UK Student Government Association Serves as Voice for Students
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 18, 2022) — The University of Kentucky is made up of more than 30,000 students, roughly the size of a small town, and like a small town, a governing body is necessary to represent the interests and concerns of the students. The Student Government Association (SGA) has more than 100 active members (undergraduates and graduate/professional students) who advocate on behalf of fellow students and empower them through programming, funding and forums.
"The purpose of UK's Student Government Association is to serve all students and make sure they have a meaningful experience, and that they are heard and respected," Michael Hawse, the current SGA president, said.
The SGA functions as a liaison between the student body and administration to provide effective means for students to voice their concerns and interests. The organization has three branches — the executive, judicial and legislative, that functions similar to the federal government. Students in each branch are elected and work together for the common goal of bettering the student experience.
The SGA also advocates for and provides the following services:
- Legal Services provide free legal consultation with a Lexington attorney.
- Wildcat Wardrobe is a free professional clothing service for all UK students who need professional attire for an interview, internship or job.
- Kentucky Wildcab is a late-night on-demand transportation resource for UK students primarily designed to provide a free ride home, while promoting responsible and safe late-night transportation decisions.
- Professional Development Scholarship is intended to reimburse the costs and fees of only graduate and professional students remotely attending a professional and/or leadership development event.
- Childcare/Dependent Grant is available for students who have dependents, regardless of the severity of circumstances.
In addition to programming and services, SGA members represent students at an administrative and executive level. Hawse, and other SGA members, sit on the executive board at weekly faculty senate meetings where they discuss new initiatives being introduced by the organization, advocacy efforts on campus and approve new legislation and funding grants.
Hawse also sits on UK's Board of Trustees as a voting member. He says the biggest thing he will vote on as a Board of Trustee member is the university's budget as it pertains to student interests.
"I don't want to make college more expensive than it already is, so making sure the university is more financially accessible to everyone is my main objective as student body president," he said.
Additionally, Hawse sits on a board with other student body presidents throughout the state. "It speaks to how important the student voice is and how valuable the state and university sees our voice," he said.
The representation, services and programming SGA provides impact the day-to-day college experience of UK students as a whole, but it also enriches the lives of the SGA members.
"Being part of the SGA is an opportunity to realize how your decisions directly affect students and the university as a whole," Hawse explained. "All of our money comes from student fees, so it makes you feel very responsible towards how you spend that money. We always ask ourselves how we can manage this money to best benefit the student body as a whole."
Hawse adds that being part of the SGA is great professional experience that opens its members up to greater communities.
"UK has an incredibly diverse student body that allows us to look at things from a multitude of lenses," he said. "It's super important in terms of how you can advocate for the student body but also important in your future career to have this experience in advocacy. Our students end up in policy programs at Columbia Law School, Duke, along with receiving great positions in respective career fields."
"The reason I ran for SGA president is because I wanted to feel like I could give back to my school and give back to my community," Hawse continued. "The most rewarding part of my experience is not only being able to serve my friends and peers but also serve my state. We all ask how we can leave the university better than we found it."
For more information about UK's SGA and how to get involved, go to: https://getinvolved.uky.edu/student-government-association.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.