SGB asks academic advisers to help recruit committee members

For the first time, Pitt’s Student Government Board called on academic advisers to help find… For the first time, Pitt’s Student Government Board called on academic advisers to help find applicants for committee chairs this semester.

SGB hopes to fill at least seven chair positions. Students can apply to become chairs of the academic affairs, elections, environmental, governmental relations, judicial, public relations and traditions committees.

SGB President Charlie Shull sent an e-mail last week to political science advisers Patrick Altdorfer and Olivia Newman asking them to send an attached application to all political science majors.

SGB typically advertises in The Pitt News about committee chair openings, but Shull said he wanted another way to reach out to potential candidates.

“Academic advisers tend to really help, especially with SGB,” Shull said.

Two days after the e-mail went out, the Board received three applications. Currently, SGB has received 18 applications for chair positions.

Shull said that because he thought the e-mail had successful feedback, he also sent it to the business school, history department, psychology department, engineering advisers and the Honors College on Monday.

The original deadline for applications was Jan. 25, but Shull decided to extend the deadline to 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 to allow more people in various departments to apply.

Shull focused on the larger departments in the University and might contact other departments later.

Starting this semester’s committees is a big initiative, Shull said. He also contacted people who applied for SGB board or committee positions.

Any student who does not receive an e-mail and would like to apply can pick one up at the SGB Office, in Room 848 of the William Pitt Union.

Students can also contact Shull at charlesshull@gmail.com.

Any student who turns in an application, with an attached resume, and meets the grade requirement of a 2.5 minimum QPA will participate in the interview process with the nominating committee, which consists of Shull, three board members and the outgoing chair of the committee for which they apply.

If appointed committee chair, students must complete five office-hours per week and pass a performance review. The committee chair is also responsible for attending board meetings and submitting a project proposal, with a timeline, specific to his committee.

Shull said a student applying for a position should be willing to learn and be enthusiastic about the job.

An applicant should have an interest or a concern pertaining to the specific subjects in his or her desired committee, Shull said.

If a student does not become a chair, he or she can still receive a spot on that committee, if the new chair selects them.

Shull recommends that students interested in becoming members of a committee turn in an application as soon as possible, so the Board has an opportunity to interview them. This also allows students to become comfortable in the office, he said.

A student might need a year to learn the ropes and then reapply the following year for the committee chair position, Shull said.

Assistant News Editor Estelle Tran contributed to this report.