Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, often abbreviated CSUN or UNLV CSUN, is the student body government at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It is a body funded by student fees and serves to represent the students needs on campus at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.[1] The UNLV CSUN offices are located on the third floor of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Student Union. Read the CSUN Vision of 2015 here
Executive board
The Executive Board of the Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas consists of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Vice President Pro Tempore, Senate President Pro Tempore, and various directors.[1] The various directors have their own duties and answer directly to the Vice President. The Senate President organizes and runs senate meetings as well as acts as a manager for the senate with the power to dismiss.
Senate
The Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Senate consists of 25 members representing each of the nine colleges at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.[1] Historically, the UNLV CSUN Senate meets weekly during the fall and spring semesters and biweekly during the summer semester. However, ultimately, the Senate President holds supreme power in decided how to schedule meetings. Senators hold their position for a one year term beginning with the first Senate meeting in November in which they are sworn in.[1]
Senate committees
The Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas has six Senate Committees including Ways and Means, Constitutional Revisions, Senate Development, Safety and Awareness, Rules and Ethics, and Bylaws.[2]
Judicial Council
The Judicial Council of the Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas serves as body that helps maintain the balance of power throughout UNLV CSUN. They apply the UNLV CSUN constitution and bylaws to any case presented to them. They are led by the Chief Justice.[1]
Relationship to student clubs and organizations
The Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas sometimes sponsors and offers funding for student organizations and clubs unless otherwise dictated by the politics of Senate. However, funding may vary depending on the fiscal views of the Senate.[3] More than 8% of CSUN's budget goes to fund the student newspaper, The Rebel Yell.
Successes
In the Spring of 2014, Elias Benjelloun ushered in new leadership. After 2 years of controversy which included public sexual offenses, use of derogatory terms through social media accounts, and corruption that can be likened to the Nixon era, students had enough. Student Government serves many purposes. By engaging students in legislation, campus life, academic enrichment, advocacy, and so much more; this institution prepares students with the professional experiences and skill sets they need propelling them into their careers. Whether their interests are rooted in higher education, policy, business, hotel management, creative work, or even the sciences – student government can provide the skills and experiences necessary for the workforce. Realizing this, it is incumbent upon us to first, engage as many students as possible in this process, and second, to ensure a strong professional development program is in place. But first, it is important that we establish a mission statement. A mission statement is essential for any organization to thrive. A mission statement moves our body forward, by tying the decisions made by any member of this organization back into our grander vision. We must continue improving student recruitment and engagement. In the past 6 months, CSUN has seen a doubling in involved members of CSUN. This has been encouraged by an open door policy, physically and metaphorically. But more so, this is due to the dedication of our current CSUN members to engage more students. Ideally, this domino effect will continue as a result as we roll out new marketing measures such as the CSUN Magazine “Get Involved!” and an easy-to-use University wide app for smartphones. As we realize the rush of student interest and involvement in CSUN, it is important to ensure strong professional development mechanisms are in place to guide these students in utilizing their time in student government most effectively. So far, student government has taken one leap forward through collaborations with the UNLV Administration in establishing a full-time Advisor Faculty member for student government. This Advisor is essential in ensuring smooth transitions between executive boards while also guiding students to success during their tenures with CSUN. The CSUN Vision itself is another step forward in transforming the culture of student government into a collaborative goal-oriented problem-solving environment. Every member of CSUN should ask themselves: “What am I going to get accomplished this year, and how?” and “What will I do today to make UNLV better tomorrow?” This mindset alone will propel not just the individual students to success in their careers, but will propel all of student government forward.
Notable past members
- U.S. Rep. Shelly Berkeley (Former Student Body President)