You may notice student election signs sprouting around campus. Those signs range in looks from professional, cleaver or to a sheet of plastic with magic marker writing. Many students have a pretty good idea what the student body president does. But what does the student senate president do? According to some student senators this term—nothing.
Most students have little understanding in what happens in the student senate. But student senators are representatives from every college at N.C. State. The student senate president is s an ex-officio member of the Senate and in essence the student body vice president. They assist the Student Body President in the performance of his/her duties in accordance with the student body constitution. Many in student government said that Kelly Hook seemed to be doing two jobs. Performing as our student body president and quasi student senate president – mainly because the current one, Stephen Kouba, was difficult to reach or simply unavailable.
Present student senators I spoke with said the Speaker Pro Tem, Ethan Harrelson, has been performing many duties behind the scenes in attempt to bridge such a widely divided student senate. But those same senators have mentioned that the Speaker Pro Tem has created further divisions within senate as well. Senators have worked very hard behind the scenes to keep a bridge of communication with deans of various colleges and constituents. They too share in frustration and disappointment of Kouba’s questionable leadership roles, responsibilities and visibility. Current student senators have candidly spoken out that Kouba has failed to represent the student senate at meetings.
On a brighter side student senate meetings this year ended before midnight. However, senators voiced that it was difficult to introduce legislation because Kouba would hasten the senate agenda in order to end before midnight—or 11 P.M. Senators also felt that Kouba also had a personal agenda. He would show preferential treatment towards select fraternity members—which some were appointed but later resigned or were dismissed due to not meeting student government conditions.
One thing is for sure. When Kouba mentioned in his campaign last year that he wanted a transparent student senate—it happened. Meaning he was never to be seen except at the monthly student senate meetings. This is, and was, nothing more than ghostly leadership.
The student senate has endured its setbacks here and there. But those that volunteer to become student senators hopefully work hard and have your interest at heart—by taking their oath seriously. Senator’s work countless hours focusing on the best interests of and for students—sometimes with unpopular results. The student senate president is a position that should be a leadership resource to the student body president,the student senate and all of the students of N.C. State. This didn’t occur this term as voiced by students and senators.
Before you vote on your next student senate president remember they are the next in line for the role of the student body president. They should emulate or engage leadership to help alleviate the daily burdens of the student body president. They must be a visible part of student government. They should be continually learning what its like to be ready to step in the shoes of our student body president should the need arise. Did this happen with our current student senate president? Perhaps not as well as many had hoped.
