What is Undergraduate Student Government?

UChicago’s Student Government (SG) formed in the 1950s in response to demands for student collective action. Since its formation, Student Government has played a critical role in improving the student experience at UChicago, representing student voices to the administration and broader authorities, and even leading nationwide student-based movements. On June 21st, 2021, a new Undergraduate Student Government (USG) formed after decades of calls for important reforms. USG offers a completely redesigned approach to student governance, creating new, more effective, and more collaborative ways for students to get involved and serve the University of Chicago community.

What does a student government do? Why does it matter?

Undergraduate Student Government manages an over $2.5 million annual budget to fund student activities, RSOs, and policy initiatives. USG works closely with individual students and student groups to identify important issues on campus and throughout the broader community and develop and implement tangible policy solutions. USG has close working relationships with nearly every undergraduate department, University governing body, and administrative office. 

For over 70 years and since its inception, Student Government has worked tirelessly to improve the student experience at UChicago. In the 1950s, SG was the vanguard for nationwide movement against McCarthy-era measures that targeted international, STEM, and politically diverse students. In the 1960s, it organized a student-faculty movement to combat tuition hikes.

Today, USG continues to be at the forefront of University policy changes and collective action on-campus. In 2020, College Council members continuously responded to key issues that arose during the pandemic, working with every academic department to provide accommodations when the College wouldn’t. Within 12 hours of UChicago announcing the closure of campus in Spring 2020, SG mobilized to provide free packing supplies to students. And when the University unexpectedly changed housing policies, threatening the on-campus residency of hundreds of students during Fall 2020 finals, College Council Representatives worked with the administration to reverse course within 24 hours. In 2021, USG joined the nationwide Double the Pell initiative with hundreds of other universities to lobby Congress and the Department of Education for expanded federal student aid. Through our initiatives, USG continues to provide proactive guidance and a student-oriented perspective to the administration as they consider policy changes and lead effective student action.

How does USG work?

SG is comprised of over 100 undergraduate students. It is led by a President, a College Council Chair, and 2 Executive Vice Presidents, all of whom are directly elected by the student body in the spring. Those leaders, in addition to 5 appointed and elected Vice Presidents and Liaisons, comprise the Cabinet, which oversees, manages, and facilitates all of USG. 

The heart of USG is College Council, a legislature of 20 directly-elected College students — 5 from each class. College Council serves as the voice of the student body, guiding the strategic goals and projects of USG, representing students to administrators and other stakeholders, and mobilizing all of USG’s projects and initiatives; all College Council members serve on multiple Committees. 

The rest of USG is comprised of Committees and other appointed officers. Committees cover specific topics and serve as the focal point of that issue; Committee on Campus Sustainability develops and implements campus sustainability policy, Finance Committee funds RSOs, and many more. Appointed officers advise all of USG on specific policy priorities and provide critical administrative support. 

A policy begins in the relevant Committee, which will identify an issue, develop a proposed solution, and bring that proposal to College Council for consideration. Upon approval by College Council, that Committee leads USG’s efforts to enact that policy. 

USG’s budget is over $2.5 million and is comprised largely of Student Services Fees, which are paid by every student at UChicago.

How can I get involved in USG?

USG holds elections every fall and spring quarter; additionally, USG fills seats on Committees throughout the summer and fall, and will occasionally open new opportunities to get involved during the year.

What is this about the new SG?

In December 2020, dozens of graduate and undergraduate members of SG began to work to radically reimagine UChicago’s Student Government. The result was Undergraduate Student Government. USG, which was established on June 21st, 2021, features a new structure designed to best support UChicago College students and represent their interests to the UChicago Administration and beyond.