Student Government Organization

Welcome to the new Swarthmore SGO website. It’s great to see you.

Learn more
OTTER OLD VE
1864
Current AY
0
Members
0
Ongoing Initiatives
0
Committees
About Student Government

What is SGO?

Members of the Student Government Organization of Swarthmore College serve as liaisons between the students and faculty, staff, alumni, and the administration at large.

We are governed by our Constitution, which outlines our campus duties, including management of the student group chartering process, appointments to Swarthmore College committees, and other relevant annual processes. The Constitution also assigns the allocation of the Student Activities Budget to the Student Budgeting Committee (SBC), a subdivision of SGO. 

In 2015 we codified our Bias Response Policy which instituted a protocol for timely and appropriate student response in incidents of bias within the Swarthmore College community.

Our Constitution

Executive Board

The Executive Board meets on a weekly basis to make decisions regarding campus policy and student initiatives.

The President and Vice President head the Executive Board, which consists of the appointed SBC Chair and seven elected SGO committee chairs:  
  • Academic Affairs
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Internal Affairs / Appointments
  • Student Life
  • Student Organizations
  • Outreach

Senate

The Senate meets on a weekly basis as a part of the full SGO to review decisions made by the Executive Board and to offer support and ideas for SGO initiatives.

The Senate is comprised of up to 20 elected senators (3 from each class year and 8 elected at-large).

This body may propose amendments to the Constitution and work with the Executive Board to initiate referenda and pass resolutions. The Executive Board committee chairs head committees comprised of members from the Senate.

Screenshot 2023-09-23 at 3.47.59 PM
Screenshot 2023-09-23 at 3.48.53 PM
Screenshot 2023-09-23 at 3.49.20 PM
Screenshot 2023-09-23 at 3.49.48 PM
Screenshot 2023-09-23 at 3.50.08 PM
SGO 2023-24 Goals

What's different this year?

“This year, SGO is more dedicated than ever to acting as a liaison between the student body and the broader Swarthmore administration. To do that, however, we need to know areas where students could use extra support, so we can work to improve things however possible. In other words, we need your help (whether through conversations, emails, or other channels) to foster the community, candor, and cultivation that Swarthmore is missing. ” –Liv Medeiros-Sakimoto, September 23rd email

Community

We want to foster a greater sense of community that welcomes and values every voice.

Candor

SGO practices candor in campus-wide communications and other opportunities such as weekly office hours and open senate meetings.

Cultivation

We are cultivating a culture of growth and progress that empowers us to work together toward a better future for all Swarthmore students.