Bard Student Government

The Speaker of the Student Body is the Executive Chair of the Central Assembly. The Speaker serves as the intermediary between the student body and the administration. The Speaker additionally oversees the functions of the Bard Student Government, and will keep the student body abreast of the affairs of the college. The Speaker shall serve as the hub for all BSG functions, aiding students and administrators by directing them to the appropriate BSG members. The Speaker shall coordinate and facilitate meetings for the Central Assembly, and will communicate their agenda to students. The Speaker finally serves as the representative to the Board of Trustees, in conjunction with the Chair of the Student Life Committee.

 

The Fiscal Committee allocates funds to the Student Body amongst the student organizations. The Fiscal Committee presents a finalized budget at the Budget Forum for review by the Student Body. We look forward to helping student organizations receive the money they need to make all of their wonderful events happen!

 

The Student Life Committee meets weekly to strategize ways of improving student life. The issues we focus on have ranged from providing more water filters to better communication methods to transportation. We are open to any ideas for improvement posed by a student, and all our meetings are open to everyone. In the past, the committee spearheaded the switch to quarter-free laundry, provided a coffee machine in the library, extended library hours during midterms, and coordinated the dish return system in all dorms.

 

The Student Judiciary Board (SJB) is one of the two conduct boards on campus that hears cases regarding violations of College policies and regulations. However, whereas the Peer Review Board (PRB) typically hears cases that involve minor infractions, the SJB hears cases that involve more nuanced infractions, with students that have extensive conduct histories. In terms of committee composition, the SJB is comprised of student, faculty, and administrative members that are selected by the chair vis a vis an application process.

 

The Peer Review Board (PRB) is one of the two student conduct boards on campus. The Board is comprised of the Chair of PRB, of 5-6 students, and 1 silent advisor who has no say in the hearing. On a typical board, there is the Chair, three student members, and the silent advisor. The PRB typically handles smaller or first-time infractions. Where cases go, PRB or SJB, is determined by a conglomerate of administrators from DOSA and ResLife. PRB operates within a restorative justice model, attempting to help any negative community impact through a variety of options such as restitution hours, conversations with community members, and creative programing.

 

The Treasurer of the Student Body logs and processes all expenses and submits all approved budget requests to the Office of Student Activities. The Treasurer, along with other Central Assembly members and the Director of Student Activities, assesses the state of club spending and devises an appropriate way to hold clubs accountable for their spending. The treasurer serves in the Charter Club Review Committee and is a nonvoting member of the Fiscal Committee.

 

The Multicultural Diversity Committee (MDC) is committed to advancing equity, inclusion, and justice across all areas of campus life at Bard. Acting as a bridge between student organizations, administrative offices, and academic departments, the MDC works to foster a more diverse and inclusive community. We organize events each semester that center conversations around identity and systemic issues, while also investigating and reporting on discrimination, white supremacy, and anti-Blackness within Student Government and affiliated groups. Comprised of representatives from Bard’s chartered affinity organizations, the MDC ensures that marginalized student voices are not only heard—but empowered.
 

The Educational Policies Committee (EPC) shall serve as the chief liaison between students and faculty on academic issues and curriculum changes. We are responsible for formalizing student opinion in the faculty evaluation process for non-tenure track, tenure track, and reappointment evaluations; as well as evaluate academic programs at the college based on the expressed concerns of students. We also correspond with faculty search committees in order to ensure adequate student power in the hiring of new faculty members.

 

The Socially Responsible Investment Committee (SRIC) is a Bard student-led committee under Bard Student Government. The mission of the committee is to leverage power over corporations through shareholder engagement. We hope to break the stigma surrounding Economics and Finance by emphasizing potential positive social changes through the creation of intellectual accessibility. Our goal is to use investments as a tool to incentivize social responsibility within corporations. We bridge the gap between Bard’s administrative actions and student input. The committee is made up of a small group of student representatives and the college’s Chief Financial Officer, Taun Toay.
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The Committee of Publicists is dedicated to keeping the Bard community informed, engaged, and heard. We support the Speaker and Archivist by promoting transparency, documenting campus developments, and strengthening communication between students, BSG, and the college administration. Our team manages BSG’s public image through outreach efforts, including tabling and media content, while addressing ongoing issues of equity, access, and accountability. Each semester, we publish a print newsletter that captures campus happenings from a bold, pro-student perspective—centered on student voices and independent from administrative influence.