Student Governance

order of the gavel pin — Photo credit: Christina Franusich

Commission on Undergraduate Student Affairs

The charge of the Commission on Undergraduate Student Affairs is to study, formulate, and recommend to the Undergraduate Student Senate policies and procedures pertaining to the undergraduate student experience at Virginia Tech. Areas for consideration include undergraduate student wellbeing, inclusion, and morale; undergraduate student relations with peers, staff, faculty, administrators, alumni, and the community; policy matters related to undergraduate student conduct; undergraduate student organizations, social life, and recreation; employment- and placement; residential and campus life; and undergraduate student well-being.

The Commission on Undergraduate Student Affairs also approves the constitutions of all University Chartered Student Organizations (UCSOs) except the student senates; this function does not involve or require approval of any senate or the University Council.

Current members of CUSA and minutes of past CUSA meetings will be posted on the CUSA goverance website.

Board of Visitors Student Representatives

Undergraduate Student Senate

Graduate and Professional Student Senate

Order of the Gavel

Purpose

The purpose of the Order of the Gavel is:

To promote student leadership development during and after the university life of its members;
To promote the intellectual and personal growth of its members and the general student body;
To work with students, faculty, staff, and alumni to develop internal and external relationships that promote positive leadership development;
To assist in the development of student leadership programs and opportunities through Leadership Education Collaborative and the Division of Student Affairs; and
To serve in an advisory capacity to the vice president for student affairs.

History

The Order of the Gavel was founded in 1984 by Dr. Sandra Sullivan, former vice president for student affairs. Dr. Sullivan believed that the division and university should recognize the important contribution of the leaders of major student organizations by creating a special honor society. There were originally 13 student organization leaders installed as charter members.

The order was founded as an undergraduate honor society, but as time passed and the influence of graduate student organizations grew, there was a groundswell of support to include graduate organizations. These were added in the mid-1990s. In fall of 2013, under the leadership of Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Patricia A. Perillo, the Order of the Gavel once again revisited the constitution and bylaws regarding organizational membership. Today, there are 28 undergraduate and graduate student members representing the major student organizations at Virginia Tech.