Student Council Representatives are elected every year by the students through a democratic voting process. What makes them effective is their participation in school decision-making, managing student representation in all levels, contribution of ideas to the school, completion of plan and achieving it.
Student councils in 99% of cases are just for the benefit of student leadership experience. They don’t offer anything better than what professional staff provide nor represent students in meaningful political representation.
Advantages
Fills up that resume. Shows that you have experience, ambition, and are trusted by your community.
Sometimes you can be paid for your service depending on campus.
Leadership experience in representing constituents, hiring staff, managing volunteers, etc. Financial experience dealing with budgets, grant writing, quotes, funding, etc. Communication experience in social media, public speaking, government writing, etc.
Great experience if you want to later work in student services or administration as you get to understand how Universities work internally much better.
Learning government things like Robert’s Rules of order (parliamentary procedure), writing bylaws, checks and balances, etc.
Student councils provide a convenient voice for when administrations want to involve/organize students for a cause. One person they can talk to, ask, and have disseminate information to their campus network.
Sometimes at moments of crisis or with particularly gifted student leaders, you can actually bring about an important change. Check out the student organizing happening by the Parkland students. But this is an exception and not the rule.
Disadvantages
It’s a lot of work on top of being a student and can distract from things that are actually important like getting good grades.
It’s not always as good as other alternatives. In the hours you spend on this, you could be in a meaningful internship teaching job-ready skills or starting an online business to make a small side income.
Everyone hates you. Ok, maybe not everyone, but your decisions will often upset people about, below, and to the side of you if they disagree, especially if the structure is competitive and combative.
It can change your interactions with people. You wouldn’t be amazed how many more people will recognize you after putting giant posters of your face around campus. Going to a party may soon become talking about campus social justice issues and you might think twice about getting turned up if before partying hard.
MARK BRAINLIEST
