Student Elections to Departmental Representatives/Ombudsman Committee

Two student elections are held early in the fall semester. One election is for departmental representatives, and the other for student ombudsman. This represents an on-going effort to encourage and maintain student involvement and participation in departmental affairs.

Students elected to departmental representatives committee will represent students in our three majors by attending all department meetings throughout the academic year in which they are elected. They will have the opportunity to place any item on the agenda for a department meeting. It is their responsibility to share information about on-going departmental matters with students as well as taking information from students and sharing it with department members at the department meeting. Students are encouraged to keep their representatives informed regarding matters that are important to them so that they can be placed on the agenda for departmental meetings throughout the academic year.

Students elected to the ombudsman committee will serve as student advocates in the department. They are the liaison between the department majors and the chairperson. It is the responsibility of the ombudsman members to make the department chairperson aware of any issue or concern that the students have in the area of academics, curriculum, etc. and the student's name will not be mentioned. Ombudsman committee members may also bring academic matters or other concerns to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at any time that they do not feel the chairperson has dealt with or carried out his responsibilities.

Information regarding elections is mailed to department majors. Faculty will solicit names for election ballots in their classes. You may also inform the faculty secretary (O'Hara Hall 406) of your intention to be placed on the ballot.