Understanding Undergraduate Student Government (USG): A Comprehensive Guide

Undergraduate Student Government (USG) serves as the governing body for the undergraduate population, acting as a crucial liaison between students and university administration. This article provides a comprehensive overview of USG, its structure, functions, and impact on the student experience.

What is USG?

USG, or Undergraduate Student Government at USC, oversees the undergraduate students, advocating for policy change on campus, organizing entertainment and events, and helping fund various student endeavors. USG members act as liaisons between the student body and the administration in order to advocate for students.

The Role of USG

The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) plays a pivotal role in shaping the undergraduate experience. USG members act as liaisons between the student body and the administration, advocating for student needs and concerns. Graduate students have a similar organization called the Graduate Student Government.

USG's Responsibilities

USG is responsible for several key functions:

Advocacy: USG represents the interests of undergraduate students to the university administration, advocating for policy changes and improvements to campus life.
Programming: USG organizes a wide range of events and activities to enhance the student experience, including social events, concerts, and educational programs.
Funding: USG provides funding to student organizations and initiatives, supporting a diverse range of extracurricular activities and student-led projects.

Organizational Structure of USG

USG is structured similarly to the US government, with three distinct branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

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USG is separated into various divisions, each specializing as a different part of the government.

Executive Branch

The executive branch is composed of an elected president and vice president, as well as their appointed cabinet members. The president and vice president are elected via popular vote.

Legislative Branch

Essentially a Senate, the Legislative Branch is the decision-maker on campus. USG senators are responsible for proposing legislation on behalf of the undergraduate student body. Its members try to best represent student interests in USG resolutions. The “[legislative branch] is where our ideas originate from,”. Current Vice President Dane Sprague says the legislative branch is a “team of people that’s designed to sort of innovate ways to improve life for the student body.”

Judicial Branch

This branch serves as a court if other branches act in a way that is called into question by other branches or by the USG Constitution. The judicial branch is made up of Chief Justice Susanna Andryan, and four other associate justices. This branch is responsible for upholding the standards of the USG code of ethics.

Other Branches

Advocacy Branch: This branch is in charge of keeping in contact with students and paying attention to issues on campus. They work to find solutions to complaints by students, staff and the community.
Program Board: They focus on promoting diversity, inclusion, education, and entertainment around campus by throwing events.
Communications Branch: This branch is meant to provide transparency for USG, by letting the student body know what the organization is doing.
Funding Branch: Members of the funding branch help students come up with funds to further their ideas in various fields of academia.

Funding and Budget

USG has an annual budget that allows it to work with University administration to make their ideas a reality. USG has an annual budget of $2.3 million. With a $2.5 million budget, USG is able to work with University administration to make their ideas a reality. It comes from the mandatory Student Programming Fee, which is determined by the total undergraduate population. USG allocated $261,126 to student stipends in its 2016-2017 Budget.

Student Programming Fee

The Student Programming Fee is a mandatory fee charged to all undergraduate students. In spring 2016, the fee amounted to $64 per student.

How USG Impacts the Campus

USG has a significant impact on campus life through its various initiatives and projects. Currently, USG has completed several projects during the 2024-25 academic year, according to their project tracker.

Notable initiatives completed during the academic year include the USC to LAX campus shuttle during academic breaks and a medical supply vending machine located in the University Village.

Other projects are in progress including a USC X LA Trojan First Year Booklet, which provides advice to students navigating their first year on campus.

In the past, USG has had a hand in implementing notable resources and initiatives, like fall break and Fryft.

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Fryft Program

An example of this is the Fryft program that operates within the Department of Public Safety zone, the two-mile radius surrounding USC’s campus. “It was originally a pilot program coming out of the legislative branch, but obviously we don’t have the budget to sustain Fryft for the entire school,” Sprague said.

Transparency of Tuition Dollars and Lowering Fees

Apart from commencing the free Uber ("Fruber") program last fall, USG has worked toward greater transparency of tuition dollars and lowering fees for students applying to USC.

How to Get Involved in USG

Students can get involved in USG in several ways:

Voting: Students can vote in USG elections to elect the president, vice president, and senators who will represent their interests.
Running for Office: Students can run for elected positions in USG, such as president, vice president, or senator.
Joining a Branch: Students can apply to join one of the USG branches, such as the Advocacy Branch, Program Board, or Communications Branch.
Attending Meetings: Students can attend USG meetings to voice their opinions and learn more about the organization's activities.

Elections

The president, vice president and senators are elected via popular vote in mid-February. Other executive officers and members of the advocacy, communications, funding, judicial, legislative and programming branches are appointed by a committee. Last week, president-elect Mikaela Bautista, vice president-elect Emma Fallon and the next group of senators were elected into the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and will take office in April.

Voting Matters

Since students are paying for USG, Sanchez said it’s important to exercise their right to vote. “Unfortunately, students don’t have a direct way to decide where their $128 goes to but they can elect those individuals who do have that power.” said Sanchez. Students can look through each platform and then vote based on their values and priorities.

This past election showed a 15% decrease in voter turnout from undergraduate students, going from 4,306 votes to 3,260 votes. The lack of knowledge surrounding USG could be a plausible reason for this decrease, according to USG members.

Can Candidates Deliver on Their Promises?

Some candidates in the past have been able to deliver on their promises, and most of these ideas are put in place by the legislative branch led by Sprague. To get an idea into motion, the legislative branch works to prove to the administration that the idea is feasible, and is able to be implemented using the large-scale resources provided by USC. If a candidate plays their cards right, it’s possible that their ideas can become a reality if approved by the administration.

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