Student Senate compiles student advice in ‘Bill of Rights’

Next year’s student body will benefit from Goshen College students' tips and advice through the “Bill of Rights” that the student senate is currently developing. The Bill of Rights will highlight things students wish they would have known their first year, and it will also better inform students of the services and opportunities available to them.

“It’ll have regular advice and broader, factual information,” said Piper Voge, a senior. Voge, who serves as student senate cabinet chair, said she had this idea last year.

“I’d like it to be something that can keep going,” said Voge. “We’ve never had any documents that have been handed from one senate to another.”

The Bill of Rights will take the form of a booklet containing sections of general advice from current students, like the best places to study on campus or the necessity of a bike lock, as well as sections of important information from services and clubs on campus.

In order to better compile information that is now in varied locations in print and online, Voge is hoping to approach each campus service or club and ask them for their most important information. That way, she said, all the main facts are in one location.

According to Voge, internal and external surveys were conducted last year which revealed that students are relatively unaware of how to find important information online, particularly regarding the violation process. The Bill of Rights idea evolved from this.

“I wondered, ‘what else are people uninformed about?’” said Voge.“I’m graduating, and I want it to be in the hands of next year’s student senate members."

In order for this to happen, student senate needs your advice. What did you learn the hard way during your first year? When is the best time to study at the “Rott?” Would you recommend participating in the Super Tuesday event?

To contribute a tip, or suggest information that should be included in the Bill of Rights, email Piper Voge at piperv@goshen.edu. Those who wish to submit anonymously can send a note to Voge through campus mail, located to the right of the mailboxes in the union.