Summary
We exist to serve the students of East Carolina University, and are the source of governance for the students so that they may be heard collectively. The focus of the Student Government Association is to advocate for the East Carolina University Student Body by creating Student-University engagement.
Source: SG Homepage
OnAir Post: ECU Student Government
News
August 22, 2022
Ryan Bonnett
Student Body President
252-328-4719
sgapresident@ecu.edu
Emily Yates
Student Body Vice President
252-328-4720
sgavicepresident@ecu.edu
About
Source: Student Government
East Carolina Teachers Training School was founded as an all-women’s school in 1907 and in 1920 was renamed East Carolina Teachers College. In December of that year seven women came together to form the first student government association. It was titled the Student Self-Government Association. Helen Bahnson was the first President.
By the start of World War II much of the structure of the student government had fallen apart. The student government association in 1934 was divided into two branches including one for women and one for men. In December 1942 a mass meeting of students came together to rewrite the constitution. They formed a new government called the Student Cooperative Government Association.
One year later in 1943 the male and female branches merged to combine both men and women into one governing association. In 1947, with the ratification of a new constitution, the organization was renamed the Student Government Association. East Carolina Teachers College became East Carolina College in 1951. On June 29, 1967 the North Carolina General Assembly renamed East Carolina College East Carolina University. In the years since a number of new constitutions have been written and ratified, reflecting the ever-changing opinions of the student body in their effort to self-govern.
Most recently, in 2016, a new constitution was ratified by the student body, giving the Student Government Association a clearer outline and structure, while solving many problems of the past several years. This constitution was most recently amended in 2019.
- SGA Constitution (PDF) (Updated April 7, 2019)
- SGA Bylaws (PDF) (Updated March 23, 2021)
- Standing Rules of the Student Assembly (PDF) (Updated September 12, 2020)
Contact
Email: Student Government Association
Locations
Student Government Association
East Carolina University 223 Main Campus Student Center Mailstop 182 Greenville, NC 27858
Phone: 252-328-4742
Leadership
Ryan Bonnett
Student Body President
252-328-4719
sgapresident@ecu.edu
Emily Yates
Student Body Vice President
252-328-4720
sgavicepresident@ecu.edu
Student Assembly
Members of the Student Assembly are elected by the student body each spring. Members are elected by their academic college, their class, or as At-Large representatives.
The Student Assembly meets each Wednesday of the fall and spring semesters at 6:00pm in Ballroom C of the Main Campus Student Center. To see minutes of Student Assembly meetings, click here. You will need to log in with your PirateID and Passphrase.
Assembly Members
President: Ryan Bonnett
Vice President: Emily Yates
Sophomore Class Representative: Katie Farrell
Junior Class Representative: Javier Limon
Graduate School:
Chandler Ward
Patrick Duncan
College of Nursing:
Savannah Blalock
Julia Keresztes
College of Arts and Sciences:
George Cherry, Jr.
Cayce Jones
College of Business:
Caitlin Kysar
Anderson Ward
College of Education:
Allison Schaefer
College of Fine Arts and Communication:
Tory Rose Harris
Olivia Rose
College of Health and Human Performance:
Demya Pratt
Rutvi Sachania
Honors College:
Tyler West
At-Large Representatives:
Baleigh Roberts
Morgan White
Joshua Crockett
Madison Rhodes
Jordyn Strupp
Adriana Cowell
Elizabeth Fleischer
Faisal Abouelhassan
Sara Mejia
Matthew Alexander
Alexander Farrell
Samuel Fuellman
Desirae Reno
Raphael Yaft
Ubah Chukwudi
Elections for the Student Government Association are run by the SGA Elections Commission. The Commission is headed by the SGA Elections Chair and Vice Chair. In order to preserve the integrity of the Student Government Association and its elections, members of the Commission are not allowed to be members of SGA or to run for office.
For more information about Elections, contact sgaelections@ecu.edu.
Rules of the Student Government Association Elections are set in the SGA Constitution and Bylaws. Visit the About Us page to view these documents.
All candidates must report all campaign expenses, even if they were donated or paid for through campaign donations. An expense form will be provided by the Elections Commission. All offers of campaign donations, whether accepted or not, must be reported to the Elections Commission through the Campaign Contribution Reporting Form within 24 hours of the offer.
Committees
SGA Committee meetings are open to the public. To see minutes of SGA committee meetings, click here. You will need to log in with your PirateID and Passphrase.
Rules and Judiciary Committee
The Rules and Judiciary Committee has a variety of responsibilities. This committee interviews and nominates new members to fill vacant seats of the Student Assembly. Additionally, all legislation introduced to the Assembly is reviewed by the committee to ensure constitutionality. This committee is responsible for any personnel or structural changes to the Student Government Association, as well as any judicial proceedings involving SGA members. The Rules and Judiciary committee is chaired by the Student Body Attorney General.
Financial Affairs and Appropriations Committee
SGA receives a portion of student fee dollars from students on campus. A large portion of those funds is allocated to student organizations through the Financial Affairs and Appropriations Committee. Organizations requesting funds must apply through the Treasurer’s Portal on Engage and attend a hearing with the Financial Affairs and Appropriations Committee. For more information on the this process, visit our Appropriations page. This committee is also responsible for maintaining the budget and expenses of the Student Government Association. The Financial Affairs and Appropriations Committee is chaired by the Student Body Treasurer.
Marketing and Communication Committee
This committee is responsible ensuring that we are properly presented as diligent representatives of the student body. This committee oversees social media engagement and works alongside other departments on campus to bolster SGA sponsorships. The Marketing and Communication Committee also assists other SGA committees in promoting their events and initiatives to the student body. The Marketing and Communication Committee is chaired by the Director of Marketing and Communication.
Academic Affairs Committee
The Academic Affairs Committee has a wide variety of tasks relating to improving students’ academic experience. They serve as a liaison between the Student Government Association and ECU departments focused on academic achievement, including Career Services, Joyner Library, and the Pirate Academic Success Center. They also share information with the student body regarding the academic policies and pending academic policies of East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina System, as well as sharing scholarship information. The Academic Affairs Committee is chaired by the Director of Academic Affairs.
University Affairs Committee
The University Affairs committee is responsible for examining and promoting the policies, procedures, and initiatives of East Carolina University as they pertain to the student experience. This committee maintains relationships with university departments to enhance the services offered to students. The University Affairs Committee is chaired by the Director of University Affairs.
Local and State Affairs Committee
The Local and State Affairs Committee is responsible for identifying and acting on the issues that affect the student body of ECU as they relate to the City of Greenville, Pitt County, and State of North Carolina. This committee works with elected officials, attends local meetings, and educates pirates on the importance of civic and democratic engagement. The Local and State Affairs Committee is chaired by the Director of Local and State Affairs.
Equity and Intercultural Engagement Committee
The Equity and Intercultural Engagement Committee is tasked with supporting all students’ ability to live and learn in the East Carolina University environment regardless of age, gender, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, creed, political ideology, political affiliation, political party, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information. This committee collaborates with campus departments and student organizations to ensure a variety of programming and support exists on campus that represents the diversity of the student body. The Equity and Intercultural Engagement Committee is chaired by the Director of Equity and Intercultural Engagement.
Community Outreach Committee
The Community Outreach Committee is responsible for developing and maintaining relations with the Greenville community in ways such as hosting and partaking in philanthropy events as well as participating in various community service projects throughout the school year. This committee also serves as a liaison to SGA alumni. The Community Outreach Committee is chaired by the Director of Community Outreach.
Get Involved
What We Do
Appropriations
The Student Government Association provides funding each year to registered student organizations. This funding is provided for specific needs, such as travel, purchasing supplies, or hosting events. There are four main parts to the appropriations process.
- Attend a funding workshop
All treasurers of organizations interested in SGA funding should attend a funding workshop. A funding workshop is offered as part of the Workshop Carousel on Sunday, August 21, but others are offered throughout the school year. - Submit a request on Engage
Organizations requesting funding must submit a detailed budget request on Engage. The form is accessible to organizations that have attended a funding workshop. - Attend an appropriations hearing
The Student Body Treasurer will review the request and if the items requested are allowed within SGA and university rules, and the request is complete, a meeting will be set with the SGA Finance and Appropriations Committee. At this hearing, the organization can explain in detail the purpose of the funding and how it will impact the organization and the university. - Meet with the SGA financial advisor
If the Finance and Appropriations Committee approves the request for funds, the organization will meet with the SGA Financial Advisor to finalize the request and purchase the items needed or book any travel.
For full rules of the SGA Appropriations Process, plan to attend an SGA Funding Workshop. For other questions, please contact the Student Body Treasurer at sgatreasurer@ecu.edu.
Join SGA
SGA is the voice of the student body! Get involved to make your voice heard.
For new students (including first-year and transfer students), the Shipmates Program is a great way to learn about SGA and prepare for a future role in Student Government. Visit our Shipmates page for more information.
The ECU Student Government Association currently has openings for the Student Assembly. You can find information on the requirements and duties of these positions on our Position Description page. To fill a seat for a specific college, you must be a student of that college.
Representatives are needed for the following seats:
- College of Education
- College of Nursing
- School of Dental Medicine
- Graduate School
- At-Large Representatives (open to all ECU students; not restricted by academic major or class standing)
- Senior Class Representative (must be a member of the senior class
You can find the application on Engage.
Student Government Association positions are elected from the ECU student body each February.Visit the SGA Elections page for more information about this process.
All students can get involved with SGA. Meetings are open to the public and accept public comments. If you have an idea, comment, or concern to share with SGA, send it to sga@ecu.edu and it will get shared with the appropriate member for follow-up.
Position Descriptions
Student Body President
(must run on a ticket with a candidate for Vice President)
Qualifications:
- Currently be enrolled as a full time student at East Carolina University
- Be enrolled in a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of on campus classes during the fall and spring semesters
- Must have completed twenty four (24) credit hours while enrolled at East Carolina University
- Not be found responsible for any academic or disciplinary sanctions before filing for election or while in office
- File a required grade release documentation with East Carolina University, prior to taking office
- Have and maintain a minimum 2.500 cumulative grade point average and a minimum 2.500 semester grade point average as reported through the official student information system
- Uphold all provisions outlined in the Constitution, Bylaws, and all other governing documents
- Must be elected by the student body, unless following the line of succession
- Take the oath of office upon election or appointment, as prescribed by the Bylaws
Responsibilities:
- Serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Student Assembly
- Serve as an ex-officio member of the East Carolina University Board of Trustees
- Attend meetings of the University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments
- Appoint Directors
- Appoint non-standing Directors (No more than three (3) non-standing directors may serve at one time.)
- Form non-standing executive committees (Members must be appointed by the Student Body President; Committees may not exceed ten (10) members.)
- Serve as the chief representative of the student body in all matters both internal and external
- Shall chair meetings of the Executive Cabinet
- Address the state of the Student Government Association to the Student Assembly, annually
- Veto any legislation adopted by the Student Assembly (Any bill not signed by the Student Body President within seven (7) University calendar days shall become law.)
Student Body Vice President
(must run on a ticket with a candidate for President)
Qualifications:
- Currently be enrolled as a full time student at East Carolina University
- Be enrolled in a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of on campus classes during the fall and spring semesters
- Must have completed twenty-four (24) credit hours while enrolled at East Carolina University
- Not be found responsible for any academic or disciplinary sanctions before filing for election or while in office, as detailed the Student Code of Conduct
- File all required grade release documentation with the East Carolina University, prior to taking office
- Have and maintain a minimum 2.500 cumulative grade point average and a minimum 2.500 semester grade point average as reported through the official student information system report
- Uphold all provisions outlined in the Constitution, Bylaws, and all other governing documents
- Must be elected by the student body, unless following the line of succession
- Take the oath of office upon election or appointment, as prescribed by the Bylaws
Responsibilities:
- Serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Student Assembly
- Serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Rules and Judiciary Committee
- Shall chair meetings of the executive cabinet in the absence of the Student Body President
- Shall supervise and coordinate the internal operations of the Executive Cabinet
- Coordinate outreach with campus and community organizations
- Coordinate events and programs for the Executive Cabinet
Student Assembly Representatives
Requirements:
- Be enrolled as a full time student at East Carolina University
- Be enrolled in a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of on campus classes during the fall and spring semesters
- Not be found responsible for any academic or disciplinary sanctions while filing for election or during the term in office
- File all required grade release documentation with East Carolina University prior to taking office
- Have and maintain a minimum 2.500 cumulative grade point average and a minimum 2.500 semester grade point average as reported through the official student information system
- Take the oath of office upon election or appointment, as prescribed by the Bylaws
- Serve on at least one Standing Committee
- Uphold all provisions outlined in the Constitution, Bylaws, and all other governing documents
Shipmates
The Shipmates Program is for students that are new to ECU to learn about the Student Government Association and develop leadership skills. Members of Shipmates get a chance to become involved in SGA events and programs, provide service to the ECU community, and connect with SGA members and campus administrators.
For more information, contact the SGA Director of First Year Programs at shipmates@ecu.edu.
