GSDM Student Government Committee

The GSDM Student Government Committee consists of four class officers from each of the predoctoral class years, for a total of 24 student representatives (16 students from the four-year Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program and eight students from the two-year Advanced Standing (AS) program). The committee is chaired by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and meets at least quarterly each academic year.

SGC meetings allow students to present topics that affect their academic and/or clinical experiences. Class Officers set the agenda with items that interest the student body and faculty listen to student concerns with the goal of increasing student satisfaction and/or increasing the effectiveness of the program. The meetings also provide an opportunity for faculty to make announcements, or ask students for feedback on various events, procedures or policy.

All class officers are elected annually. Class officers determine their roles and responsibilities in conjunction with the class president. In general:

• The Class President reports to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and his or her class. The role of each class president is to coordinate the responsibilities of their class officers. The six class presidents work together to set the agenda of quarterly Student Government Committee meetings in order to bring forward student issues, concerns or interests specific to the class and/or the student body as a whole.
• The Class Vice President works under the direction of the president. S/he may stand-in for the president if the president is not able to attend or participate in Student Government Committee meetings, class officer meetings, or time-sensitive meetings with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
• The Class Secretary takes direction from the class president. S/he may be responsible for taking minutes at class or Student Government Committee meetings. The secretary may also research information for the president and/or be responsible for distributing information to class members.
• The Class Treasurer takes direction from the class president. This person may be responsible for collecting funds for any recreational or approved school activities, collect funds for the fourth year class gift, and create a budget for any ad hoc student-initiated activities deemed appropriate by the Committee.