Students United
Students United, formerly called the Minnesota State University Student Association or MSUSA, is a non-profit organization funded and operated by students. The Association serves nearly 65,000 students attending Minnesota's seven state universities: Bemidji State University, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Metropolitan State University, Minnesota State University Moorhead, St. Cloud State University, Southwest Minnesota State University and Winona State University.
The Association is recognized by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees[1] as the respective representative of state university students in Minnesota, and works on a variety of issues at the different levels of government.
Structure
Board of Directors
The Association is governed by a board of directors composed of the democratically elected student body presidents at each of the seven state universities and three non-voting statewide officers. These board members set policy and administer how funds are spent by it.
Officers
The State Chair is elected by the Board of Directors each spring during the Delegate Assembly. The State Chair is the chief spokesperson for the Association. They are responsible for the coordination of its programs and chair all Board of Directors meetings as a non-voting member. The State Chair represents the Association at the Student Advisory Council (SAC) of the Office of Higher Education (OHE) and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Board of Trustees meetings. The State Chair also appoints state university students to system-level committees and task forces.
The Vice Chair performs the duties of the State Chair in their absence or at the State Chair's request. The Vice Chair serves as the chair of the Delegate Assembly and the Penny Fellowship Board.
The Treasurer oversees the financial updates of the organization and works with the staff and the Association accountant to produce monthly statements and an annual audit.
The Vice Chair and Treasurer are elected each year by the Delegate Assembly at its spring meeting. Officers' terms are for one year, beginning July 1 and ending June 30.
Delegates Assembly
The Delegates Assembly consists of 40 student representatives from the seven state universities. The size of each university's delegation is predetermined according to the size of the school. Delegates Assembly is responsible for recommending the Students United Policy Platform and Mission Statement, recommending budget priorities for the coming fiscal year, offering proposed changes to the Bylaws, and electing the Vice Chair and Treasurer.
Scholarship programs
In addition to the student advocacy work, it also runs two scholarship programs to assist student leaders in achieving and paying for their education.
Penny Program
The Penny Program consists of two scholarship opportunities for MnSCU students. The first is the Timothy J. Penny State & Federal Public Service Fellowship, awarded to students participating in state and local government internships. The second program is the Barbara J. Penny Community Service Scholarship which recognizes MnSCU students who have demonstrated a commitment to community service, and to promote their growth as a community leader.
Jared P. Stene Student Leadership Scholarship
The Jared P. Stene Student Leadership Scholarship was created to honor the accomplishments of a former board member. The scholarship provides financial support to students who share Jared's leadership and passion for student advocacy.
Friends Scholarship
The Friends Scholarship awards are given in $500 increments to students attending a Minnesota State System university who have completed at least two academic years (30 semester credits) and exhibit special or unique financial need that may keep them from continuing their education pursuits.
Robert L. Carothers Distinguished Student Writers Award
The Robert L. Carothers Distinguished Student Writers Award was created to acknowledge Chancellor Carothers’ outstanding contributions to the Minnesota State University System, and to higher education in Minnesota, by providing a way to highlight the work of student writers at Minnesota’s state universities.
Elizabeth Pegues Scholarship Matching Program for Students of Color
The Elizabeth Pegues Scholarship Matching Program for Students of Color was created to ensure students of color might have greater access to a four-year baccalaureate education at one of the seven state universities in the Minnesota State System. This program consists of seven matching scholarships, up to $1,000 awarded annually to students who are Minnesota residents and are enrolled or have been unconditionally accepted at a State University who have received a scholarship from a Minnesota-based civic, religious, fraternal, social or nonprofit youth-serving organization.
Hull Educational Foundation Scholarship
Students United accepted funds from the Orson A. Hull and Minnie E. Hull Educational Foundation in 2016 for the Hull Educational Foundation Scholarship. The scholarship is limited to students who graduated from St. Paul area high school. The program assists students with financial assistance for their educational pursuits.
References
- "MnSCU Board Policy". Archived from the original on 2008-12-07. Retrieved 2008-12-02.