AGENDA #7

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            Council Committee on Study Student Positions on Town Advisory Boards

                              Mayor pro tem Wiggins

                              Council Member Mark Kleinschmidt

                              Council Member Jim Ward

 

SUBJECT:       Proposed Charge and Composition of Committee to Study the Possible Creation of Student Seats on Town Advisory Boards and Commissions

 

DATE:             February 9, 2004

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

On November 24, 2003, the Council received a petition from the UNC Student Body Secretary proposing that the Council consider the creation of permanent positions for students on various Town advisory boards and commissions.  The petition also suggested that if the Council chooses to create such positions, that the term lengths be set at two years.  A copy of the petition is attached (see pages 6-7).

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The Council received an information report in response to this petition at its January 12, 2004 Council meeting (Attachment 1).  That report recommended that if the Council wanted to consider changes in committee composition and appointment policies, that the issue be referred to a Council committee to develop a set of recommendations.  The Council agreed, and a Council committee was formed to propose a charge and composition for a Committee to Study the Possible Creation of Student Seats on Town Advisory Boards and Commission (see Attachment 2, excerpt from draft minutes of January 12, 2004).  Mayor pro tem Wiggins and Council Members Kleinschmidt and Ward agreed to serve on the committee.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The Council Committee met on January 21 to discuss a proposed charge and composition of a committee to study this issue.  The Committee felt strongly that both high school and University students are valuable constituents, and that a partnership between the Council and students should be pursued.

 

The Committee identified seven main objectives:

 

 

• Find ways to improve/enhance student participation in Town government, generally.
• Identify existing opportunities for student involvement.
• Consider all students, including undergraduate, graduate, and high school students.
• Evaluate the University Student Liaison to the Council position created by the Council in 1988 (see page 16) and develop recommendations for improvement.
• Address how particular appointments should be made, for instance, by Student Government, by the Council, or other methods.
• Consider whether all standing boards should have student seats, or identify those boards that would be the most appropriate for student seats.
• Address what procedures must take place re modifying the length of service for student positions.

 

The Committee discussed the composition such a committee might have, and recommends that the Council consider the following membership:

 

  1        UNC Student Activities Director (or a Division of Student Affairs Designee)

  2        Council members

  2/3     Current members of Town standing boards and commissions

  2        Undergraduate students

  2        Graduate students

  2        Student body president (or his/her designee) from each of the Town’s two high schools

  2        Community Service Coordinator from each of the Town’s two high schools

14        Possible members

 

Council Members Kleinschmidt and Ward have agreed to serve as the Council representatives to this committee.  We would expect that officials of UNC student government would suggest appropriate members to fill the two undergraduate and two graduate student seats on the committee.  The Town Clerk would serve as staff liaison to the committee.

 

We recommend that the committee report back to the Council no later than April 14, 2004.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

The Council Committee recommends adoption of the attached resolution, which would set a charge and composition for a Committee to Study the Possible Creation of Student Seats on Town Advisory Boards and Commissions as suggested above, and instruct the Town Clerk to begin recruitment of Committee members.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.      January 12, 2004 Memorandum regarding Student Seats on Town Boards and Commissions (p. 4).

2.      Excerpt from Draft Town Council Minutes of January 12, 2004 (p. 17).

 

A RESOLUTION SETTING THE CHARGE AND COMPOSITION OF A COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE POSSIBLE CREATION OF STUDENT SEATS ON TOWN ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS (2004-02-09/R-9)

 

WHEREAS, the Council Committee to Develop a Charge and Composition of a Committee to Study the Possible Creation of Student Seats on Town Advisory Boards and Commissions met on January 21, 2004; and

 

WHEREAS, the Council accepts the recommendations of the Council Committee regarding the charge and composition of this committee as follows:

 

Charge:

• Find ways to improve/enhance student participation in Town government, generally.
• Identify existing opportunities for student involvement.
• Consider all students, including undergraduate, graduate, and high school students.
• Evaluate the University Student Liaison to the Council position created by the Council in 1988 (see Attachment 4) and develop recommendations for improvement.
• Address how particular appointments should be made, for instance, by Student Government, by the Council, or other methods.
• Consider whether all standing boards should have student seats, or identify which boards would be most appropriate for student seats.
• Address what procedures must take place re modifying the length of service for student positions.

 

Committee composition:

  1        UNC Student Activities Director (or a Division of Student Affairs Designee)

  2        Council members

  2/3     Current members of Town standing boards and commissions

  2        Undergraduate students

  2        Graduate students

  2        Student body president (or his/her designee) from each of the Town’s two high schools

  2        Community Service Coordinator from each of the Town’s two high schools

14        Possible members

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council accepts the recommendations of the Council Committee and forms a Committee to Study the Possible Creation of Student Seats on Town Advisory Boards and Commissions, with the charge and composition as listed above, and instructs the Town Clerk to begin recruitment.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council Members Kleinschmidt and Ward will serve as the Council’s representatives to the Committee, and that the Council requests that UNC Student Government submit the names of appropriate members to fill the undergraduate and graduate seats on the Committee.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council instructs the Committee to report back to the Council with recommendations no later than April 14, 2004.

 

This the 9^th day of February, 2004.