Legislative Branch

The Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) is comprised of 14 Academic College Representatives and any At-Large Representatives that wish to join. All academic representatives are required to sit on AAC. Academic Affairs focuses on improving the academic experience. Often times, the committee works with University Faculty Senate and many other offices. The committee works to change university senate policies, advocate for methods to lower costs of educational resources, and educate students about their academic rights. Academic Representatives are expected to be attending their student council meetings on a regular basis and keeping them updated on our initiatives.

The Campus Operations Committee focuses on infrastructure-related projects on and around campus. We look to provide students with access to a diverse series of services that will positively impact the way that they experience campus transportation, on- campus services like campus recreation or the libraries, and online services like Canvas and LionPATH. We work with various groups including Transportation Services, Housing and Food Services, Information Technology, and the borough of State College. Most projects that have a physical manifestation will fall under their purview.

The Committee on Government and Community Relations is responsible for advocating on behalf of students at the local, state, and federal levels of government on issues that impact the lives of undergraduate students; think of it as the lobbying arm of the UPUA. Additionally, Government and Community Affairs pursues short-term initiatives in the realm of government, which primarily take the shape of shared initiatives with the Borough of State College, our town’s local government.

The Justice and Equity Committee is the UPUA’s newest standing committee in its fifteen-year history, which aims to address the real and paramount issues within the realm of disability services, educational equity, and instances of bias and discrimination. The committee pursues initiatives that pertain to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Moreover, they are charged with outreach to and the development of positive relationships with RSOs considered international/multicultural, religious/spiritual, and residence hall special living options.

The Student Engagement and Wellness Committee works on projects that the other four standing committees do not tackle. They have the widest jurisdiction of any of the committees, and work in initiatives related to housing and food services, safety, event planning and management, residence life, off-campus living, counseling and psychological services, disability services, student health, student recreational services, athletics, diversity and inclusion, student conduct, and sexual violence awareness and prevention. They also have the ability to focus directly on the betterment of international students, protected classes as defined by the University, and hold events that can positively impact the student body. Annually, we host Night of Remembrance, Red Zone Action Week, Mental Health and Wellness Week, Student Poverty Awareness Week, Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Week, and the Part-Time Job Fair.