Where is the conference being held?

National Student Congress will be held at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, FL from July 22-27, 2011

What is the conference agenda?

Click here to download a draft of this year's National Student Congress Agenda! 

How much does Congress cost?

The cost of the conference is as follows (Early Registration Rates exist through June 17, 2011 at 11:59pm PST):

Early Member Registration: $250.00 per attendee

Early Non-member Registration: $275.00 per attendee

Early minority serving institutions/Community Colleges member Registration: $225.00 per attendee

Early minority serving institutions/Community Colleges non-member Registration: $250.00 per attendee

This will cover the cost of all meals from July 22 through July 27.  If you have a question or concern, feel free to email our Training Director, Adriana Cortes Luna, at training@usstudents.org

How many votes does a member campus have during the Congress?

The vote break-down is by campus population:

0-3,500 students                            5

3,501-5,500 students                      6

5,501-8,500 students                      7

8,501-13,500 students                    8

13,501-20,500 students                  9

20,501-30,500 students                  10

30,501 +                                          11

How many votes does a member SSAs have during the Congress?

The vote break-down is by SSA population:

0-3,500 students                             5

3,501-60,000 students                    6

60,001-120,000 students                7

120,001-200,000 students              8

200,00+ students                            9

Do we need to bring anything with us?

The conference itself is full of students just like you, so please do not feel pressured to dress up.  The weather in Los Angeles is very warm during this time. We suggest you bring comfortable clothes and check the weather for the campus a couple days in advance.

What is a Delegation Leader?

The delegation leader coordinates logistics and recruitment.  They are responsible for recruiting a delegation that represents the student body and meets the diversity guidelines of USSA.  They also must register each delegation member, make housing reservations, reserve parking permits and make travel arrangements.  The delegation leader is also the USSA point person before and during Congress.

Before the Conference

The delegation leader needs to recruit and register the delegation.  They must also make housing reservations, arrange transportation and if needed purchase parking permits.  The delegation leader should hold a meeting with the delegation to discuss the purpose, agenda and logistics of National Student Congress.  The delegation leaders should also explain the structure and mission of USSA.

During the Conference

Delegations should meet daily in order to decide who is attending which workshop, discuss Board of Director elections, debrief their experiences of each day and to discuss any questions or concerns. The delegation leader should work to support everyone so that they enjoy the conference and get the most out of it.

After the Conference

Delegation leaders should schedule a meeting to debrief the conference.  They should also make sure to update the student government and student organizations about the outcomes of National Student Congress, including leadership elections and campaigns.

Why do we use Diversity Guidelines?

USSA is committed to expanding access to education for all people. We recognize that someone’s class, ability, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status and other identities affect their experience with, barriers to, and opportunities for higher education. USSA recognizes that, intentionally or unintentionally, many institutional factors discriminate against people based on their identity.  This institutionalized discrimination is directly related to the under-representation of some communities on our college campuses.  Student realized if we are to fulfill our goals as an organization, we must have perspectives from a broad range of students in our organization and at the forefront of the national student movement, that is why they elected to enforce diversity guidelines.  Additionally, recruiting a diverse delegation sends a powerful message to our elected officials that we represent a number of different communities on our campuses and in turn strengthens our lobbying power.

In addition to recruiting a diverse delegation you should also recruit a combination of student organization leaders and students that are being developed as leaders.  This diverse student group will ensure that different student groups on your campuses are invested in the campaigns you are running.

What are the Diversity Guidelines?

USSA has Diversity Guidelines, which ensure that USSA is inclusive of all communities on campus.  The guidelines help encourage student governments to fully incorporate and represent the entire student body on their campus and within USSA. Member schools are required to follow the Diversity Guidelines.

The definition of each acronym are as follow: W=woman; WOC=women of color; POC=Person of Color; Q=Queer; QOC=Queer of Color; NT=Non-Traditional; SD=Student with Disabilities; V=Veteran; G/P=Graduate or Professional; INT = International Student and WC = Working Class.

Any school that counts G/P students as part of enrollment for determining delegation size should include a G/P student in their delegation. All delegations of 3 or more should have at least 1 W and 1 POC that cannot be the same person. Delegates may fulfill multiple roles, except the delegate fulfilling the WOC guideline may not also fulfill the POC or the W guideline.

How do I Recruit a Diverse Delegation?

Before the conference, contact student organizations including women; students of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered students; veterans; students with disabilities; and nontraditional students.  Let them know about USSA, our conferences and campaigns, and encourage their participation.  This is a great opportunity to strengthen relationships with these campus organizations.  The best approach a student association can take to recruit diverse conference participants is to work on issues that affect a broad range of students. Having a diverse group of students setting the student government agenda and working together with student organizations makes diversity a full-time commitment and strengthens any student government association. If you need help with recruitment please call the USSA office at (202) 640-6570.

What is an Affiliate Member?

An affiliate member is a school that is not a direct member of USSA, but is a member of a State Student Association (SSA) that is a member of USSA.  Because affiliate members are not direct members they do not qualify for the member registration rate.  But a student from a affiliate school can receive the member rate if they are part of a member SSA’s delegation.

 How can I be Elected to the Board?

Only voting delegates can be elected to USSA’s Board.  Each region, caucus and affiliate elects one chair and vice chair.  Chairs and vice chairs are nominated at the first regional, caucus, and affiliate meetings at Congress then elections are during the second meeting.  Board Officers are then elected at the first board meeting, by the newly elected board. 

What is the Board’s Responsibility?

USSA’s Board is responsible for organizing the campaigns elected by USSA’s membership at plenary.  The Board has 6 meetings a year in addition to several conference calls between meetings.  All chairs sit on USSA’s Board of Directors.  The Affiliate chairs and board officers make up the executive committee, who meet between meetings of the board with the full powers of the Board of Directors in advising officers on the day to day direction of the national office.

The board is also responsible for acting as spokespersons for USSA, recruiting new members, assisting with coordinated fundraising efforts.

What are the regional, caucuses and affiliate spaces?

USSA believes that members of any given community are best equipped to address the issues that bar access to that community from higher education, and identify solutions.  For that reason USSA has established regional, caucus and affiliate spaces at Congress to ensure those issues are addressed.  These spaces are only to be attended by people who identify with the community. 

 Regions

• Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV)
• Empire Gardens (NY, NJ, PR, Vir. Islands)
• Great Planes (IA, KS, MO, NE)
• Golden Pacific (CA, HI, NV, Guam, Amer. Samoa)
• Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
• New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
• Pacific Northwest (AK, ID, OR, WA)
• Rocky Mountain (AZ, CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY)
• South East (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)
• South Central (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX)

 Affiliates

• National People of Color Student Coalition (NPCSC)
• National Queer Student Coalition (NQSC)
• National Women’s Student Coalition (NWSC)
• State and System Student Association Coalition (SSSAC)

 Caucuses

• Community College Caucus
• First Generation & Non-Traditional
• First Peoples Caucus
• Graduate & Professional Student Caucus
• International Students Caucus
• La Coalición
• Multi/Biracial Caucus
• National Asian Pacific American Student Coalition (NAPASC)
• National Coalition of Students with Disabilities (NCSD)
• People of African Descent (POAD)
• People of Middle Eastern and South Asian Descent (POMESAD)
• Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) Caucus
  
• National Queer Students of Color Caucus (NQSOC)
• Students of the Jewish Community
• Veterans Caucus
• Women of Color Caucus
• Working Class Student Caucus
• DREAM Caucus
  

 Board Officers

• Community Labor Liaison
• Corporate Secretary
• Development/Finance Officer
• Grassroots Legislative Liaison
• Outreach Officer

What are Action Agenda Items and Administrative Resolutions?

Action Agenda Items (AA) are the national campaigns the USSA’s membership elects during plenary.  AAs are executed by USSA’s Board and members in addition to it’s institutionalized campaigns of electoral organizing, and budget & appropriations.  An AA must meet the following criteria:

• It will result in concrete improvement in people’s lives
• It is winnable
• It has a clear target
• It currently has strong interest on campuses nationwide
• It is likely to be debated and acted upon by Congress in the next year
• It will strengthen and expand grassroots investment in USSA
• It will raise money and/or resources
• It directly related to higher education

Administrative Resolutions (AR) are submitted by a region, caucus, or affiliate and specifically affect that community.  It is responsibility of the chair of that space to organize the ARs with its members.

Do you have a question not listed here?  Contact USSA Training Director Adriana Cortes Luna at training@usstudents.org.