FAU’s Student Government Association plays a key role in representing students, managing campus resources, and providing leadership opportunities. Yet, many students say they are unaware of what the organization actually does. 

To understand how students perceive SG, the University Press asked several students across campus about their familiarity with the organization. Some had a clear understanding of its role, while others admitted they were unfamiliar or only somewhat aware of it. FAU Student Body President Darsham Gonzalez told the University Press about the importance of SG, describing it as a bridge between students and the university administration.

“Student Government is essential to our student body, mainly acting as an organization that bridges the wishes and needs of our student body to the university administration,” Gonzalez said. “Most importantly, SG’s role is paramount to student success, providing them with resources and programs that can accelerate and keep students on track to graduate and succeed academically. 

Junior Shaina Pierre, who is familiar with SG, echoed Gonzales’s description, describing it as a voice for the student body. “The student government body represents the overall student population of FAU,” Pierre said. “It represents their ideals, their morals, and what they want to happen within the school. I just feel like they just give a voice to students.”

Other students admitted they had little to no awareness of SG. Senior transfer student Arena Vasquez said she had never heard of the association: “I feel like I’ve never heard that before, but it’s not that I don’t care. I feel like they don’t advertise correctly, like I don’t get any emails or important stuff that I can be aware of.”

Jemima Mercier, a junior who was somewhat familiar with SG, described its role more narrowly. Mercier said she thinks of SG as being responsible for student activities and supplying essentials, such as Scantrons and other materials.

Some students suggested ways SG could improve awareness, especially for those new to campus. Freshman Lonnie Simpson explained that she did not learn about SG during the First-Year SOAR orientation, a required session for all incoming students, but thought it would have been an ideal opportunity to do so. 

“I think for orientation day, if they had a lecture set up for student government, where it’s like, all right, this is our student government. These are our current representatives. This is where to reach us. This is our social media. This is how to see what we do. I feel like that would be a great thing to have,” Simpson said. “Or even have handouts like, this is our QR code. Scan this, look at this. I think that would be perfect.”

Other students pointed to SG’s visibility during elections, but still felt unclear about the organization’s purpose. Katerina Benson, a sophomore, noticed students campaigning during the fall 2025 election with messages like “Go vote,” but did not know what the candidates represented or how they planned to impact campus life. 

“Maybe they could do more tabling on the Breezeway and talk about what they want to do for the campus. Like, what their roles are and how they impact us,” Benson said.

Despite the range of awareness, SG’s mission and purpose remain consistent. The organization was created to provide effective representation, promote general welfare, and uphold student self-governance. According to SG’s website, its stated purpose includes ensuring student participation in university policy, serving as an official voice for the student body, addressing issues across all campuses, and overseeing the use of funds collected through student tuition. 

A key part of fulfilling that mission is managing the nearly $11 million collected annually through the Activity and Service fee, which is included in tuition at $12.32 per student each semester. Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Silano explained that SG determines how the fee is allocated based on student votes in campus elections. 

“Students decide how that money is spent through who they elect to their campus house, Student Senate, or who they elect for president and governor for their respective campus,” Silano said. “If students want more funding for sports clubs, as an example, then vote for representatives who say they will increase sports club funding or vice versa if you think they should be decreased.”

The fall 2025 legislative elections on the Boca Raton campus, held on Sept. 23 and 24, gave students a direct opportunity to influence which representatives serve in the Boca House of Representatives and Student Senate. Silano noted that even appointed positions, such as CFO, are influenced by student votes.

Beyond finances, SG serves as the main lobbying and advocacy body for students, representing their interests not only to the university leadership but also to state and federal officials. The SG body president holds a voting seat on the FAU Board of Trustees, giving students representation on FAU’s top governing body.

In a previous interview with the University Press, Gonzalez explained that his role focuses on advocating for student needs and ensuring that students feel comfortable raising concerns, which are then addressed at the board level. Beyond the campus, SG also participates in the Florida Student Association, the statewide organization that advocates for student concerns. 

Participation in SG also provides students with opportunities for personal and professional growth. Silano described SG as a “learning laboratory” where members gain hands-on experience in leadership, governance, and collaboration. Students develop skills that are directly applicable to future careers, including professional communication, public speaking, compromise, and conflict resolution. 

Jada Strayer is the Political Reporter for the University Press. Email her at jstrayer2023@fau.edu or contact her on Instagram @jadastrayer for information regarding this or other stories.