Student Council advisors Jared Walsh and Charlene Bishop are implementing a mandatory contract for the student government next year. The decision to make this contract coincided with the election for next year’s Student Council officers and members.

This contract will hold Student Council officers and members accountable for fulfilling their duties and attending monthly meetings.

According to Walsh, the contract will also inform members of what is expected of them.

“Because these people are elected by the students, if you get elected, then don’t show up or don’t do the job that we think you’re supposed to do, then it needs to be addressed,” Walsh said.

In addition, advisors will look to the contract to know what to expect from student government members.

“It’s just a way for us to ensure that people are living up to the responsibilities that they’re elected for. I think that’s the whole point. I don’t think it’s super taxing. It’s also good for [students] to know what’s expected of them,” Walsh said. “To no fault of kids from this year or previous years, I just don’t think that expectations were laid out as clearly as they could have or should have been.”

According to Walsh, attendance at Student Council meetings has been low this year. However, Walsh said that the contract is not in response to any incidents from last year or this year.

“I don’t know what the system was before, but we just felt that the system needed a little bit of updating. [I’m] not saying that the system before was bad or good, just that it needed sort of a revamping or updating so that the needs are met,” Walsh said.

Walsh and Bishop plan to continue next year as Student Council advisors and look forward to working with a new group of students.

According to Walsh, the newly elected officers and members is a reflection of what the student body wanted as 595 of 620 underclassmen voted.

“I think the election process went as smoothly as it could have gone,” Walsh said. “I’m excited to work with [the newly elected officials] and make next year better than it was this year.”

2016-17 Student Council:

Officers:
President: Curran Murphy
Vice President: Cam Gordon
Treasurer: Jakob Warner
Secretary: Lily Toto

Members:
Kara Whitesell
Sharmila Mysore
Janani Gandhi
Abby Stoller
Rudy Williams
Nick Coufos
Janelle Renterghem
Alex Torres
Izzy Rubin
Isabel Gitten
Nathan Zhao
Olivia Tacelli
Oliver Chin
Liam Henning