Student Congress represents the student body by serving as a voice of the students, by allocating a portion of the student activities fees, and by writing, amending, and preserving the student laws contained in the student government code. Student Congress also creates and maintains a dialogue between students and the University administration, thus representing student opinion in decisions that affect students. Student Congress is comprised of 37 student representatives, both undergraduate and graduate, elected from 23 districts. Five members also serve on the Ethics Committee, which is considered a special standing committee. Student Congress members are elected in annual campus elections held every February.
Representatives serve for one year.
When classes are in session, Congress meets every other Tuesday with committees meeting in the alternate weeks. Summer Student Congress also meets during summer school. Student Congress follows the traditional legislative process. Bills, which allocate funds and enact laws, and resolutions, which express an opinion of the Congress are authored by individual members of Student Congress, or by a group of members. In addition, Student Congress representatives write legislation at the request of student organizations or of individual constituents, All legislation goes before committee and then, if reported favorably or without prejudice, is considered by full Congress.