There has been a lot of talk in regards to the concept of shared governance, as it relates to students, faculty and the administration. From my experience, shared governance is not the ability to make a decision. It’s not the authority to make demands and expect them to become a reality. To be completely honest, it’s not even the expectation to have any of your suggestions seen in a final solution.
Shared governance is simply a seat at the table. It is a guarantee that there are opportunities in the decision making process for other viewpoints to be heard. It is our responsibility to cherish those opportunities, make the most of them and make our voices heard. When these opportunities arise, we must rely on reason and state our case.  We don’t do this through anger. We don’t do this through ridicule or personal attacks.  We do this through civility and the power of rhetoric.
The Wellness Fee, which was recently recommended for approval to the President’s Coordinating Council from the Student Government Association, is the epitome of shared governance in its finest form. The University could have enacted a Health Fee just like they enacted a Technology Fee a few years ago—without consulting students. This time things were different. We had our seat at the table. We expressed the absolute need for student consultation. The proposal was vetted through SGA, and a final recommendation was made on behalf of all students. Now, as is true for any decision, the fate of the Wellness Fee is up to the President’s Coordinating Council and Fr. Biondi.  The final decision is right to rest in their hands as they are held accountable for these decisions. It is up to us to hold them accountable.

—Michael Harriss, junior, College of Arts and Sciences
SGA President