The 2017-18 Student Senate’s election and filing deadline will be earlier this year than in the past, with a filing deadline of Feb. 17 and voting from March 2 to March 7.

Previously, Student Senate elections were held in either the early fall semester or late spring.

According to Student Senate advisor Jackie Dahlke, the timing changed to attract more candidates and to give the newly elected Senate members more opportunities to shadow the current Senate members.  

In response to the early filing deadline, the Student Senate’s Public Relations Committee has organized club and classroom presentations throughout the entire first half of February, and plans to continue these appearances after the filing deadline to inform students of the voting period in March.

The Student Senate has one president, 15 Truax-based senators, and four regional senator positions from satellite campuses (Fort Atkinson, Portage, Reedsburg, and Watertown) up for election. To be eligible to run for Student Senate, the applicant must be enrolled in six degree credits at Madison College and have a cumulative grade-point-average of 2.5 or higher (unless they are a new student).

Terms run from May 2017 through May 2018. Senators are expected to attend the general assembly meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays, participate in two college councils or Senate committees, and commit to two office hours per week.

Overall, a senator position is about an eight-hour per week responsibility. Senators encompass the majority of the Student Senate’s general assembly.

Also, the Senate will later internally appoint interested senators to four different vice president positions, including administration and finance, legislative affairs, team development, and public relations. Along with the president and advisor, these vice presidents form the executive council.

Students interested in seeking a Student Senate position should either apply online at madisoncollegesenate.org or stop in for assistance at the Student Senate office, A2033 in Truax.