The Middlebury College Student Government Association (SGA) has long struggled with growing student apathy. Most students view it as a performative body utilized by ambitious students to puff up their resumes rather than a vital community organ. This past year, very few students followed public SGA meetings, let alone held elected students accountable for their election promises. Senate and General Assembly meetings went uncovered by The Campus; Senate candidates ran unopposed; committees struggled to fill seats, if they formed at all, and sometimes even committee directors and senators quit SGA obligations mid-semester. This year, disengagement has reached a new low, which begs the question: What is SGA even for?
All students pay an activity fee of around $500 in addition to their tuition, room and board, which gets distributed by the SGA finance committee. Every student is represented by two senators from their class and the student body president, whom they get to elect. The SGA is the voice of the student body of Middlebury to the administration and oversees lobbying for changes on issues that impact students. They are also responsible for selecting students to serve on student councils, joint student/faculty councils, and trustee councils and committees, overseeing the allocation of over $50,000 worth of student activity fees to student organizations, social houses and clubs. SGA members put together class dinners, host Midd Kid Night, and promote resources alongside campus partners such as Fresh Check Day. The SGA does not lack influence over key decisions made by the college administration; it's just that too few students have stepped up to the plate.
In recent Middlebury history, student vision in the SGA has transformed access to campus resources, late-night food and even graduation credit requirements. In 2018, the SGA senate envisioned the beloved 10 O’Clock Ross program as an after-hours student-run cafe for studying, free late-night food and late-night hangouts. Likewise, in spring 2023, SGA president Raymond Diaz ‘23 envisioned a universally financially accessible Middlebury experience. As part of his legacy, Diaz worked with the SGA Senate and the Office of Advancement to create an endowment for student opportunity, funded by the remaining funds in the SGA finance operating budget that clubs returned at the end of the 2023 school year. Going forward, the Student Access and Support fund (SAS) grows every spring. On a separate note, between 2023 and 2024, cooperation across Abed Abbas’ and B-Striker’s teams lowered graduation credit from 36 to 34.
On a smaller scale, the SGA has helped adjust dining hall hours to match class schedules, extended gym hours, raised the declining balance from $25 to $30, encouraged more vegetarian and vegan options in the dining hall, made carabiners more accessible from all dining halls and put up curtains in Crossroads.
This week is SGA election season, and the deadline to get signatures to run for President or the Senate is approaching quickly. Now is the time to think about what you could do for Middlebury and to evaluate the SGA election candidates. In 10 years, Middlebury will be shaped by those who stepped up to the plate. If not SGA, become a role model on your team, in your club, in the classroom or in your hall. Make your Middlebury time count.
