In the issue of AWOL coming out this Tuesday, we take a look at the low female participation in AU’s student government and what it means. The article hasn’t even hit campus yet, but it’s already making waves.

At the end of Sunday’s student Senate meeting, Sophomore Senator Tim McBride rose to ask his peers to get involved in Student Government’s latest effort: starting a dialogue with clubs and organizations about how to make SG more representative of the student body.

“This goes beyond just institutional, formal equality and is something we need to address as social equality,” McBride said.

During the announcement, McBride referenced the ANC election last semester, where students sought to give voice to the AU community in neighborhood government.

“That our representative bodies reflect and look like communities that they’re trying to represent is an issue that’s inherent to the quality of a healthy organization and a democracy,” McBride said. “It was the core principle for our push to get Tyler Sadonis and Deon Jones elected to the ANC, and it should be something that we focus on here.”

The conversation about the lack of diversity within the Senate started long before the creation of the Women’s Caucus (an separate initiative led by Baxter you can read about on Tuesday) and the writing of our article, though they seem to have helped push words into action. It’s unclear how much change will occur in the Senate body this semester, but perhaps the movement to make SG more diverse has come soon enough for the upcoming executive elections in March.

*****UPDATE 10PM***** Although there’s nothing about it yet on their website, the Undergraduate Senate sent out a press release by e-mail heralding their new initiative. The Senate Committee on Student’s Rights, Academics, and University Affairs will be meeting with various student groups, hoping to “achieve gender parity for student government organizations.” Direct questions to [email protected].

*****UPDATE 2/15****** Here’s a link to the SG press release.