Underclassmen are finally getting an opportunity to experience the electoral process at Phillips Academy. Last week, the class of 2008 elected two Lower Representatives, and next week the class of 2009 will participate in its first of many elections on campus. This process, and the excitement that surrounds it, leaves us wondering: what exactly is the role of student council? Our school is unique in the vast opportunities allotted to students to express their views and concerns. Through The Phillipian, WPAA, and the variety of student publications available on campus, student council is not the only or even primary method for students to articulate their opinions to the administration. Over the last several years, the Student Council appears to have spent more time trying to figure out what issues to deal with than on determining how to deal with them. As of late, the school administration has bypassed the Student Council in making major decisions. The administration never, for instance, consulted student council before shortening Thanksgiving break or before deciding to maintain Saturday classes. The Student Council only found out about these decisions after the administration announced them to the rest of the school. As people on the campus continue to wonder what the purpose of Student Council is, the idea that the Council is crippled and weak comes to mind because of the lack of willingness on the part of the administration to work with the representatives of the student body. We are now moving into a critical decision making period as the school continues to address issues that will shape the Academy for years to come. In the upcoming year alone, the Strategic Plan will be decided upon As these and other decisions come up, the administration should take advantage of the student perspective offered by the members of Student Council. The Student Council is composed of bright campus leaders who have earned the respect of their peers, and they deserve an opportunity to represent the ideals of their fellow classmates before the Administration. We strongly urge the administration and faculty to consult the time-honored Council as a source of student authority as the school begins to tackle these key issues.
