually in a democratic student government, such as the ones mostly seen in American colleges and universities, the Vice President succeeds to the position of President if the incumbent is unable to discharge his/her duties permanently, resigns, or is impeached by a student council or senate (Similar to that of the United States Government). In some schools if the student president vacates the office, the student council may vote on a new president.
Some former student government president have become notable in the national or international spectrum for various reasons (e.g. political, social, etc.), such as: