To the students of Marquette,
In the Oct. 8, 2013 issue of the Marquette Tribune, the editorial staff wrote a column on the inclusion of students on the search committee for the 24th president of Marquette University. Tribune staff praised the Board of Trustees for including faculty members on the committee, but expressed concern that student input was not being taken into enough consideration.
Prior to the announcement of the search committee Oct. 3, the Marquette University Student Government Executive Board and I drafted a letter to Board of Trustees Chair Charles M. Swoboda and the executive committee of the board, urging them to include a student representative on the search committee for our next president.
We sent the letter Oct. 2 and received notice the following day from Chair Swoboda that a student would not be included on the committee, but that the committee would work closely with members of MUSG to ensure student perspective is included in the process.
Additionally, Executive Vice President Zach Bowman and I met with Chair Swoboda Monday to further advocate for the inclusion of a student representative in the search process. While we are disappointed we could not reach an agreement on this topic, we discussed other ways in which students can contribute to the search and look forward to sharing those opportunities in the coming weeks.
As the representatives of the undergraduate population at Marquette, we are committed to making a difference in the lives of students and improving the Marquette experience as much as possible. In the coming months, we will continue to advocate on behalf of students on topics such as academic advising, study and recreational space, and conversations surrounding gender and sexuality on campus.
We invite you to share your opinions on these topics and any concerns you may have by visiting us in our office, AMU 133, or emailing us at [email protected]. By working together, we all can improve the Marquette experience.
Sam Schultz is the president of MUSG and a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences. Email Sam at [email protected].
