University of Maryland School of Medicine: Shaping Leaders Through Student Governance

The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) recognizes the vital role of student leadership in fostering a strong community and shaping the future of medical education. Through various avenues of participation, students actively contribute to the school's governance, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met.

The Foundation: Class-Based Student Government Association (SGA)

The Student Government Association (SGA) forms the cornerstone of student representation at UMSOM. Each class elects its own SGA, comprised of dedicated individuals who serve as liaisons between their classmates, the school administration, and the wider university. The Class SGA includes five primary roles: two Co-Presidents, as well as a Treasurer, a Secretary, and an Historian.

Beyond these core positions, each class also nominates representatives to serve on key committees that directly impact the medical school experience. These include two Curriculum Coordinating Committee (CCC) representatives, two University Student Government Association (UGSA) representatives, two Wellness Committee representatives, two Medical Education Continuous Quality Improvement (MECQI) representatives, and two Judicial Board members.

Roles and Responsibilities Within the Class SGA

Each position within the Class SGA carries specific responsibilities, contributing to the overall effectiveness of student governance.

Class Co-Presidents: The Co-Presidents embody leadership and professionalism, serving as role models for their classmates. They act as the primary communication link between their class and the educational leadership, conveying student needs and relaying important information. The Co-Presidents work with fellow officers, Treasurer, Secretary and Historian, as the primary liaisons between their class and the educational leadership. They are responsible for communicating the needs of their class as well as relaying important information to classmates. They also foster class unity by organizing social and educational activities. The Class Co-Presidents are also responsible for meeting regularly with other class offices to discuss the current needs of the class and plan for upcoming activities/fundraising. They will set the leadership style ensuring an appropriate distribution of responsibilities among all co-leaders. Additionally, the Class Co-Presidents work with fellow leaders to plan and organize various social and education related activities. Typical first-year activities include organizing Post Exam celebration activities, Winter Semiformal, Year I/II Sports Games, and the end of the year formal. Typical second-year activities include creating Little/Big Sibs and organizing social activities during orientation week for the incoming first-year class. Typical clinical years activities include organizing events around Match Day and Graduation.

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SGA Treasurer: Elected for a four-year term in the first year, the Treasurer manages the class budget, meticulously tracking funds and expenditures in collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). The Treasurer will work close with the Class President and other primary SGA leaders in fundraising, event planning, liaising with classmates and educational leadership, and promoting class unity.
Secretary: The Secretary plays a multifaceted role, responsible for recording minutes at leadership meetings and disseminating information to the class promptly. The Secretary will work close with the Class President and other primary SGA leaders in fundraising, event planning, liaising with classmates and educational leadership, and promoting class unity.
Historian: The Historian documents the student experience, capturing photos, stories, and memorabilia throughout the four years of medical school. They contribute to the creation of slideshows and the class yearbook, "Terra Mariae Medicus," preserving memories for years to come. The Class Historian attends and documents events for use in the class yearbook.

Committee Representatives: Amplifying Student Voice in Key Areas

In addition to the core SGA positions, student representatives on various committees ensure that the student perspective is considered in crucial decisions impacting the medical school experience.

Curriculum Coordinating Committee (CCC) Representatives: These representatives serve on a standing committee of the School of Medicine Council, influencing the design, management, and evaluation of the medical education curriculum. Pre-clerkship student representatives will also be voting members of the Pre-clerkship Committee (PCC), and Clinical Year student representatives will be voting members of the Clinical Years Committee (CYC).

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Medical Education Continuous Quality Improvement (MECQI) Committee Representatives: MECQI representatives engage with stakeholders across the School of Medicine and its clinical partners to identify and implement action plans for continuous improvement of the medical education program. In addition to attending quarterly MECQI Meetings, representatives are expected to attend monthly Student Leader’s meetings with OSA, OME, and the Dean’s office leadership.
Wellness Committee Representatives: These representatives act as liaisons between the student government and their class, promoting student well-being and advocating for resources to support their mental and physical health. The Wellness Representatives will be a liaison for the student government and their class.
University Student Government Association (UGSA) Representatives: Serving as the medical school's voting members at UGSA meetings, these representatives connect with students from other professional schools at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). They participate in discussions on campus-wide issues, allocate funding to student groups, and plan social and community service events. Serve as the medical school’s voting members at the University Student Government Association (USGA) Meetings. This group represents the professional schools at UMB and has a budget which is distributed to student groups on campus. This group also plans campus-wide social and community service events. Major issues are often discussed including construction plans, campus transportation, campus safety, etc. You will work closely with other student leaders on campus.
Judicial Board Members: As student representatives on the Appeals Committee and the Judicial Board, these individuals advocate for the student body in matters of academic, professional, and ethical conduct. This role involves participating in hearings, ensuring due process, upholding institutional policies, and promoting fairness and transparency. Representatives must exercise sound ethical judgment, maintain confidentiality, and communicate effectively, all while serving as a liaison between the student body and administration.

Student Council: Fostering Community and Extracurricular Engagement

Complementing the Class SGA, the Student Council focuses on creating a vibrant and inclusive environment for the entire UMSOM student body. Student Council (including President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) serves for one year and the positions are held by students in the second-year class who are selected in the Spring Term of the first year through an election process.

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Key Roles Within the Student Council

President: The Student Council President leads student activities and funding for the entire UMSOM student body, setting a standard of excellence in leadership and professionalism. The President leads the coordination of events including the student activities fair and other fun events. The President may be asked to attend certain events including freshman orientation, the student organization information meeting, student leadership meetings, and more.
Vice President: The Vice President works closely with the President, Secretary, and Treasurer to plan events for the student body. As the Student Council Vice President you are in charge of working closely with the President, Secretary and Treasurer in planning fun and informative events for the entire student body. The Vice President may be asked to attend certain events including freshman orientation, the student organization information meeting, student leadership meetings, and more.
Secretary: The Secretary focuses on written communication to the student body, disseminating information about events and initiatives. As Student Council Secretary you will work closely with the President, VP, and Treasurer in planning fun and informative events for the entire student body. The Secretary focuses on written communication to the student body regarding events. The Secretary may be asked to attend certain events including freshman orientation, the student organization information meeting, student leadership meetings, and more. The Secretary is responsible for taking minutes at meetings and informing the student body of information as needed.
Treasurer: The Treasurer manages student activities funding, ensuring responsible allocation and tracking of expenses. As Student Council Treasurer you are in charge of student activities and funding for the entire University of Maryland School of Medicine student body. The Treasurer assists in the coordination of events including the student activities fair and other fun informative events. The Treasurer focuses on keeping track of the budget and spending. The treasurer will make sure that vendors are paid and that funds are being used appropriately.

The Student Council, along with the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), has the authority to allocate funds to student organizations, class governments, and other activities that enhance the student experience.

Eligibility and Commitment

To ensure effective leadership and academic success, students must be in Good Standing to serve in a leadership position of the SGA. Leadership in the SGA requires a significant and longitudinal commitment. To ensure a student’s academic success, students should consider specific roles and responsibilities and balance these with academic needs and priorities before accepting leadership positions. The Office of Student Affairs Deans are available for support when deciding if a leadership position is appropriate for a particular student. Elected/Selected students are required to acknowledge the roles and responsibilities prior to assuming the position and annually to renew ongoing commitment. All newly elected positions are required to take leadership training offered by OSA or through the UMB Learning Institute (other trainings may be considered and approved by OSA). All elections/selections are organized through the Office of Student Affairs. Most selections/elections are held in Fall of the first year, after the second Foundations assessment (See Table). Additionally, ad hoc selections/elections may occur when a student leader is no longer able to fulfill the role. Students will receive information about elected positions prior to the selection/election process. Self-nominations will be solicited for each position. All potential leaders will have brief advisory session with OSA to outline the roles and responsibilities of the position they are interested in and review how their participation will fit within their personal goals and priorities. While all student leader positions have a critical role in the SOM community, certain positions have a greater time commitment or higher level of responsibility. Leaders of these positions (noted above) are determined by a committee of faculty and senior student leaders through a holistic selection process. Students will be selected based on qualifications necessary to fulfill the outlined roles and responsibilities and will consider student application/portfolio, input from all students through class elections as noted above, and an interview. Self-nomination, OSA advising, and the class election portion will occur as outlined above.

Broader University Governance: Connecting to the Larger UMB Community

UMSOM students also have opportunities to participate in broader university governance structures, ensuring their voices are heard at the institutional level.

University Student Government Association (USGA)

As previously mentioned, UMSOM students are represented in the University Student Government Association (USGA), which includes representatives from all professional schools within the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). This organization addresses campus-wide issues and advocates for the needs of all UMB students.

Graduate Student Government (GSG)

While the provided information focuses primarily on the School of Medicine, it's important to acknowledge the presence of the Graduate Student Government (GSG) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). GSG formulates policies promoting and governing the activities and welfare of graduate students, and advises upper-level administration and units across campus seeking to know the opinions, trends, needs, and ideas of graduate students. The GSG Executive Committee works with the Graduate School, the President's office, the Provost's Office, Division of Student Affairs, Division of Administration and Finance, Graduate Student Life, Graduate Council, the University Senate, Campus Engagement, Graduate Student Legal Aid Office, the Maryland General Assembly, and any other relevant agency or organization on the graduate student viewpoint concerning all matters affecting graduate students. GSG represents graduate student voice across over 50 committees across the campus. GSG is one of the main branches of shared governance at UMD that is student-governed. Our sister student-driven branches are the Undergraduate Student Government Association (SGA) and the Resident Hall Association. GSG was formed in 1980 and had its 40th year anniversary in 2020. Much of the purpose and vision have remained constant. GSG is a place for grad and by grads. A key body for centralizing and strengthening graduate student voice as a credible and key branch of shared governance. GSG is a place for graduate students across all colleges and schools to gather, connect, learn, advocate, share resources, have dialogue, deliberate on issues, work to find solutions and to have leadership experience.

University Senate

The University Senate provides a platform for faculty, staff, and students to participate in university-wide policy discussions. In the 1970’s, the University of Maryland broadened the University Senate’s shared governance structure to include not only faculty, but staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students as well. This unique structure has facilitated increased communication across the University and has provided an opportunity for each constituency to have a voice and exercise leadership in decisions that help shape the University. Faculty, staff, and student Senators are elected annually to fill vacancies on the University Senate. University Senate seats are apportioned by College and School for Faculty and Undergraduate students, by category for Staff (exempt and non-exempt categories), and at-large for Graduate students. Deans are ex-officio voting members of the Senate, and the President and Vice Presidents are non-voting ex-officio members. The apportionment of Senate seats is detailed in the University Plan of Organization. Additionally, the University Senate is supported through a structured committee system (organizational chart below). The committees of the University Senate formulate and review policies to be established by the Senate, review established policies, and recommend any changes that may be desirable. Senators may nominate themselves for elected committees and non-Senators may nominate themselves for standing committees during the committee volunteer process, which takes place every spring. Proposals for policy review can be submitted by any member of the University of Maryland campus. When a proposal is submitted to the University Senate Office, if the proposal is within the purview of the University Senate, it is first sent to be discussed in the Senate Executive Committee (SEC) and then typically sent to a standing committee as a charge. After a full review of the proposal and charge, the standing committee typically submits its report and recommendations to the SEC for placement on the agenda of the full Senate for debate, amendment, and approval. Overall, participation is not just limited to Senators or those who participate in one of our many governing bodies. The University Senate serves all individuals at the University. All campus members are highly encouraged to actively engage with the University Senate and voice any concerns about policy or general University issues to their Senators, develop a proposal for policy review, or by participating on one of the University Senates governing bodies. Every member on our campus deserves to have their voice heard.

USM Student Council (USMSC)

during the restructuring of higher education in Maryland in 1988. higher education centers. Created to advise the Chancellor, the USMSC derives its authority from the Board of Regents. new policies and policy changes to both the Chancellor and the Board of Regents, as well as review other proposed plans. Each degree-granting institution in the USM has two representatives on the USMSC. meets monthly throughout the school year, and its meetings rotate among system campuses. meetings function as a network for sharing ideas and concerns of general interest to students. constituent student bodies. perspectives and responsive to students' concerns and issues.

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