Written By: Sydney Rodriguez
The Brooklyn College Policy Council voted on Feb. 24 to expand the serving term for certain student positions on the council. With further approval for the CUNY Board of Trustees, students elected for the Policy Council will be able to serve for two 1 year terms, in contrast to their current one-term policy.
This proposal of amendment will only affect two-thirds of USG positions on the Policy Council. Out of six seats held by students on the council, three students will be appointed two-year terms each year. The remaining three positions will be free for the president of USG to appoint new students. The president of USG still holds the power to remove and/or appoint students. This amendment will allow for easier exchange of information within the USG between each term.
“It took me two or three meetings in order to get used to how the Policy Council works. By that time, the term is basically over – we only have six meetings a year,” said David Dweck, a USG senator and member of the Policy Council. “Having a few senators that come back from the previous year or having a few council members come back from the previous year would be extremely helpful for the students to be able to push their agenda. It would also bring a lot more accountability to administrators in processes that take more than a year to accomplish,” Dweck said.
USG has already approved this amendment within their committee. With the approval of the Policy Council, this amendment will be sent to the CUNY Board of Trustees to be official.
“This is what we feel will make our voice stronger as students,” said Ethan Milich, president of USG.