The first reform should be to better publicize opportunities for students to apply for such committees. The USG could utilize its website to create a central listing of all University advisory committees, or the University could create a "job board" of its own to solicit applications. Most students are unaware of the existence of groups like the Priorities Committee, which oversees and makes recommendations on the budget, and therefore miss any opportunity to be a part of them. If the application process were open, students who are unknown to either the administration or the USG but who would make excellent additions to a committee might come forward. An open application process could make the committees more representative of the student body's opinions and thus more effective at informing University decisions.
It would also be useful to give the USG a more active role in deciding which students are appointed to the committees. An elected USG member could be appointed to work together with an administrator or faculty representative to select from the pool of students who apply to each committee. The administrator or faculty representative would act as a check on the USG representative and vice-versa, ensuring that neither simply chooses students they know or agree with.
When the University asserts that decisions are informed by student input, it needs to make sure that that such input accurately represents the view of most students. In past editorials, the board has advocated that the University regularly survey students. Reforming the way students are selected to serve on committees that advise the University would be another important step. By making the selection process more transparent and increasing the involvement of USG representatives, the University can help ensure that decisions are not simply made on behalf of students but rather are reflective of their best thinking.
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