Student Government launched a committee that aims to improve relations between Student Government and the student body.
Student Government President Thania Hernandez ‘25 appointed the Census Ad Hoc Committee at the group’s March 7 meeting after it was presented by Rep. Alex Brown ’26 and Treasurer Christo Maheras ’26.
The goal of the census ad hoc committee is to regularly collect student feedback in the form of polls, office hours and open emails sent out by a class-year representative. The committee would then analyze the feedback and present it at general body meetings.
According to Maheras, the idea of a census committee had recently been on the minds of Student Government members. He credited Brown for joining Student Government and being “the one who got the ball rolling.”
“I think this work is really important for connecting with the rest of the students,” said Brown, the chair of the committee. “I think it’ll help us focus our energy on where the rest of the students want us to go.”
The committee would also create an outlet for those who cannot attend the weekly general body meetings.
“I hope it … decreases the incomplete information that exists between the student body and Student Government, and that goes both directions,” Maheras said. “I think Student Government kind of sometimes lacks … what the student input and priority is at any given time, while the student body doesn’t always understand why Student Government is doing the things that they do when they’re doing them.”
“The goal is that this committee is not just going to be Student Government members,” Maheras continued. “It’s also going to be made up of non-Student Government members as well.”
While ad hoc committees are set up indefinitely and allow non-Student Government members to join, both Brown and Maheras hope that the committee will eventually become permanent. The committee is looking to send out its first poll within the next week. Their first committee meeting was held this Thursday.
“I think the number one [challenge] is how we’re actually going to get people to take the time to fill out these surveys,” said Rep. Nathan Rashkind ‘26, a member of the committee. “We understand that people are busy, but at the same time, we think these will be important questions.”
