Kerux: a portfolio of Calvin Theological Seminary - Volume 45.5 - 16 May 2011

On Being a Student Senator

by Phillip Westra

I served as the senate secretary in 2009-2010, the year the new curriculum and schedule went into effect. That year I saw our senate listen well to students and present their challenges before a very attentive administration. I watched senators sharpen their deliberation skills in meetings and blossom as they used their gifts in various subcommittees. I gained a deeper appreciation for the seminary's administration and the challenges they face. I watched classmates laughing together at events I helped plan. I, along with the other senators, was given the opportunity to interview our next seminary president, represent the students' perspective within a board meeting, and use my own skills to keep things running smoothly.

So when I was nominated for President this year, I said "Yes" because I know the job and believe I can do it well. I said "Yes" because I enjoy imagining what kind of great work the senate will do in the year ahead of uncertainties and opportunities. I said "Yes" because this is an opportunity to make a lasting difference here, to leave the seminary a better place than I came to.

After I said "Yes," I discovered I was the only one who had. The challenge the senate had in finding people to stand for nominations in the executive positions this year is what really led me to break from my research papers to write this article. I think some students have wondered if being a senator is a commitment is really worth the time and energy. Others are perhaps already stretched too thin and exercised the discipline of saying "No" to maintain healthy boundaries. But if anyone is unaware of what the senate does and will be like next year, I hope this helps clear some mud.

At the risk of undermining my very goal for sharing this, I will share some of my thoughts about student senate wrapping up this academic cycle and going into next fall. The first thing I want to talk about is the solid executive team we have lined up for next year—Ashley Stam as Vice President, Jess Driesenga as Secretary, and Mark Langenbach as Treasurer. I know this group keeps a pulse on student life and knows how to dig in when things need to get done. We will keep things moving through the summer so we are all ready for the fall. Second, my process-minded background has me thinking about how our senate could streamline some of our administrative tasks and cut down the cycles we spend on event planning (especially in last-minute planning), giving us the time to address other issues as they come up. I am also thinking about any procedures students deal with here at seminary that might be more complex than necessary. While the transitions are happening, are there things that can be simplified to make everyone's work a bit easier? Third, I believe it is important that we have students who represent all the programs here and that our international students are represented on senate. I will recruit and campaign and do whatever I can to see this happen next fall.

Next year we will welcome a new president and adjust to a new administration. Staff positions will need to be filled and several professors will be on sabbatical, adding stress to our faculty and staff. A year from now I understand ANGEL will be retired and all online course interaction will be done through Google sites. Some online courses are being developed and the Church Planting Institute will be taking more definite shape. Through all of this, the senate will do its part to keep thoughtful and helpful student feedback ubiquitous in the seminary system.

Which classmates would like to represent you well next year? Is senate something you are interested in? We will not hold elections until next fall, but thinking ahead is a good habit to get into and one I hope will characterize our 2011-2012 senate. After your exams are done and you learn what the outdoors are like again, think about what went well and what did not go so well this year, and who of your classmates might contribute to the betterment of Calvin Seminary. If you have question or comments, you can always email them to semsen@calvinseminary.edu. I, along with the rest of the executive team, am committed to making senate a valuable endeavor for everyone involved. We will need a full senate and thoughtful feedback from the student body to make that happen.

Phillip Westra
Student Senate President