Rebecca Silberman: Getting involved in student government

With less than two weeks of college under their belts, Penn's extracurricular opportunities are coming at the Class of 2006 from all directions: fliers stuffed under doors, posters covering walls, table after table on Locust Walk -- the possibilities seem endless and they are.

Why, then, should student government stick out among the most rewarding activities?

Student government offers students the chance to leave a mark on campus. It allows students to take their vision of what a university experience should be and translate it into a tangible reality.

And there are six different ways to do it.

Student government is divided into six branches, each with its own specific mission and its own confusing acronym. The breakdown goes something like this:

SPEC: The Social Planning and Events Committee. As a member, you have a hand in bringing speakers such as Benjamin Netanyahu and Billy Joel to campus while playing a role in planning Spring Fling.

SCUE: The Student Committee on Undergraduate Education. Join this branch to enhance your academic experience throughout the next four years. SCUE members work to maintain the level of excellence expected from collegiate scholastics.

SAC: The Students Activities Council. Help decide how much money goes to each of Penn's many varied student organizations, from performing arts groups to athletics.

The Class Boards: Create a bond among your classmates through class-wide social activities. Class board members play a crucial role in carrying on age-old Penn traditions and creating new ones, which will go on long after you have left campus.

UA: The Undergraduate Assembly. Be a part of Penn's undergraduate student government, bringing the concerns of the student body to the attention of administration and at the same time you make concrete improvements that will affect the entire community.

NEC: The Nominations and Elections Committee. Play a critical role in student government by running its elections and choosing student representatives to serve on University-wide committees. NEC members uphold the integrity of our school's most democratic institutions and ensuring effective student representation on Penn's highest decision-making bodies.

Student government needs fresh voices to ensure effective representation to improve our campus and we know those voices are inside of you. The NEC invites freshmen to learn more about the different ways to leave a mark on Penn's campus by attending an information session tonight, at 8:45 p.m., in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge.

To quote Warren Bennis, "the point is not to become a leader. The point is to become yourself, to use yourself completely -- all your skills, gifts and energies -- in order to make your vision manifest."

Make a difference.

Rebecca Silberman is a senior History major from Kingston, Pa., and chairwoman of the Norminations and Elections Committee.

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