Welcome to the Kennedy School Student Government (KSSG) webpage.

Stronger Student Voice

Students at HKS should feel like more than just customers. They should have a role in shaping the future of this institution.

A Seat at the Table

• Ensure that students have substantial input on administrative decisions that impact their day-to-day lives at HKS, such as space utilization, course selection procedures, and the replacement of key administrators such as the Associate Dean of Degree Programs
  
• Lobby the Dean to provide students with a regular “State of the School” address in the Forum
  
• Formalize relationships between senior administrators and student leaders to open more reliable channels of communication

Long-Term Solutions to Financial Aid Problems

• Work with the Office of Financial Aid to improve and expand emergency financial assistance, particularly for international students
  
• Support the Dean’s efforts to make student financial aid HKS’ top financial priority, including coordinating current student participation in fundraising and donor cultivation

Student Bill of Rights

• Constitutionalize student rights and responsibilities
  
• Consolidate existing efforts – including the classroom code of conduct, diversity statement, and KSSG resolutions – to promote both diversity and dialogue|

Stronger Student Community

Our classmates today are our colleagues tomorrow. The relationships we build here will change the world.

Improved Connections across Degree Programs

• Prioritize and designate resources for cross-program and cross-graduate school networking and social events
  
• Provide opportunity for all HKS students to participate in regular small group get-to-know-you lunches, scaled up from MPA/ID and MPP student efforts last year
  
• Continue to organize traditional all-school social events for students, friends and significant others, such as the boat cruise, talent show, formals and quorum calls
  
• Plan HKS Family Day with children’s activities and parent socializing
  

Help Student Groups Become More Effective

• Develop and fund bi-annual sessions to convene all PIC, caucuses, and student group leaders for training, networking, and leadership development
  
• Create a more transparent, efficient and accountable budgeting process for student group spending

Stronger Student Government

We have the privilege of attendingone of the best schools of government in the world. We deserve a student government worthy of the Kennedy School name.

Increase KSSG’s Accountability, Transparency and Performance

• Require the KSSG President, Executive Vice President and Vice Presidents to set specific goals related to their responsibilities to the student body, monitor progress, and regularly report to the broader HKS community
  
• Make the Student Survey Committee permanent and use the data as a benchmark to measure progress in key areas and to inform KSSG priorities
  
• Publish on-line the minutes, agendas, and attendance records for KSSG meetings and invite Harvard publications to report on all public KSSG meetings

Dave Baumwoll
President, Kennedy School Student Government
david_baumwoll@hks10.harvard.edu